Okay, I have to admit, I'm not hip to "Heavy Set". It certainly sounds intriguing. Which anthology would I find it in?

Bradbury is probably my favorite writer but he's not immune to--or afraid of--sentimentality. One of his greatest strengths is his complete commitment to it (as well as romance and wonder) so that it becomes a means of storytelling and not just a by-product of bad writing. I'm a writer as well and I can tell you the first thing you should do is kill the little editor inside your head and just get it down.

Beirutwedding,

Good point about sentimentality. I've read some criticism to this effect but I don't find that as a fault with Bradbury. I think you hit the nail on the head when you say he's not afraid of it. Especially when he uses it as tool for storytelling.

Best,

Pete

I think many people get sentimental mixed up with maudlin. Ray is the first, but never the second.

Right, "Heart Transplant" is a very sad and touching story, but despite (or rather because of) this sadness there is so much beauty in it!
Speaking of "Rocket Man" and inevitability - I think the same accounts for "The Fox and the Forest". No matter how the couple struggles, there is no escape for them. One of my favorite films - Terry Gilliam's Twelve Monkeys - follows a sililar pattern. Though it says in the openting titles that the film adapted its theme (a man from the future sent back on a mission to the past where he falls in love with a woman and tries to escape with her) by the French film La jett�e.

THERE WILL COME SOFT RAINS.

Tears came to my eyes as I read this story to my children. My nine year old asked me if I was crying and I said, "Yeah, It's so sad. Isn't it?" He said, "Kinda, I guess."

I guess it's sadder for adults than it is children.

"Heavy Set". I read it in "October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween", Ed. by Richard Chizmar and Robert Morrish.

But it is also in his new collection: Bradbury's Stories: 100 of Bradbury's Most Celebrated Tales.

I had done a little piece on the story under a thread, Will someone please explain Heavy Set, and tried to find it in the search mechanism. It found it, but I couldn't get to the site.


[This message has been edited by Mr. Dark (edited 08-10-2004).]

omg means OH MY GOD!!
my favorite story was THE SKELETON from October Country...omg that story is the best thing in the world and the most scariest thing i have EVER read. omg once i read it, at first i didnt understand but i knew there must be something there so when i re-read the last two paragraphs, it finally hit me, OMG!!!! it was like about 2 in the morning to, and i jumped out of my bed and started walking around the room and i couldnt even get back to bed, so i started walking around the house, increasing my pase, and thinking omg and then i couldnt even stay in the house so i had to go outside and start walking around in circles, like a mad-man. i couldnt go to sleep all night, i just stood up thinking, all night. RAY Bradbury if u ever read this, you are a genius. i dont know how u do it but YOU ARE a genius, i can't even believe man can write a story that keeps you up all night, are u human??? you are a genius ray bradbury!!

I am searching for my favorite Ray Bradbury story. It's about a society that does not encourage intelligence. Do you know the name of the story? Please help.

Drink Entire: Against the Madness of Crowds.

quote:

Originally posted by sammonk2:
I am searching for my favorite Ray Bradbury story. It's about a society that does not encourage intelligence. Do you know the name of the story? Please help.

Farenheit 451?

Finished Cat's Pajamas about a month ago, but just saw this topic--Where's My Hat, What's My Hurry has to be one of the saddest RB stories ever. There are few things as worthy of grief as time lost, time spent living an illusion, especially when the illusion includes "love."

"All Summer in a Day" is one that springs to mind. Also "In Memoriam", "There Will Come Soft Rains", "The Rocket Man" and "The Dwarf."

Although many of Bradbury's stories are tinted with sorrow, the ones that saddened me the most were The Lake, The Pedestrian, and The Flying Machine. The Pedestrian has become much too realistic in its portrayal of our society...