hi everyone,
i've just finished reading "Dandilion wine" what a fantasic novel!..it's such a great,lovely book on many levels;written by a lover of life, on the human condition;living/love/magic/childhood/passing on and beyond life ..and learning about the world through a boy's eyes(Ray's),and so much more... this is one of those book's that put into words what we all maybe at different times in our lives feel! But, find it hard to describe with words ....
I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and didn't want the book to end. I loved "something wicked" for the same and different reasons, I haven't read "Farewell summer " but will do very soon,
just to ask you all! who have read "farewell summmer" is this what you expected, do you like it,as mush as the others ? and as part of anothlogy would you recommend this ?
Now I don't mean to be dis-respectful to Ray in anyway, as i've never read a book/story or thought of his, that i didn't like or dis-agree with...
But i've read mixed reviews about "farewell summer" some love it, some say it's very different, a lot darker, and if so then maybe that what Ray might have been trying to get across, that as we get older; that child like magic dies or changes, gets cynical,,,,i'd be interested to hear what you all think ?
kind regards for your comments, this forum is full of interesting people. who all in one way or another help to keep Ray's magic alive and "to live for ever " in the words of grandma " A thousand years from now a whole township of my offsring will be bitting sour apples in the gumwood shade.that's my answer to anyone asks big questions."

regards
Dave

I have read it. It's a good book. I would call it Dandelion Wine lite. It's not as strong as DW, although Ray's second-best works generally stand head-and-shoulders above most other writers.

I don't think Ray was trying to get across the point to which you refer - he wrote it with DW back in the fifties, and it was pulled from the lineup by the editor, I believe, although he's tinkered with it ever since on and off.

It's not really darker, or not much.

I have read it, and while it is interesting, I don't consider it one of his best.

I don't really see FS as a "dark" book. In fact, DW is darker in some passages - let's not forget that Doug is near to death at one point in DW, and that the Lonely One's presence is strongly felt through much of the book.

What I find interesting about FS is that Bradbury started it as a young man (in his 20s) and possibly sympathised with the children in the story, but finished it as an old man (in his 80s) and possibly sympathised with the old people in the story. To have a book which reflects on youth and age being written across a lifetime is rare, perhaps unique.

But that in itself doesn't make it a great work, and I can't escape the feeling that when Bradbury and his publisher, back in the 50s, decided to split the original manuscript into two, the better material went into DW and the lesser material was held back for FS.

I don't like to put books into a ranking order, but for me Farewell Summer comes fairly low down the list of Bradbury novels. In fact, the only novel I like less is Let's All Kill Constance.

Dave, it sounds as if you have enjoyed every piece of Bradbury you've ever laid eyes on, and therefore I would recommend that you read it. But I wouldn't recommend it to someone who is new to Bradbury. I think you need to have an understanding of his body of work to appreciate the good in Farewell Summer.

Well-put, Phil!

I'd like to see Phil's list of favourite Bradbury books in order. In fact, I'd like to see everyone's.

Someone make a thread. I'm going to bed.

I thought we'd done this a few times before. My problem is that (a) I don't believe you can meaningfully rank books - it will depend on the criteria you choose to apply, and (b) my opinion will change from day to day.

Today:

1. Golden Apples
2. Fahrenheit 451
3. Martian Chronicles
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes
5. Illustrated Man
6. October Country
7. Dandelion Wine
8. Now And Forever
9. Death is a Lonely Business


From 10 onwards, it all becomes very blurry for me - I find it hard to prioritise one book over another. I do know that Constance is at the bottom of the list, with Cat's Pajamas immediately above it, and One More For The Road just above that, then Farewell Summer.

Ask me again tomorrow, and it will be a different list!

quote:

Originally posted by philnic:
I thought we'd done this a few times before.

We might have done, but I don't recollect seeing it.

try his poems. read "rememberance" or "i remember you" im not sure of the name anymore.