Not Quite A Topless Robot Book Club discussion

Ray Bradbury passed away this morning at the age of 91. I don't think I have to tell any of you what he meant to the genre of science fiction, but I'd just like to list a few of his most well-known works:

Fahrenheit 451
The Martian Chronicles
Something Wicked This Way Comes

There have been a few of my favorite authors who have passed away in the last few years, but this one is hitting me hard. It shouldn't - Bradbury by all accounts lived a long, full life and contributed much. We're lucky to have what we do. Still, such a passing can't go unmentioned, or un-mourned.

One of my favorite quotes from Fahrenheit 451: "We're going to meet a lot of lonely people in the next week and the next month and the next year. And when they ask us what we're doing, you can say, We're remembering."

We remember you, Ray.

I remember I had read a book of his called "The Halloween Tree" a long time ago and I hadn't remembered the author's name until I had read "Fahrenheit 451" and looked up the other books he'd written and saw that he'd written "Halloween Tree". There have probably been others but that book was one of the ones that while reading it, I felt like I was dreaming with my eyes open.
So that was my first real taste of Bradbury. I haven't read "Something Wicked This Way Comes" but from what I've read about it, it sounds like more of the stuff from "Halloween Tree" or the same tone.

I have not read lots of Bradbury in my past, sadly. I remember, however, having a copy of Martian Chronicles back in the day, when I was a kid. Still today, I remember with special fondness a story about two missionaries who go to Mars to bring faith to alien peoples; and with lots of ingenuity and maybe some naiveté they go looking for these 'luminous spheres' they've heard about, build an open church for them, play an organ, and even make a flaming glass sphere to represent the local version of Jesus. I found them to be wonderful characters for their open-mindedness and willingness to share their positive feelings with other people, without any prejudices or malice; a perfect image of what religious ministers should be (and sadly often are not). Well, if only for that little memory, I am thankful. I never got down to read Fahreneit 451, which I always begun and never ended, I have to confess :(. I guess I will read something else in the future (or maybe pick back Martian Chronicles. I liked its atmosphere).

Simone wrote: "I have not read lots of Bradbury in my past, sadly. I remember, however, having a copy of Martian Chronicles back in the day, when I was a kid. Still today, I remember with special fondness a story..."

My favorite story from that book is about an astronaut from Earth who visits Mars, and when he tells the people there where he's from, he's taken to a place where he meets visitors from Venus and Saturn and Jupiter...

He's overjoyed to learn there are so many advanced civilizations in the solar system--until he eventually realizes he's been sent to a Martian insane asylum.

I keep coming back to Fahrenheit 451 and I still think that I learn something new, or see it in a different way every time I read it. I don't have much of a taste for dystopian fiction, but this one happened to sneak its way in to my favorite books of all time.

Something Wicked This Way Comes is also a wonderful read - creepy and subversive. I re-visit that one a lot, too.

James wrote: "Simone wrote: "I have not read lots of Bradbury in my past, sadly. I remember, however, having a copy of Martian Chronicles back in the day, when I was a kid. Still today, I remember with special f..."

That one too! Yes, it comes back to my mind. That was creepy, however - my best memory was of a story which had actually given me heartwarming feelings.

After reading the summary, I'd say Something wicked this way comes sounds extremely interesting. I'd be thrilled to have it as our next group read.