Most of these stories were written in the 1990s and Ray Bradbury stays true to himself through-out. To me they are not short stories so much as vignettes. There are a few proofing errors in the copy I have, but nothing takes away from his ability to paint a picture.

Here are a few beautiful sentences:
"May others see in us only what we see in them, perfection and beauty beyond telling."

"The warm dust blew us around a corner. The little one-ring Mexican circus lay there: an old tent full of moth holes and half-sewn wound, propped up from within by an ancient set of dinosaur bones."

"...and bushes that shook like startled dogs when you passed, showering you with a fresh burst of cool and odorous rain."

"Thunder, as you know, occurs when lightning sucks back up its track and lets two handfuls of white-hot air applaud."

What's not to love?

Not my favorite Bradbury...

This is closer to a 3.5. I really really love Ray Bradbury, but this collection just didn't always do it for me. He has a way of gripping you in a moment but it happened fewer and farther between stories than usual here. Still enjoyable with some good laughs, endearing moments, and interesting concepts.

Un libro escrito por Bradbury a la edad de 76 años lleno de nostalgia, melancolía y deseos por el pasado, son cuentos aparentemente sencillos con un final en apariencia sencillo y un desarrollo incluso más mundano pero con un toque fantástico, son el tipo de cuentos que se digieren tiempo después de leídos y dejan una sensación agradable.
Al menos Bradbury —al igual que yo— tampoco sabe conducir.

I didn't realize this was a book of short stories and not a novel!

I got very confused when the second "chapter" did not tie in much with the first.

But once I got my bearings, I really enjoyed Bradbury's late career collection.

My favorite was probably "Remember Me?", about a man who meets his butcher overseas and the dinner they attend that neither wants to, and they find their discomfort gives them something in common.

"Nothing Changes" is cool, as is "I Wonder What's Become of Sally" and the title story.

"Thunder in the Morning" is a chilling look at the relationship among a mother and a son-in-law and a garbage disposal!

Entertaining read. My favorite was "That Old Dog Lying in the Dust" - so good!

Ray Bradbury is the first sci-fi writer that I've ever read when I was young, and I have fond memory of his books. It was his death and the memory of which, that prompts to pick up this book from library. I must admit that I'm somewhat surprised by how short the short stories are in this Bradbury collection. Writing is right down to the point in the first couple of sentences. There oftentimes isn't as much a setup. Writing style is crisp and sharp which is good. The very short format, though, leaves a lot to be desired. But with Bradbury's passing, we'll never know how he might have done it differently, should he have wanted it.

3.5/5 Stars

I suspect this was a collection of short stories not purchased by the mainstream rags in Bradbury's heyday. It reminds me of conglomeration of b-sides and rarities of a favorite band's record catalog. There were tales here depicting a boy's first kiss from beautiful cousins, unhappily men courting extra marital relationships. It wasn't typical Bradbury fare to say the least. But every story was a gem. If you're a fan of his, it's a must read.

Bradbury's later work unfortunately offers diminishing returns. It pains me to say it because I love his earlier work - Fahrenheit 451, Martian Chronicles, Something Wicked This Way Comes, October Country, Dandelion Wine - as much as anyone can. These later collections just do not compare.

I would say half the stories are complete misfires. The title story (Driving Blind) is one of the better entries. Several others have Bradbury's nostalgia infused sentiment that can still charm. But the pervasive sense of magic or possibility or wonder that was so common in reading Bradbury, while not entirely gone, is just a lot more rare here.

This collection is really just for completists like me or those with an unusually strong attachment to Bradbury.

I think everyone has a niche. The short story format is not the Ray Bradbury's.

Here is this tower of science fiction, late in his life, trying to write non-science fiction short stories, and it just isn't working. His writing style does not lend itself to the short compact prose needed for a successful short story. No, you cannot teach a old dog a new trick.

Nothing if not consistent, every short story immediately jumps right in, without giving the reader a proper introduction. The dialog is jarring, and the stories just drop off. If it wasn't for the physical breaks in the printing of the book, you might have a hard time telling where one story ends and the next begins.

In the afterward, Mr. Bradbury explains that his muse for some of these stories are based on events that happened to him during his lifetime. That is prime short story fodder, but just fails to deliver a work of letters that does not leave the reader lurching to get going or stopping.

Certainly not his best work.

I would give this book a 3.5 if I could. About a third of the stories could have been omitted because they just don't live up to the magic we know and love from Ray. However, there are some real gems in this book of short stories that are a must-read for any devoted fan of the iconic writer.