Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes is truly a remarkable piece of literature. It starts off as a kind of modified Hardy Boys or Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer tale, but then it gradually elevates to the level of a captivating morality tale.

It delves into themes such as good vs. evil, present vs. past, youthful innocence vs. the fear of aging and death. Most importantly, it evokes a kind of exalted memory of childhood experiences and their significance in our lives.

Bradbury, known for his science-fiction works, considered this part of his literary contribution as an attempt to bring poetry to the world of science and even as magical-realism with an emphasis on reality.

The main characters, Jim Nightshade and William Holloway, are just on the cusp of adolescence. Their special bond and shared curiosity drive the story forward when a mysterious carnival arrives in town just before Halloween.

Strange and sinister events begin to unfold, with people disappearing, transformations happening, and a constant threat of malice. The boys seek refuge in the village library, a place of reverence for books, which is seen as a threat by the malevolent "Mr. Dark."

Bradbury's prose is both long-winded at times and beautifully lyrical. His exploration of the meaning of life through the words of Will's father is profound and thought-provoking.

Ultimately, good prevails in the story, as Charles Holloway says, "Sometimes good has weapons and evil has none." and "Evil has only the power we give it."

Despite Bradbury's ability to envision future worlds, he had a rather unusual limitation in his personal life - he never learned to drive. He preferred to travel by train and ship, which perhaps added to his unique perspective on life and the world around him.

Something Wicked This Way Comes is a dark fable on the surface, but it is also a splendidly magical story that is well worth reading.

As a final note, Bradbury's gift of his own library to the Waukegan, Illinois library is a testament to the importance of books and the power of literature in his life.

If you and I were to sit down and engage in a conversation about the meaning of this book or what we have derived from it, I firmly believe that our rationales would be quite distinct.

Sometimes, a book has a way of speaking directly to you, enabling you to have a better understanding of yourself or putting various things into a proper perspective. The act of stumbling upon these literary treasures and experiencing that jolt, regardless of how brief or long it lasts, is precisely the reason why we read.

Bradbury masterfully weaves beautiful allegory into a book that could potentially be regarded as scary, yet not for the reasons one might assume after reading the synopsis.

The story is set in a small town that receives a visit from a carnival. It employs a vast and diverse array of sights and sounds to entice the locals to come and witness some of its unique attractions. Our main characters, caught up in the moment, make their way to the scene in the dead of night. Little do they know that the rides and those who operate them might have something sinister in store.

I made numerous markings in this book. In fact, it will be rather challenging to read it over again. The margins are filled to the brim! While the actual story was decent, it was the family dynamic that truly captivated my attention. I had the feeling that some passages were written specifically for me, or at the very least, they managed to explain certain feelings that I would never have been able to express on my own. For instance, the conversation between the father and son on the porch.

In terms of writing, it might be a bit too whimsical for some, but I absolutely adored the lyrical prose. It was also deeply touching. I found myself with a slight mist in my eyes in some parts and filled with gleeful joy in many others.

I think I'll strive to be more like Will, Jim, and Charles and not dwell on regrets or worry about how the future might shape me. Give this book a try and observe how it impacts you.

Frost said it best: "In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on."

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.

Hell and the Devil come to town as a circus, promising merriment and innocent pleasures for all. But perhaps it's not so innocent. It is by your lusts that the big top, with all its lights and dazzle and fantasies, shall ensnare you and destroy you.

I think the most startling of his short stories is "All Summer in a Day". I used to think he wrote "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street" too, but that turned out to be a "Twilight Zone" screenplay. It could have been Bradbury though. It feels like a Bradbury.

What's your favorite? Maybe it's a story that makes you think, or one that takes you on a wild adventure. Or perhaps it's a tale that tugs at your heartstrings. There are so many great short stories out there, and everyone has their own personal favorite.

Whether it's a classic like "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson or a more modern piece like "Cat Person" by Kristen Roupenian, there's no shortage of amazing short stories to discover. So why not pick up a collection today and see what new worlds and experiences await you?

Unlike most Americans, who I believe read him in high school, I'm a latecomer to Ray Bradbury. Possibly because he is usually associated with sci-fi, a genre I don't generally favour. This is the second book of his I've read; the first was Fahrenheit 451, and I wouldn't classify either as sci-fi! Just goes to show that putting things that seem to belong together in boxes isn't always a good idea.

This book just happened to be perfect for the time of year I read it, i.e. around Halloween. Bradbury excels at conjuring up the spooky and freakish world that unfolds when an unusual carnival comes to town. There are many imaginative and disturbing characters, such as the lightning-rod salesman, the illustrated man, Mr Electrico and others. And there are also many unique devices, like the dragonfly darning needle, the barber's pole, and of course the calliope that plays music forwards and backwards. In fact, there are so many symbolisms and metaphors here that it is almost too much to handle.

I liked the complicated juxtaposition of the weird with the solidity of the 'normal' protagonists. Especially Will's father, the janitor of the town library, Miss Foley the teacher, and of course the boys Will and Jim themselves. However, I didn't like the excess stream-of-consciousness style writing, which often left me confused and, frankly, gasping for air.

In summary: what a great writer Ray Bradbury is. I'm glad I 'discovered' him. Bring on his next book!

Wow, just WOW!

This was just as spectacular the second time around as the first, if not more so. It was truly an amazing experience.

This was my first encounter with Bradbury's work, and actually, my initial thought upon finishing it for the first time was that I needed to get my hands on every book he has ever written IMMEDIATELY.

That led to a passionate love affair with his work that I'm still deeply involved in.

This book is BEYOND stunning. It absolutely blew my socks off. The dark and terrifying atmosphere, combined with the perfect carnival setting, was just on POINT.

I adored every single second I spent between the pages of this book.

Even though I have just reread it, I already find myself longing to read it again and immerse myself in its delightful creepiness.

This is a true sign of an excellent story.

Read this one, and you absolutely won't regret it!

It will take you on a thrilling journey that you won't forget.

In a booklet included with the Intrada release of James Horner's soundtrack for SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, it is stated that Ray Bradbury had a vision for the story to be brought to the big screen with Gene Kelly in the lead role. Kelly was reportedly very enthusiastic about the project.

Unfortunately, the necessary funds for the movie did not materialize, so Bradbury had to rework his screenplay into a novel. The version I read contains concluding notes from the writer, which confirm this sequence of events. It's truly an intriguing backstory.

When I first picked up SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES in high school, my initial reaction was rather lukewarm. I thought the book was just "okay" and didn't leave a lasting impression. However, decades later, as I've reached an age where the story's themes have more significance in my own life, I found myself enjoying it much more.

In fact, I even believe that the Disney movie version managed to enhance some of Bradbury's more poetically abstract ideas by giving them more substance. Although Bradbury purportedly didn't care for the movie adaptation, I think it had its merits.

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES delves into the concept of life as a series of perceptions and reactions to our experiences. The young teen protagonists are filled with anticipation for the excitement that lies ahead, and adventures seem to come out of nowhere for them. Meanwhile, Charles Halloway, the father of one of the boys, is consumed by thoughts of his dwindling years and the things he feels he has failed to do.

Into their lives enters the sinister Autumn People, bringing with them a Carnival that promises to fulfill desires, but at a hidden and unanticipated cost. Bradbury clearly put a great deal of thought and self-reflection into creating this story. He admits to revisiting his youthful memories and his reactions to various events, but he must have also been contemplating how people come to terms with the awareness of the end of life.

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES contains more relevant and practical philosophy than many works by so-called Great Thinkers. It's quite an achievement. However, it's not a perfect presentation. The story has been playing on my mind, sparking my own self-reflection, which alone makes it an invaluable book.

Yet, at times, Bradbury's "poetic" language can be a bit overdone, especially in his descriptions of character thoughts. This also leads to some dialogue that seems a bit unnatural, as if "Nobody talks that way." Perhaps this was all part of Bradbury's intention to create a fable-like atmosphere.

My biggest gripe, though, is with the library sequence involving the father and the boys. In the Disney movie version, this sequence is absolutely brilliant. However, in the book, it stretches over multiple chapters, with the father speaking aloud to the boys in an almost stream-of-consciousness manner. By the time the events finally move forward, it has long since lost its charm.

In conclusion, SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES is one of those books that I believe might be best appreciated by those who are at a stage in life where they are looking back on their accomplishments and wondering, "Is this all there is?" It offers a perspective that has always been there, but that we are often too preoccupied to notice. While it may not be a flawless masterpiece, it is still a thought-provoking and engaging read.

4.5 stars.

"Something Wicked This Way Comes" is a captivating coming-of-age story that uses the setting of a carnival to explore one's perception of youth and the handling of age. In this novel, kids yearn to be adults, yet adulthood brings its own set of challenges, especially those related to self-consciousness. Jim Nightshade and Will Halloway are best friends with distinct personalities. Jim is ambitious and assertive, while Will is more insecure. Their friendship is beautifully described on page 18: "So there they go, Jim running slower to stay with Will, Will running faster to stay with Jim, Jim breaking two windows in a haunted house because Will's along, Will breaking one window instead of none, because Jim's watching. God, how we get our fingers in each other's clay. That's friendship, each playing the potter to see what shapes we can make of the other."

Cooger and Dark's Pandemonium Show offers a variety of attractions, from carousels that manipulate age to mirror mazes that reflect one's self-perception. Mr. Cooger and Mr. Dark prey on the attendees, spreading horror and putting them at their mercy. However, this can be overcome by one's realization and ability to confront the horrors. Will's father, Charles, is a significant parental figure. He is 40 years older, loves to read, works as a librarian, and has aged with self-doubt, which affected his marriage and the timing of having Will.

This book has been cited as an inspiration for Stephen King's "IT," and there are parallels between the two. Both feature predators that target the insecurities or innocence of individuals. However, in "IT," the predator is a clown rather than a carnival operator. The lesson is that our fears, whether as children or adults, should not consume us and cause lasting damage.

"Something Wicked This Way Comes" is one of Bradbury's greatest works in the horror genre. It effectively combines the supernatural with the real, captivating readers. While I enjoyed "Fahrenheit 451" the most and "The Martian Chronicles" second most, I still highly recommend this book, especially for those who enjoy high-quality horror fiction. I would seriously consider rereading it, as I have benefited from rereading the other two Bradbury books I mentioned. There is so much depth and exploration to be found in Bradbury's writing, and this is undoubtedly one such piece.

This book truly took me by complete surprise. I never anticipated coming across a literary work published in 1962 that could so exquisitely capture the complex and nuanced way in which the human species navigates through life. It delves into the horrors and fears that we all face, as well as the moments of joyful connections and tenderness. I absolutely adored this book.

Bradbury is an incredibly talented writer, capable of crafting a world where the overly detailed and succulent use of words is not only essential to the plot but also becomes a point of contention. Why did we spend so many paragraphs reading about comparisons, symbolism, metaphors, allegories, and imagery? It is because this allows us to fully immerse ourselves in the town, to become enveloped within the dream that guides Will and Jim through their nightly boyish wanderings in the neighborhood. It carries us to the solace that Charles finds standing between rows of books. It captures the essence of what is to be feared in this story.

I admit that it took me a few chapters to fully appreciate the purpose of such poetic prose. When one is not accustomed to reading a story where the author freely names nouns at length and describes what might seem like the tedious shapes that float around the scenery, it can be a challenge for the mind to read through such long descriptors and detailed allegories and still find oneself back at the main plot. However, I have always been appreciative of Bradbury's ability to use language in such a way that it leads the reader to become lost within the metaphors. I enjoy being tricked and stumbling through thoughts, as they force me to reflect more deeply and ponder with greater profoundness. And for that, I will always be grateful.

The plot as a whole is magnificent, and the characters are intricate in their symbolism and imagery. I wish I could sit down and write about all the aspects of this book that I enjoyed, but instead, it suffices to say that I will return to this story on another cold October day and find myself immersed in the chilled developments of childhood transforming into the morose loneliness that can accompany adulthood.

This story will remain etched in my mind as one that simmers in the recesses of the subconscious. If I were to offer one word of warning regarding this book, it would be this: do not approach this reading experience with the expectation that it will grant you deep, dark fear. This is an older story, and the more obvious "horror" aspects may not hit as tragically in 2021 as they might have in 1962, as we are far more exposed to such physical realities in our time. However, keeping that in mind, I would encourage you to focus on what it might be like to meet someone who is eminently fear-invoking, someone not unlike The Illustrated Man, as Will, Jim, and Charles did. I found it appropriately chilling how delicately the plot walks the fine line between the horrors of fictional monsters and the terrors of developing individuality in human society.

Book #6 Nephew chooses my December TBR

My nephew has a special talent for picking out books that I end up really enjoying. This December, he once again took on the task of choosing my TBR (To Be Read) list. I was both excited and a bit nervous to see what he would come up with.

He spent a good amount of time browsing through my bookshelves and the local bookstore. Finally, he presented me with a stack of books that he thought I would love. There was a mix of different genres, including mystery, romance, and adventure.

I'm looking forward to delving into these books and seeing if my nephew's choices live up to my expectations. I know he has a great sense of what I like to read, so I'm sure it will be a wonderful reading experience. December is going to be a month filled with great stories and adventures, all thanks to my nephew's thoughtful selections.

I'm truly sorry to express that I didn't have any liking for this story, not in the slightest.

Well, perhaps the story itself had some elements that I could potentially get into. However, it was mainly the writing style that I found extremely difficult to accept. It often made it tremendously hard to keep track of what was actually happening. There is simply no way that an aspiring novelist in today's times would get their manuscript published if it was written in such a manner.

Most of the time, I had absolutely no clue what Bradbury was talking about. It seemed as if large portions of the book were written with poetry in mind rather than as narrative fiction. What confounded me the most was his tendency to use several nouns one after another, and then I had no idea what he was actually referring to.

For me personally, it was a real struggle to get through this story. This is a great shame because the carnival and the carousel, the two boys and the dad, and the Illustrated Man, it's all such a wonderful and engaging setting. But the whole story reads as if it's all one person's nightmare and we're just hapless visitors in his twisted mind.

I'm actually quite disappointed, since this was a new author for me and I had heard so many great things about him. I'm really glad that it was only a 200-page story. If this is his typical style, I don't think I could endure sitting through another one of his books.

Ray Bradbury has never found a truly comfortable niche in the world of literature, and that goes for my perception of him as well. Some view him as a "genre writer," which is often meant as an insult, while others consider him a "serious writer," a compliment indeed. It seems that I am constantly vacillating in my mind about his merits, especially as the years pass since the original publication of many of his books.

That being said, it's nearly impossible not to love Something Wicked This Way Comes. As time goes by, it can increasingly be appreciated as a historical document rather than just a fantastical tale. It's a pastiche of a horror story and a childhood recollection of traveling county fairs. Bradbury描绘了一幅如今已逝去的田园乡村生活的生动画面，对于当代读者来说，几乎令人心碎。哦，对了，还有一个恐怖故事，如今它已经足够古老，其主要的情节转折已经变成了老生常谈的陈词滥调。这毕竟是在现代阅读布拉德伯里作品时一直存在的问题；他的影响力太大了，他的故事元素几乎没有什么能再让人感到惊讶，更不用说他有时的写作方式有些笨拙了。这个故事比《火星编年史》等作品更经得起时间的考验，因为它有历史悠久的小镇元素，至少在我看来是这样。

I mean, it’s Bradbury! Of course it’s good. Ray Bradbury is a literary giant whose works have left an indelible mark on the world of literature. His writing is characterized by its vivid imagination, profound themes, and lyrical prose. Whether it’s his classic science fiction novels like "Fahrenheit 451" or his short stories filled with奇幻 and thought-provoking elements, Bradbury has the ability to transport readers to other worlds and make them think deeply about the human condition. His works are not only entertaining but also have the power to inspire and educate. With his unique style and vision, Bradbury has created a body of work that will be cherished and studied for generations to come.