It is his first creation, fresh-removed and newly-minted from his own actual experiences of living in Dublin in the autumn of 1953 and the winter of 1954, writing the screenplay for Moby Dick for film director John Huston. The second reason I have selected this story for “The Essential Bradbury” list is that this is the first Irish story Bradbury wrote. And bind such a man to you with summer grasses, gift him with silver, shake his hand warmly at each journey’s end Nick, Nick and his steady boat gentling a mild sweet lake where all time slumbers. Listen to his mist-breathing voice all night-quiet as he charms the road, his foot a tenderly benevolent pat on the whispering accelerator, never a mile under thirty, never two miles over. ![]() See his easy hands loving the wheel in a slow clocklike turning as soft and silent as winter constellations snow down the sky. First, Bradbury takes the lyrical quality of his voice and drenches it in a poetic and authentic Irish brogue. The problem is, of course, which Irish story? I choose this one for two simple reasons. There is never a problem, until the first night of Lent.Ĭritique: Any “essential” list of Bradbury short stories must include an Irish tale (as well as a Mexico story, a Mars story, and a Green Town story, for that matter). Nick then waits at the local pub until the writer is ready to be driven back to the city. Nick, the village driver, escorts the young writer from Dublin to the Irish countryside and the estate of the young screenwriter’s director. Plot Synopsis: A young screenwriter at work in Ireland in 1953 discovers that his ever-reliable regular taxicab driver has become dangerous and impaired when behind the wheel. Where to Find It: A Medicine for Melancholy, The Stories of Ray Bradbury He always told me that he wanted to live to 100. These are pure and classic Bradbury-our finest contemporary mythologist, who would have been 100 in 2020. These stories reflect a wide range, from weird tales, to social science fiction, to quiet and contemplative tales of contemporary literature. Which twenty-five stories would you select? Tell me. I will occasionally share never-before-published items from my own files. Here you will get the premise, the history, and the backstory on these mini-masterpieces. These are my favorites-often for purely sentimental reasons. These stories embody all the trademarks of vintage Bradbury: the lyrical language the fantastic, original, unforgettable ideas the rich metaphor and endings that can startle, surprise, exhilarate, or conjure tears of joy, heartbreak, or both. I offer up a streamlined directory of twenty-five of my personal favorite short fictions by the master of miracles. So the short answer of where to begin with Bradbury? This list, right here. But in today’s tech-addled, attention-achallenged world, reading 200 stories between two door-stop volumes is, for many, an unrealistic goal. His wife of fifty-six years, Marguerite, agreed with me. Bradbury is an absolute magician with the short story. It is, in my estimation, his strongest creative form (he wrote novels, poetry, essays, screenplays, teleplays, stage plays hell, he even created architectural designs). (Bradbury dedicated this last book, in part to me, a truly stirring gift.) Certainly, you cannot go wrong by reading either of these spectacular volumes. Along with this, there is the equally voluminous Bradbury Stories, published in 2003, containing yet another 100 more short fictional gems. ![]() So, the long answer on where to start? In 2010, Everyman's Library republished The Stories of Ray Bradbury, containing a staggering 100 of Bradbury's best short stories. As the old maxim states: “All passes, art alone endures.” The man left us with such a towering legacy. And there is so much Bradbury out there to read. I passionately believe this, and, as a teacher and writer who has spoken at schools around the world, I know this to be true. He has the power to ignite young readers for life. And for young, often reluctant readers, there really is no better bridge author from YA over to heavier, more daunting literature. Bradbury has something to appeal to everyone, so individual instruction is vital when possible. Often times, particularly with young readers, I like to tailor a reading list that is specific to them and their interests. As Ray Bradbury’s biographer-having worked with the man for twelve years on four award-winning books and a graphic novel-people often ask, “Where should I begin when reading Ray Bradbury?”
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