Dandelion Wine - Ray Bradbury

Dandelion Wine chronicles the summer of two boys, Doug and Tom Spaulding, in Green Town, Illinois. At the beginning of the book Doug realizes what it means to be alive and this realization shapes the rest of his summer. The boys travel back in time with the help of an elderly neighbor who tells them stories from the Civil War. They learn that happiness comes from within. Each chapter of the book tells of a different adventure, yet they all come together to tell the story of the town and of the boys.


If you have read any of my previous posts, you know that I'm a huge fan of Bradbury, and this book did not disappoint in the least. While it can't be said to be a particularly action-packed work, it does teach a different lesson with every adventure. In this way, it largely reminded me of The Illustrated Man, save for the fact that the stories are more woven together in Dandelion Wine. Bradbury's prose is, as always, indescribably beautiful and vivid. I would recommend this book to any avid Bradbury fans such as myself and also novices.