Me and Ray

I love to read.

Most of the time that is

For some reason I fell out of love with reading for the last few months. I just couldn't work up any interest in the many books I have stowed away just waiting for me. I felt bad about it but I just didn't have it in me to sit down and read.

This is where Kelly comes in

Kelly is my 27 year old, still lives at home, but is now attending our local college, middle child. He has discovered how much he loves learning.

This quarter (or it could be semester, not sure) he is taking an American Lit class. He is discovering authors that he never knew of, authors whose names he was familiar with but had never read, and a few whom he already knew he enjoyed.

When Kelly is excited about something, he loves to talk about the subject of his new devotion.

We were at Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago and as we sat at the cafe enjoying our nibblies, he looked up at the montage of classic authors that adorn the walls. He was really pleased to tell me that now he actually knew who most of them were.

I let him know how proud of him I was, and then I thought to ask him about one of my favorite authors of all time.

Ray Bradbury.

Kelly is quite familiar with good old Ray. He decided to ask his teacher what she thought about Bradbury at his next class. She agreed that it was quite a shame that he hadn't been included in the text book the class uses.

I started thinking more and more of Ray, and remembering all of the fantastic stories of his I had read over the years.

Fortunately I had a few of his books on hand, which I gathered up and brought down to my bedroom to read.

Oh such literary bliss.

I read the one about the boy raising giant mushrooms in his basement.

I read about 43 year old Willy who never aged beyond his 12th year.

I read about the great and terrible family who had amazingly terrifying powers, and weren't shy about using them.

I read stories of Martians, and about Rockets, and people who seemed to have wondered into the Twilight Zone. (Which, by the way, Bradbury wrote a few episodes of.)

One of my favorite and most chilling stories, about young children playing a game one summer afternoon called, "Invasion"

There really are too many to mention here.
I was just wondering how many of you have read anything of his.

I think the one book that most people start with would be "The Illustrated Man" I read this one first myself.

It was a Junior High reading assignment.

I got so caught up in the marvelous stories that I ended up reading the entire book, not just the few stories we were required to read.

Most of his books are compilations of short stories.

Most but not all.

The one novel that I remember reading (and plan to read again) would be "Something Wicked This Way Comes"

Years and years ago, when the Disney channel was worth paying extra for, they made a movie of this book that was incredible.
I haven't seen it in probably 20 years and I don't even know if it's available, but it was one of the best Disney Channel Movies ever.

I feel that it's only right to thank Ray for getting me back to my books.

I went to the used bookstore in town today and found several of his later works that I have never read.

Of course I bought them all.

If you enjoy Mr Bradbury as much as I do, or if you think he's worth discovering, or if you've only ever read one of his stories that has stayed with you ever since, then leave me a comment telling me your thoughts.

Who knows we might even get some kind of book club thing going here.

I can't wait to read your thoughts!