Got this from a friend in Herndon, Virginia, who was cleaning out his bookshelf.

This is more an interconnected series of short stories and vignettes about the future history of man's colonization of Mars than a single novel. Written more than 60 years ago, it's fascinating to see the mixture of futuristic technology with old-fashioned sensibilities (get them womens in the kitchen!). For example, the chapter dealing with all the African Americans in the South leaving for Mars felt like it took place in the 1930s. And I sincerely doubt any Martian colonies would empty out in the face of a war on Earth today. On the contrary, I imagine the threat of war would lead to an increase in interplanetary immigration. When this was written, WWII had just ended and war was still viewed as a noble endeavor, and there's certainly no way Bradbury could have foreseen how unpopular it would become mere decades later. And yes, we've known for many years that Mars is uninhabited (and uninhabitable by human beings), but that's not really the point. This could be any planet, even our own. There's a strong parallel to the history of European colonization of the American continents.

I can see why not everyone would like this. Much of the Bradbury I've read has had a "just us boys" feel to it that distances me, as woman, from the story. The rather bleak view of humanity doesn't exactly create a feel-good kind of tale, either. My favorite parts were earlier on, with the strange telepathic abilities of the Martians themselves. All in all, though, I enjoyed reading it. It's always fun to witness someone else's view of the future, especially when the majority of it "happened" in the past for the reader.

Bringing this to today's BCinDC meetup in Crystal City (Arlington), Virginia.

Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" is my favorite Sci Fi novel and I've read another collection of short stories: A Medicine for Melancholy by Ray Bradbury (see http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5437515/ ) at some point that I enjoyed, so when I saw this book at the meeting I thought it would be a good one to take home.

Update: I listened to this as an audiobook http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/12985663/ I said: Pretty unusual story. It's fun to realize all this must have been written before we traveled to the moon. It brought up a lot of difficult issues while being entertaining at the same time.

I'm bringing the book to a Bookcrossing meeting at Cafe Santorini.

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Nobody took the book at the meeting. I brought it back home and then gave it to a friend who is currently staying in a convalescent home. I think she read it. Then she gave it back to me.

I'm sending this book to a swap-bot friend who would like books for her Little Free Library.

Welcome to BookCrossing!

Making a journal entry here lets me know the book has been found and is safe in your hands. The book is yours now! Read it, give it to a friend, pass it on, or keep it forever--it's your choice.

If you pass it on to someone or leave it "in the wild" for someone else to find, please make another journal entry or release notes here to explain that it's travelling to find another home.

You can remain anonymous on the website or join BookCrossing. Joining is free, safe, and spam free and you'll get an e-mail every time a new person finds this book. You'll be able to watch it move around and find out what other readers thought of it.

I hope you enjoy the book. Happy reading!