This is Ray Bradbury's own selection of his best stories. The Vintage Bradbury contains 22 stories from various sources, plus four chapters excerpted from his mainstream novel, Dandelion Wine. His career as an author was only about 15 years old when he compiled this volume in 1965 for the literary "Vintage" series. Like the vast majority of his collections, it has never been out of print.

It contains:
The Watchful Poker Chip of H. Matisse
The Veldt
Hail and Farewell
A Medicine for Melancholy
The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl
Ylla
The Little Mice
The Small Assassin
The Anthem Sprinters
And The Rock Cried Out
Invisible Boy
Night Meeting
The Fox and The Forest
Skeleton
Illiumination
Dandelion Wine
Statues
Green Wine for Dreaming
Kaleidoscope
Sun and Shadow
The Illustrated Man
The Fog Horn
The Dwarf
Fever Dream
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit
There Will Come Soft Rains

This book is actually an original edition paperback, and has a different cover than the picture here. It is the one contribution to the Ray Bradbury Project by a non-bookcrosser, given to me as a Father's Day gift by my 15yo daughter.

All bookcrossers who released books to the Ray Bradbury Project were invited through Private Message to participate in a bookring with this book. The first release was to TomHl, who started reading it during the week of Lake Geneva Summer Assembly, while the themed Ray Bradbury release was in progress. From him, it will be sent first to bookring participants in clockwise order around the US, finally returning to TomHl. Please do journal both your catch and your release, as this book is mailed, so that all can know when it is in transit.

Please journal which is your favorite story from the collection, and why...

Flight Plan for The Vintage Bradbury:
1 RayBradburyProj (Williams Bay, Wisconsin, USA)
2 TomHl (Pewaukee, Wisconsin, USA)
3 solittletime (Scarborough, Maine, USA)
4 thnxandyc (Homer City, Pennsylvania, USA)
5 grover3d (Charleston, West Virginia, USA)
6 phantomreader42 (Auburn, Alabama, USA)
7 avanta7 (Little Rock, Arkansas, USA)
8 Mandali (Seattle, Washington, USA)
- TomHl (Pewaukee, Wisconsin, USA)

The bookring begins today, as I am taking this book to read myself, while attending Lake Geneva Summer Assembly in Williams Bay Wisconsin.

I finished this collection today. This is the sixth Bradbury book I've read while organizing the Ray Bradbury project over the past few months, not to mention all of his books I've read over the course of my life before this - so it's no surprise that I'd previously read almost all of the stories in this book. Except for the absense of "The Sound of Thunder", I'd have to agree that it includes his best stories from the 1950s.

My favorite story from the collection is still the story of his that has always been my favorite - "There Will Come Soft Rains". I think I must have first read it when I was in Junior High, as a part of the novel "The Martian Chronicles", and the image of the people burned in negative in the paint on the side of the house stuck with me for years. The thought of the dog starving while outside the closed door of the kitchen cooking up uneaten food was also disturbing. Such a simple thing, to open a door, if you are a human. But, of course, the humans are all gone.

More recently, I've read a novel by Connie Willis titled "Passage", in which the systems failure of a human mind in death parallels the house shutdown and the shutdown of civilization in this story. (It's a really good book, even if you're not normally a reader of science fiction).

I was somewhat disappointed with the stories extracted from "Dandelion Wine" for this collection, mostly because they don't seem to work as well without the context of the whole novel. Actually, the awakening self-awareness of Doug in "Illumination" is one of the highlights of that book. But his becoming aware of his own mortality through the deaths of others takes place in stories not included here, leaving "Green Wine for Dreaming" with less depth and suspense. Go read the whole book!

Well, I hope the others in the bookring all enjoy this book, as much as I have enjoyed my three month long dive into the world of Ray Bradbury's writing.

Released on Friday, July 18, 2003 at Post Office, 140 Simmons Ave. in Pewaukee, Wisconsin USA.

I put this book in a small box together with an audio cassette dramatization of two Bradbury stories: "Dark They Were And Golden Eyed" and "The Fox and the Forest", plus a few miscellaneous papers, and mailed them to the next person in the bookring. So the rest of you know what to expect, the mailing cost was $1.84 media mail plus $0.55 delivery confirmation.

You may be interested to know that I am a every-day bicycle commuter, and this box was transported 11 miles from home to work this morning, and then 3 miles from work to post office this noon, by bicycle. Ray would be proud.

This book and accessories were received today. I'm impressed by TomHl's bicycling, but I'm afraid all the exercise old Ray Bradbury is going to get from me is walking from the car to the house.

Included in the box are the special double-sided bookmarks that were designed especially for the Ray Bradury marathon release, what looks like a daily newsletter of the Lake Geneva convention, 3 lovely postcards of the Lake Geneva campus, campus maps and flyers from the Yerkes Observatory, and a typed story adapted by Tom from "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury. A fun collection to look through.

I'll journal more after I read this book of stories and listen to the cassette included. Thanks Tom.

I enjoyed this Bradbury book of short stories very much, although I've never been a science fiction or fantasy fan. Thanks for including me in the bookring, TomHl. The audiotape of two of the stories was fun too. I'm glad I waited until after I read the stories to listen to it though.

I've heard of the Illustrated Man forever, of course--who hasn't. But it was so far from what I imagined it would be and quite an amazing story. I guess that was my favorite, but I really admired several of the stories a lot including The Veldt, The Small Assassin, The Fox and the Forest, and The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit. Bradbury's imagination and creativity are amazing.

I'm sending this book back to TomHl for a tune-up before it continues on its way in the bookring as a page has fallen out and it looks as if more will follow. His wife knows the proper way to repair this fragile book so that it will hold together, so it is on its way back home for now. Thanks again for sharing Vintage Bradbury with me.

Sent back to TomHl via media mail.

Well, the box arrived back in Pewaukee for some minor repair on the book. All the pages were a little yellowed and brittle to start with, and the spine glue a little dried, so this is no reflection on solittletime - thanks for contacting me regarding the book's condition before sending it on. My wife worked in an elementary school library for some years and has reglued worse than this. But only time will tell how it stands up to the number of readers left to go. Please everyone do take extra care with it, knowing the spine is weakened.

By the way, the box arrived on bookcrossing meet-up day, so it went with me, and acquired some extra graffiti tonight from dianekos and piper1.

Released on Saturday, September 13, 2003 at Post Office, 140 Simmons Ave. in Pewaukee, Wisconsin USA.

Repairs are completed, and the box is being reinserted into the bookring. The box was sent to the next person in the bookring today by media mail. The USPS delivery confirmation tracking number is 0303 0130 0000 1574 2715.

I received this today in a very interesting box with some items that add more interest to this interesting project. I am so happy to be included. Ray Bradbury's stories were such a big part of my growing up years. I gave up science fiction a good many years ago because I didn't seem able to get into the newer writers-all less than memorable now. I think this is a wonderful way for Tomhl to pay homage to a favorite author and I am going to try to resurrect some interest with a similar project as soon as I decide on an author who I really loved and who you hardly hear of anymore. I am looking forward to reading the stories and listening to the cassette. I'm also looking forward to adding to the box.I'm just waiting to read the book for it to generate some ideas. Also I might add the repairs done by tom's wife are great and I would never have known about them if the journal entry hadn't mentioned them. I will take good care of it-promise!

I can't believe that I have held up this bookring for so long. I read the stories but I just wanted the perfect thing to put in the box. Then when i found it life intervened and I procrastinated and procrastinated. Please all on this list-forgive me. As to my favorite stories,there are two that I remember reading as a younger person and these are the same two that are still my favorites. The first one is The Veldt. As a younger person who wasn't getting along with my mother I thought what a perfect solution to parental problems. The second one that I remember and that I still love is Ylla. This story evokes such a beautiful picture of Mars and life there that its images are the ones I always see when reading any story that takes place on another world. And my heart breaks for Ylla-still. Thanks to Tomhl for sharing and this will be in the mail to grover3d-TOMORROW!

Thanks to Tom for gently letting me know that this was probably at my house....it accidentally got put away and I didn't even know it was here. I'll take a quick flip through some of the stories and then will mail it out again so that I don't hold up the ring too much longer. Many apologies, and thanks!

It was my intention only to read a few of the better-known stories in this anthology and then to pass it along, but I just got sucked in....and I'm glad that I did, otherwise I would have missed "Kaleidoscope" which I had not heard of and which, along with "The Veldt" was my favorite.

One surprise - I was looking forward to reading the famous "Dandelion Wine"....and I just didn't think it was that great. Well written, yes (as is everything here), but not excellent.

Tom, I can't thank you enough for sharing this and for being so patient while I've held it for so long. I'm going to be putting a few goodies inside and then sending it out to the next in line ASAP.

DC# 0302 0980 0001 2032 9175

I just got this in the mail today. I still haven't looked through all the stuff in the box. There are tons of postcards and other items. I'll try to think of something unique to add. And the book itself has some stories I've never read or heard of, so this should be great!
As for my favorite story, I'll decide after I read, but judging from memory it's a toss-up between The Veldt and There Will Come Soft Rains.

Well, I’ve finished the book. Some wonderful stories in here, as expected. My favorite was There Will Come Soft Rains. There’s something about the idea of our inventions outliving us, doing what we made them for, uselessly, long after the death of the last person to care. And the poor dog starving, a few feet from a kitchen full of food, helpless to open a simple door. And there’s this image

The house was an altar with ten thousand attendants, big, small, servicing, attending, in choirs. But the gods had gone away, and the ritual of the religion continued senselessly, uselessly.

Runners-up include The Veldt, in which children’s fantasies become horribly real, and The Fox and the Forest, a tale of a desperate attempt to flee a future gone mad by hiding in the past.
I’ve added something unique to the box, some strange trinkets I made inspired by one of the stories. There should be enough for everyone after me to take a few. And this may serve as further proof (as if you needed any) that I am insane.
Thank you very much for sharing this with us, Tom. I’ll listen to the tape again and pass it on to avanta7.


Books by Ray Bradbury:
Something Wicked This Way Comes
The Illustrated Man
The Vintage Bradbury
The Wizards Of Odd edited by Peter Haining
Knights Of Madness edited by Peter Haining
Worlds To Come edited by Damon Knight
Bruce Coville's Book Of Aliens

Authors recommended by Ray Bradbury:
Richard Bach

My husband called me at work today to tell me a package had arrived. I said, "It's probably a book." He said, "I don't know about that. I shook it and it rattles."

So, when I got home this evening, I opened it. Carefully. It's a book, and some other verrrry eeenterressting items. Heh heh heh heh....

Launched to the top of Mt. TBR, and will be read just as soon as I finish Al Franken's latest. Which should be any day now.

I finally finished this last night! I'm making this journal entry at work, so a more detailed entry will be forthcoming. And I have yet to listen to the tape....I'll grab that for commute listening over the next couple of days.

I met some new friends in this book, and renewed my acquaintance with some old ones, as well. Every time I read Bradbury I am awestruck by his poetic use of language, his vivid and colorful imagery, his sheer joy in the tales he spins for our delectation and his own amusement.

Among my favorites:

The Fruit At The Bottom Of The Bowl was an old friend who had stayed with me for many years. I had often recollected this tale as I cleaned and dusted and wiped and scrubbed. What a pleasure it was to read it again, and realize it had lost none of its impact.

The Veldt, of course...another old friend. The lions, feeding, is an image that lingered for years.

The Illustrated Man is still as striking and unnerving as the first time my teenage self encountered it.

A new-to-me story was The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit. I had heard of it, of course, but don't remember ever reading it. What a luscious treat, and probably my favorite story in the whole collection. The sheer zest of these hopeful young men and their ridiculous plan to share the suit; the poignant stories they share of their night on the town; their almost-justified suspicion that the suit will be taken from them somehow; all is told with such energy and sense of place that I felt I was there, and had joined those young men in their border town adventure.

Something that struck me in this collection was how often Bradbury used Mexico as a setting or Latinos as protagonists. Unusual for the time period in which he wrote these. I wonder if he lived in Mexico for a time, or had Latino family members.

Another notable new friend was The Anthem Sprinters. Lovely, simply lovely. (Note to self: find the play!)

The book has loose pages again, although none has been lost. I expect the previous mend has come undone. The loose part is near the front of the book and encompasses most of the stories The Fruit At The Bottom Of The Bowl and Ylla.

I listened to the tape while driving back and forth to work the last two days. The dramatization of Dark They Were, And Golden-eyed was superb. I wasn't overly impressed with The Fox And The Forest audio play, but I wasn't overly impressed with the story itself, either.

Thank you, Tom, for sharing this book (and its accompanying treasures) with all of us. The entire caboodle will be on its way to Mandali shortly.

Mailed to Mandali today. Enjoy!

Received the box with the book and other contents in the mail yesterday and it was fun looking at all the extra goodies people have added. Tom, as I am the last person in the bookring before it returns to you, I hope you won't mind waiting a little longer before I read it. I am scheduled for surgery in May and I am setting aside special books to read while recuperating. This will be the first one on my list and it gives me something to look forward to in the weeks ahead. It started it's journey in June and should be home before a year has passed.

The pages are still intact but they are getting loose so I will be careful to protect them as best I can.

I am taking one of the double-sided bookmarks and will add something to the motley collection of goodies when I find something fun.

Thanks Tom!

I just had to alert everyone on the bookring that I added a photo to my last journal entry. It is of thnxandyc's addition to the box. It was too cute to ignore.

First, I have to apologize to you, Tom, for taking so long to return this book. You probably thought that you would never see it again. I have been dealing with difficult health issues and I haven't been able to take care of all that needs to be done.

Thank you for allowing me to read this wonderful book. I really enjoy Bradbury's writing and I particularly like "There Will Come Soft Rains" and "The Veldt." I read them many years ago and they are as good as I remember.

My addtion to the goodies in the box are some materials from the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, of which Ray Bradbury is one of the honorees, here in Seattle. It is a fun place to visit and there are tons of science fiction memorablia, including some original hand written manuscripts, tons of pictures, books, original costumes and props, etc., from science fiction movies. Here is the link to the SFM: http://www.sciencefictionexperience.com/

I am mailing "The Vintage Bradbury" this morning, at long last. Because of the volume of mail at the holiday season, it may take a while for you to receive it, but as it has taken this long, a few more days will hardly be noticed.

Thank you again, Tom, for sharing "The Vintage Bradbury", it was an interesting and fun read.

The book came back to me today, having completed the bookring in 18 months. I'll be glueing the spine again before deciding where it goes next. I hope you all enjoyed reading these classic stories, and had fun looking at all the incredible stuff that has been accumulating in the box and on the box. I'm amazed, but I'm not surprised, you know? Chocolate Moose? H.Matisse poker chips? Ylla the Flexo-Ellipto? I love it. What am I going to do with it? Next time I'm in Seattle, I'll be going to the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. Thank you all for this, and for your contributions of books to the Ray Bradbury project itself back in 2003.