S is for Space

"S is for Space" by Ray Bradbury, © 1966 This is a nice collection of stories. Like "Dandelion Wine," these are not 'science fiction' stories herein, or rather some are, some are not. It is interesting how he seems to use phrases that sound so elegant, but after reading different ones for the third or fourth time in different stories, you get to expect them and are not so interesting, more, "ho, hum, here's another." 'Chrysalis' - Poor Smith has become a chrysalis. Rockwell has been taking care of him and dimly understands what is happening. Hartley has been around, but is not happy about it. Smith scares him as some sort of unknown, or just something that could take over the world with out much trouble. In the end they are both right and Smith just goes somewhere else. 'Pillar of Fire' - This is the oddest story in this book. A fellow come back to life and goes on a killing spree because he can and it just makes him mad that in the future world he has come to, death is not a problem. Seemingly, people in this future world, are not bothered by dieing, nor by others dieing. No one gets upset that Lantry is killing any number of people for no good reason and wholesale at that. In the end he is barely found out, and reasonably, there being not much a society can do to punish a dead man, they just put back to being dead. 'Zero Hour' - The invasion is coming. The children are playing at something they do not understand. The parents get the idea too late. 'The Man' - Christ has come again to some other world. Captain Hart has landed on a new planet, looking for some business for his profit. He gets confused with who has been here before him, by a few days. He thought it was some competitor or other, but as they land later on dead or hurt, it could not have been them, so who had been there? He aims to find out somehow or other. Some of his crew decide to stay and he goes off. The oddest part is the civilized way he tries to get the information he wants, no torture or beatings, just questions and answers, and wailing that he is not getting anywhere. Than, when his crew abandons his ship, he just says, "Okay, bye." 'Time in Thy Flight' - A school trip gone bad. The kids travel back in time to 1928 and do not want to leave. Maybe improvement is not really an improvement. 'The Pedestrian' - Mr. Leonard Mead likes to go for walks, but he is the only one in this future world who does. He gets picked up by the automated cops for not being normal. 'Hail and Farewell' - Willie is an odd boy of twelve or so. He does not age. After staying for a couple, three years, folks start to talk and wonder about him. He moves on to another town, to another pair, or person, for parents who would like to have him as their own. He gives comfort and love to those who have not had their own children. They give him a place to stay. 'Invisible Boy' - Old Lady is a witch who can not do any tricks. Charlie is a little boy she would like to k

Viewed in the context of modern sci-fi, there's something almost childlike about Ray Bradbury's stories. They are so important and brilliant and fundamental that they've acquired the strength and power of fairy tales: something so central to the future development of narrative fiction that they MUST be reckoned with. "S is for Space" is my favorite of his collections, but they all have stories to make you smack your forehead from feelings of inadequacy.

I'll start with mentioning a couple forms of reading I sometimes do NOT like. I sometimes don't like short story collections that are written in a fashion requiring excessive reader "work" in constructing the environment. You figure out what's going on . . . and it's over and time to start the next story (I know this sounds lazy, but I do often read for relaxation). And, I sometimes do not enjoy science-fiction that is overly technical, or overwhelms me with bizarre foreign names, terms, and political systems. This book is none of the above. This is a wonderful collection of easy reading and imaginative sci-fi short stories. Fit for readers of any age, it is the kind of stuff that makes one hunger for more science fiction (or more Ray Bradbury, anyway). I found myself looking forward to the world to be found in each successive story, and certainly was saddened to reach the end of the short book. There is a sister work, "R is for Rocket", which is more of the same good stuff. I promise you'll enjoy this.

I believe that S is for Space is THE best book I have ever read. There are several short stories that are entertaining and easy to understand. Bradbury once again captures the human essence in a series of stories. This is a great book for beginners or even advanced readers.