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Listened to on Audible. Sequel to Dandelion Wine, which I read in the summer of 1970 (I think). Might have been earlier. But I read a lot of books the summer of 1970. I was laid up (so to speak) with broken jaws. So I probably don't remember it well. Not sure how old Douglas was originally but here he is approaching 14. He and his friends are waging war on the senior members of the school board. The book takes place in October and the kids have been sent back to school a week early. They would be positively unbelievable about the kids going back to school on August 7 (in my former high school this year). Even I had trouble believing it. But a teacher friend explained that it is because they all have to be on a semester system.
The boys took on the old men of the town (Green Town, based on Waukegan, IL which was Bradbury's home town). They carved pumpkins to look like these old men. Another time they stole the chess pieces that the old men played with in the park during a storm. Douglas' grandfather persuaded him to return them. Later they attacked the innocent clock tower in the belief that they could stop time and, thus, keep from growing up or growing old. They go to a haunted house and he gets kissed by a girl.
Best line: "Did we do anything today we might get licked for?" "I don't think so." "Then we might as well go in."
When Bradbury writes of Green Town I am always reminded of my own home town, also in Illinois, but closer to the city. I was there briefly this fall. I noticed the changes - there are many. But the parts that reminded me of Green Town are still there. I tried to go to Centennial Park but my GPS kept taking me to Dawes Park. Finally, I had to rely on my own memory. Found there were others at the picnic who had also been misled by their GPS.
The boys took on the old men of the town (Green Town, based on Waukegan, IL which was Bradbury's home town). They carved pumpkins to look like these old men. Another time they stole the chess pieces that the old men played with in the park during a storm. Douglas' grandfather persuaded him to return them. Later they attacked the innocent clock tower in the belief that they could stop time and, thus, keep from growing up or growing old. They go to a haunted house and he gets kissed by a girl.
Best line: "Did we do anything today we might get licked for?" "I don't think so." "Then we might as well go in."
When Bradbury writes of Green Town I am always reminded of my own home town, also in Illinois, but closer to the city. I was there briefly this fall. I noticed the changes - there are many. But the parts that reminded me of Green Town are still there. I tried to go to Centennial Park but my GPS kept taking me to Dawes Park. Finally, I had to rely on my own memory. Found there were others at the picnic who had also been misled by their GPS.
