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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.
Well let me start off by saying that scifi is not usually my cup of tea, but when it comes to Bradbury, I simply can't resist. I knew I would probably enjoy this book because I've read The Martian Chronicles (another great scifi read) and absolutely loved it. The Illustrated Man is a collection of short stories about the future of mankind. It serves as a sort of premonition of things to come, were humans to continue down the destructive path that we are traveling upon. The premise of the book consists of a man who is tattooed with various illustrations, and the illustrations move and make stories, which are of course the stories told in the book. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that I every single story left me breathless. Bradbury did in eight pages do what some writers take an entire novel to do. This collection is stunning, and a quick read for any one who enjoys psychological dilemmas as well. I would like to leave you with the introductory passage of the book:
"There are the vast reaches of outer space - the infinite black nothingness that holds the galaxies, where men in rockets move from the green hills of earth to the rain-glutted forests of Venus to the canals of Mars, and still farther...even farther...
And there is inner space - the bottomless well of fears, longing, hope and the complex emotions of the frail human creatures who challenge the universe - those who in turn must face the peril not only of that vastness but also of their own sometimes terrible inventions..."
A truly haunting book. Enjoy!
