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A Pleasure to Burn: Fahrenheit 451 Stories
Grandmaster of American Letters Ray Bradbury presents the 16 vintage stories and novellas that informed and prefigured the creation of his dystopian classic, Fahrenheit 451. Collecting rare and unknown tales as well as notable early triumphs,A Pleasure to Burn offers an unparalleled window into Bradbury’s creative process, and a unique glimpse at the evolution of one of the greatest works of 20th century American literature. Absolutely essential for fans of Bradbury books like Dandelion Wine, Something Wicked This Way Comes,The Illustrated Man, and The Martian Chronicles—and for readers of William Golding, George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and other titans of speculative fiction—A Pleasure to Burn illuminates the unusual hidden corners of Bradbury’s expansive imagination, revealing a creative force as vivid and powerful as the hottest burning flame.
389 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2007
150 people are currently reading
2311 people want to read
About the author
Ray Bradbury
2,532 books24.5k followersRay Douglas Bradbury was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and realistic fiction.
Bradbury is best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), and The October Country (1955). Other notable works include the coming of age novel Dandelion Wine (1957), the dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and the fictionalized memoir Green Shadows, White Whale (1992). He also wrote and consulted on screenplays and television scripts, including Moby Dick and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into television and film productions as well as comic books. Bradbury also wrote poetry which has been published in several collections, such as They Have Not Seen the Stars (2001).
The New York Times called Bradbury "An author whose fanciful imagination, poetic prose, and mature understanding of human character have won him an international reputation" and "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream".
Bradbury is best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), and The October Country (1955). Other notable works include the coming of age novel Dandelion Wine (1957), the dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and the fictionalized memoir Green Shadows, White Whale (1992). He also wrote and consulted on screenplays and television scripts, including Moby Dick and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into television and film productions as well as comic books. Bradbury also wrote poetry which has been published in several collections, such as They Have Not Seen the Stars (2001).
The New York Times called Bradbury "An author whose fanciful imagination, poetic prose, and mature understanding of human character have won him an international reputation" and "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
April 21, 2015
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury was published in 1953 and has significantly influenced the genre and American literature as a whole since. But before this first edition, Bradbury had written several short stories that would lead to the masterpiece. Edited together in an evolutionary pattern, the reader can trace Bradbury’s building development of the story through a series of short stories.
Most were written in the late forties and early fifties, these all led to the culmination of the script that would become the classic. Several stories could have been scenes or chapters from the book and “Long After Midnight” and “The Fireman” are effectively first and second drafts of 451 (passages of the two stories are virtually identical). An observant reader of Bradbury will notice here a trend that the grandmaster will make minor changes to a story and publish it subsequently with another title. The short story “To the Future” was published in another collection, with minor changes, and under the title “Fox and the Forest” in The Illustrated Man.
This is a must read for a serious student of Bradbury and for any fan of Fahrenheit 451.
Most were written in the late forties and early fifties, these all led to the culmination of the script that would become the classic. Several stories could have been scenes or chapters from the book and “Long After Midnight” and “The Fireman” are effectively first and second drafts of 451 (passages of the two stories are virtually identical). An observant reader of Bradbury will notice here a trend that the grandmaster will make minor changes to a story and publish it subsequently with another title. The short story “To the Future” was published in another collection, with minor changes, and under the title “Fox and the Forest” in The Illustrated Man.
This is a must read for a serious student of Bradbury and for any fan of Fahrenheit 451.
June 29, 2012
The incipient 451.
I wonder who would have believed it, back then when he was writing it? The Burning of Books. The mark of an anti-civilisation. Yet here we are, watching it happening all around us. Manchester Library is on a rampage, it turns out they could make the library such a better place if it weren't for all those damned books:
Manchester Library destroys its books
Just as we now have generations who did not know an internet free world, now we have children being brought up bereft of books, not out of some sort of to-be-despised-or-pitied-poverty but because the format of the book is now seen as undesirable. In my home town Adelaide, whole schools are simply eradicating the book as if it is some sort of pest. Children in those schools will no longer read books, they read words on machines.
I have never felt comfortable walking into book-free houses. It is one of the things that makes a house a home, something with character, a way of reading where one is. Maybe Ray Bradbury died just in time. He hated the kindle - no great surprise there.
One impact of the internet - and it is impossible not to associate electronic forms of books with some of the bad aspects of the internet - is that falsehoods spread about enough become facts. The more times they are spread about, the more sure we are they are correct. I reflect upon that because I want to end with the famous Bradbury quote:
"I don't try to predict the future. I try to prevent it."
This has been quoted a gadzillion times lately as everybody cuts and pastes the same few bits of information to do 'their' obit of Bradbury. I wanted to see where it came from, was it a real quote, or just one of those made up internet 'facts' that we can no longer even being bothered questioning. It's on the internet, lots of people believe it, who cares whether it is actually true?
I can't find the original source at a first glance, but I am comforted to see that Arthur C Clarke says this:
And there is audio of this interview with Clarke to boot: AC Clarke interview
Not that this makes it a fact either, but we are getting close. The more so since ACC himself seems to have some care for the facts. I love the dry response here:
I wonder who would have believed it, back then when he was writing it? The Burning of Books. The mark of an anti-civilisation. Yet here we are, watching it happening all around us. Manchester Library is on a rampage, it turns out they could make the library such a better place if it weren't for all those damned books:
Manchester Library destroys its books
Just as we now have generations who did not know an internet free world, now we have children being brought up bereft of books, not out of some sort of to-be-despised-or-pitied-poverty but because the format of the book is now seen as undesirable. In my home town Adelaide, whole schools are simply eradicating the book as if it is some sort of pest. Children in those schools will no longer read books, they read words on machines.
I have never felt comfortable walking into book-free houses. It is one of the things that makes a house a home, something with character, a way of reading where one is. Maybe Ray Bradbury died just in time. He hated the kindle - no great surprise there.
One impact of the internet - and it is impossible not to associate electronic forms of books with some of the bad aspects of the internet - is that falsehoods spread about enough become facts. The more times they are spread about, the more sure we are they are correct. I reflect upon that because I want to end with the famous Bradbury quote:
"I don't try to predict the future. I try to prevent it."
This has been quoted a gadzillion times lately as everybody cuts and pastes the same few bits of information to do 'their' obit of Bradbury. I wanted to see where it came from, was it a real quote, or just one of those made up internet 'facts' that we can no longer even being bothered questioning. It's on the internet, lots of people believe it, who cares whether it is actually true?
I can't find the original source at a first glance, but I am comforted to see that Arthur C Clarke says this:
PP: It’s frightening that man is so destructive and at the same time so much good is being done.
AC: I’ve many, many times quoted my friend Ray Bradbury on this when he says: “ I don’t try to predict the future, I try to prevent it”.
And there is audio of this interview with Clarke to boot: AC Clarke interview
Not that this makes it a fact either, but we are getting close. The more so since ACC himself seems to have some care for the facts. I love the dry response here:
PP: But you also said that you had a dream about extraterrestrials who got off a space ship and said: “Take me to Arthur Clarke” but that dream turned into a nightmare when they said: “Take me to Isaac Asimov!”
AC: Ah yes, I never actually dreamt that but I saw and read that quotation once, or twice.
July 13, 2021
Съдържание: Прероденият, Огнен стълб, Библиотеката, Феникс сияен, Безумните вълшебници на Марс, Карнавал на лудостта, Клада, Щурецът на печката, Пешеходецът, Боклукчията, Усмивката, Много след полунощ, Пожарникарят
Бонус разкази: Драконът, който си изяде опашката, Някъде преди зазоряване, Към бъдещето
Единственият дребен недостатък на този сборник, лично за мен, е породен от неговата тематичност - всички истории са ситуирани в антиутопично милитаризирано бъдеще, смазващо в движение и най-дребните наченки на въображение и оригиналност, към което главните герои не могат да се приспособят. И макар да са се появили през различни години, разказите звучат доста сходно. Най-фрапантен бе случаят с новелите Много след полунощ и Пожарникарят, залегнали в основата на легендарния роман 451 градуса по Фаренхайт - на практика две много леко разминаващи се в редакционно отношение версии (от 50-те и 70-те години на миналия век) с абсолютно идентичен сюжет. Поставянето им една след друга в томчето, при това така че по-новата да предхожда по-старата, ми създаде леко шизофренно усещане при изчитането. Но в крайна сметка реших да третирам ситуацията като ценен урок по творческо писане, защото долових майсторски полираните моменти с двадесет годишна разлика.
В заключение, прозата на Рей Бредбъри е уникална - размива жанрови граници, чупи клишета, отхвърля канони, изобилна е на метафори, което ѝ придава почти поетично звучене и докато я поглъщаш категорично трябва да имаш специална нагласа. А тази вероятно е причината да срещам доста полярни читателски мнения за нея - от великолепна до пълна скука. Е, аз съм от безрезервните фенове и всяка отметната страница ми достави неподправено удоволствие.
Личните ми фаворити, на които хлъцнах от кеф, освен вече споменатата новела Много след полунощ, бяха Огнен стълб, Карнавал на лудостта, Усмивката и Към бъдещето.
Бонус разкази: Драконът, който си изяде опашката, Някъде преди зазоряване, Към бъдещето
Единственият дребен недостатък на този сборник, лично за мен, е породен от неговата тематичност - всички истории са ситуирани в антиутопично милитаризирано бъдеще, смазващо в движение и най-дребните наченки на въображение и оригиналност, към което главните герои не могат да се приспособят. И макар да са се появили през различни години, разказите звучат доста сходно. Най-фрапантен бе случаят с новелите Много след полунощ и Пожарникарят, залегнали в основата на легендарния роман 451 градуса по Фаренхайт - на практика две много леко разминаващи се в редакционно отношение версии (от 50-те и 70-те години на миналия век) с абсолютно идентичен сюжет. Поставянето им една след друга в томчето, при това така че по-новата да предхожда по-старата, ми създаде леко шизофренно усещане при изчитането. Но в крайна сметка реших да третирам ситуацията като ценен урок по творческо писане, защото долових майсторски полираните моменти с двадесет годишна разлика.
В заключение, прозата на Рей Бредбъри е уникална - размива жанрови граници, чупи клишета, отхвърля канони, изобилна е на метафори, което ѝ придава почти поетично звучене и докато я поглъщаш категорично трябва да имаш специална нагласа. А тази вероятно е причината да срещам доста полярни читателски мнения за нея - от великолепна до пълна скука. Е, аз съм от безрезервните фенове и всяка отметната страница ми достави неподправено удоволствие.
Личните ми фаворити, на които хлъцнах от кеф, освен вече споменатата новела Много след полунощ, бяха Огнен стълб, Карнавал на лудостта, Усмивката и Към бъдещето.
November 26, 2014
This is a collection of stories that use and develop the themes found in "Fahrenheit 451" and the "Martian Chronicles". In it you get a sense of Bradbury working and developing the ideas of his later best selling novels. What left me deeply shaken was his spot on reading of the the decline of American civilization and culture. Ideas written 50/60 years ago are now headlines. Finishing the book one is left with the question of what will happen to this country in the next 25 to 75 years. Given the decline in reading, the almost 1984ish mindset regarding war, & the level of greed I am not hopeful. The only problem with the book is the lack of annotation regarding the date and development of the stories. It would have been interesting to have Mr. Bradbury's comments and thoughts on these stories and about how they aided him in the development of the novel we know today.
February 23, 2018
Рей Бредбъри е име, което винаги изричам със смес от благоговение и носталгия. Благоговение, защото към такъв титаничен талант не мога да изпитвам нищо друго, освен дълбоко уважение и възхищение. Носталгия, защото тя е една от основните теми, залегнали в творчеството му, а и защото същото това творчество неизменно предизвиква у мен носталгични спомени. Книгите на Бредбъри ме връщат във времето, когато открих този автор като малко момче. В летните дни, когато по една или друга причина не карахме велосипедите си на село и не се щурахме из дворове и улици, ровех из ухаещата на старост библиотечка в антрето у баба и дядо. Там имаше немалко от томчетата на библиотека „Галактика”, които аз просто хващах и отварях за да намеря нещичко за себе си, а кориците и заглавията ми даваха само най-бегло обещание за съдържанието. И така открих някои автори, за които с ентусиазъм исках да разкажа на всички наоколо и малко ме дразнеше фактът, че за другите май моите открития съвсем не бяха новост и посрещаха разпалените ми разкази с усмивка. Горе-долу по същото време се запознах с Рей Бредбъри и почти лично – той редовно се появяваше на екрана, когато по телевизията се завъртя „Театърът на Рей Бредбъри”. Ненадминат илюзионист на думите, той кара словото да оживее, а заедно с него оживяват марсианци, вампири и динозаври, циркът идва в града или пък настъпва Хелоуин. С годините за мен очарованието на неговите разкази и романи не само, че не е отслабнало, то се разпалва все повече и повече. А като стана дума за разпалване… Обект на днешното ревю е „Да опожаряваш е наслада” – сборник с разкази, предшестващи „451 градуса по Фаренхайт”, част от поредицата „Велики майстори на фентъзи и фантастика” на изд. „Бард”. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
January 13, 2018
Защото сме само книги, и когато те си отидат, изчезваме и ние.:нhttp://knigolandia.info/book-review/d...
Сборникът “Да опожаряваш е наслада” на Рей Бредбъри е нещо като компаньон на легендарната “451 градуса по Фаренхайт”, която на практика се съдържа и между тези корици. В него са поместени разкази, които предхождат романа – в тях са разработени различни части от него, избистрят се идеите, появяват се едни и отпадат други посоки, героите надигат глава, повеждат своята борба и погиват в името на идеалите си… интригуващ поглед към механизмите на работа на един ум, който твореше ненаситно в продължение на десетилетия. Но още повече този сборник в манифест на книжната страст, която днес изглежда още по-анахронична от десетилетия назад, когато Рей е писал тези думи. Навярно е предчуствал, че кое да е преувеличение ще бъде простено, защото светът ще се промени така, че да му пасне – и да го оправдае.
Издателска къща БАРД
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/d...
Сборникът “Да опожаряваш е наслада” на Рей Бредбъри е нещо като компаньон на легендарната “451 градуса по Фаренхайт”, която на практика се съдържа и между тези корици. В него са поместени разкази, които предхождат романа – в тях са разработени различни части от него, избистрят се идеите, появяват се едни и отпадат други посоки, героите надигат глава, повеждат своята борба и погиват в името на идеалите си… интригуващ поглед към механизмите на работа на един ум, който твореше ненаситно в продължение на десетилетия. Но още повече този сборник в манифест на книжната страст, която днес изглежда още по-анахронична от десетилетия назад, когато Рей е писал тези думи. Навярно е предчуствал, че кое да е преувеличение ще бъде простено, защото светът ще се промени така, че да му пасне – и да го оправдае.
Издателска къща БАРД
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/d...
June 14, 2018
Raccolta un po' sottotono rispetto a L'uomo illustrato, ma pur sempre gradevole.
- Il Reincarnato ☆☆☆
- Torre di fuoco ☆☆☆☆☆
- La biblioteca ☆☆
- La splendida fenice ☆☆☆
- I maghi folli di Marte ☆☆☆
- Maschere pazze ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
- Il falò ☆☆☆
- Il grillo sul focolare ☆
- Il pedone ☆☆☆
- Lo spazzino ☆☆☆1/2
- Il sorriso ☆☆☆☆
- Molto dopo mezzanotte ☆☆☆☆
- Il pompiere ☆☆☆
Ultimi racconti:
Valutazione per singolo racconto!
- Il Reincarnato ☆☆☆
- Torre di fuoco ☆☆☆☆☆
- La biblioteca ☆☆
- La splendida fenice ☆☆☆
- I maghi folli di Marte ☆☆☆
- Maschere pazze ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
- Il falò ☆☆☆
- Il grillo sul focolare ☆
- Il pedone ☆☆☆
- Lo spazzino ☆☆☆1/2
- Il sorriso ☆☆☆☆
- Molto dopo mezzanotte ☆☆☆☆
- Il pompiere ☆☆☆
Ultimi racconti:
- Il drago che si mangia la coda ☆☆1/2
- Prima dell'alba ☆☆☆
- Al futuro ☆☆☆☆ (Racconto presente anche nella raccolta "L'uomo illustrato")
June 25, 2023
Ray Bradbury was very prescient, about outlawing books found to be offensive. The majority of the book is two earlier (?) versions of Fahrenheit 451. Would have rated higher if more original pieces.
September 9, 2018
Fahrenheit 451 in hemmen akabininde okumasam da beni çok etkiledi. Öykülerin dili, dizilimi ve konuların netliği çok güzel olmuş.
Yine Fahrenheit 451 in ardından okunmasını tavsiye ediyorum.
Yine Fahrenheit 451 in ardından okunmasını tavsiye ediyorum.
June 13, 2018
Il reincarnato
(The Reincarnate) 3★
Torre di fuoco
(Pillar of fire) 5★
La biblioteca
(The Library) 3★
La splendida fenice
(Bright Phoenix) 4★
I maghi folle di marte (vecchia versioni di "Gli esiliati")
(The mad wizards of Mars) 3★
Maschere pazze (ossia Usher II)
(Carnival of Madness) 4★
Il falò
(Bonfire) 4★
Il grillo sul focolare
(The cricket on the Heart) 3★
Il pedone
(The pedestrian) 2★
Lo spazzino
(The garbage collector) 4★
Il sorriso
(The smile) 2★
Molto dopo mezzanotte (preparazione a Fehrenheit)
(Long after midnight) 3★
Il pompiere (versione migliorata del racconto precedente)
(The Fireman) 3,5★
Il drago che si mangia la coda
(The dragon who ate his tail) 3★
Prima dell'alba
(Sometime before dawn) 3★
Al futuro (poi diventato La volpe e la foresta)
(To the future) 4★
Il drago che si mangia la coda, Prima dell'alba e Al futuro compongono un unico quadro. La cosa interessante è che, leggendoli in sequenza - e quindi in una sorta di evoluzione - il mio giudizio nei confronti de La volpe e la foresta (a cui diedi tre stelle durante la lettura in L'uomo illustrato) è migliorato.
Torre di fuoco è il racconto dei lettori. Galvanizzante.
(The Reincarnate) 3★
Torre di fuoco
(Pillar of fire) 5★
La biblioteca
(The Library) 3★
La splendida fenice
(Bright Phoenix) 4★
I maghi folle di marte (vecchia versioni di "Gli esiliati")
(The mad wizards of Mars) 3★
Maschere pazze (ossia Usher II)
(Carnival of Madness) 4★
Il falò
(Bonfire) 4★
Il grillo sul focolare
(The cricket on the Heart) 3★
Il pedone
(The pedestrian) 2★
Lo spazzino
(The garbage collector) 4★
Il sorriso
(The smile) 2★
Molto dopo mezzanotte (preparazione a Fehrenheit)
(Long after midnight) 3★
Il pompiere (versione migliorata del racconto precedente)
(The Fireman) 3,5★
Il drago che si mangia la coda
(The dragon who ate his tail) 3★
Prima dell'alba
(Sometime before dawn) 3★
Al futuro (poi diventato La volpe e la foresta)
(To the future) 4★
Il drago che si mangia la coda, Prima dell'alba e Al futuro compongono un unico quadro. La cosa interessante è che, leggendoli in sequenza - e quindi in una sorta di evoluzione - il mio giudizio nei confronti de La volpe e la foresta (a cui diedi tre stelle durante la lettura in L'uomo illustrato) è migliorato.
Torre di fuoco è il racconto dei lettori. Galvanizzante.
February 18, 2011
Last night I finished reading A Pleasure to Burn: Fahrenheit 451 Stories (2010) by Ray Bradbury. The 2010 copyright is pretty misleading; there are 16 stories (2 pretty long); 9 were originally published in the 40s and 50s, 1 in the 60s, and the other 6 between 2002 and 2007 (and most of those were actually written in the late 40s and early 50s).
It’s a good collection. I’d read several of the stories before and I enjoyed reading them again; of course I’m a Bradbury fan and I almost always enjoy reading him. But the reason I bought the collection was to get two stories/novellas: “The Fireman” and “Long After Midnight”.
“The Fireman” was originally published in 1951 and was expanded and revised to become Fahrenheit 451 (1953). Morgan had to read Fahrenheit 451 for high school this year and I decided what the heck, it’s a great book and it’d give us something else to talk about so I read it too. It was fun to read the earlier version of the story, most of the basic plot elements were in evidence, although some of the characters names had changed.
“Long After Midnight” was originally published in 2007 in Match to Flame: The Fictional Paths to Fahrenheit 451. However it was written much earlier, 1950. Until Match to Flame was published it was an unpublished early version of “The Fireman”. Again, a good read; I'm not sure why it wasn't published in this form. It's not as good as "The Fireman", but it's much better than other published fiction I've read from that time.
Having just read the two precursors, I’m very tempted to dig out Fahrenheit 451 from whatever box it ended up in and read it again.
Most of the other stories in A Pleasure to Burn were also published in Match to Flame so it’s not surprising that they almost all deal with similar concepts; most of the stories center on book burning in one form or another. Oddly, however, the last 3 stories are not from Match to Flame, but were published in a different collection the same year: The Dragon Who Ate His Tail. All 3 of these are time travel stories, further related by the theme of escape from oppressive governments, which is, I suppose, their link to Fahrenheit 451.
All in all it’s a good collection of stories, but since most of the stories are available elsewhere unless you are a nearly obsessive compulsive Bradbury collector (like me) or really interested in the antecedents to Fahrenheit 451 I don’t think I’d bother buying it. And if you fall into both camps you might want to go for Match to Flame instead. It has more stories (or story fragments) and what sounds like some interesting additional maternal. I know I’d get it if it weren’t for the $110 (ouch) price tag. (And if I ever see a decent used copy for significantly less, I probably will get it.)
It’s a good collection. I’d read several of the stories before and I enjoyed reading them again; of course I’m a Bradbury fan and I almost always enjoy reading him. But the reason I bought the collection was to get two stories/novellas: “The Fireman” and “Long After Midnight”.
“The Fireman” was originally published in 1951 and was expanded and revised to become Fahrenheit 451 (1953). Morgan had to read Fahrenheit 451 for high school this year and I decided what the heck, it’s a great book and it’d give us something else to talk about so I read it too. It was fun to read the earlier version of the story, most of the basic plot elements were in evidence, although some of the characters names had changed.
“Long After Midnight” was originally published in 2007 in Match to Flame: The Fictional Paths to Fahrenheit 451. However it was written much earlier, 1950. Until Match to Flame was published it was an unpublished early version of “The Fireman”. Again, a good read; I'm not sure why it wasn't published in this form. It's not as good as "The Fireman", but it's much better than other published fiction I've read from that time.
Having just read the two precursors, I’m very tempted to dig out Fahrenheit 451 from whatever box it ended up in and read it again.
Most of the other stories in A Pleasure to Burn were also published in Match to Flame so it’s not surprising that they almost all deal with similar concepts; most of the stories center on book burning in one form or another. Oddly, however, the last 3 stories are not from Match to Flame, but were published in a different collection the same year: The Dragon Who Ate His Tail. All 3 of these are time travel stories, further related by the theme of escape from oppressive governments, which is, I suppose, their link to Fahrenheit 451.
All in all it’s a good collection of stories, but since most of the stories are available elsewhere unless you are a nearly obsessive compulsive Bradbury collector (like me) or really interested in the antecedents to Fahrenheit 451 I don’t think I’d bother buying it. And if you fall into both camps you might want to go for Match to Flame instead. It has more stories (or story fragments) and what sounds like some interesting additional maternal. I know I’d get it if it weren’t for the $110 (ouch) price tag. (And if I ever see a decent used copy for significantly less, I probably will get it.)
January 24, 2014
A collection of all Bradbury's short stories on the same theme as Fahrenheit 451, as well as the two novellas that are sort of rough drafts to that novel- the same nearly word for word for much of their lengths.
I do like Bradbury's short fiction a lot, but this collection in particular was just too much sameness for me - especially the two novellas at the end that only varied in minor scenes.
This collection would be great for someone with an academic interest in Bradbury's views as you can see how his ideas evolved over time, but for myself as a casual reader, I prefer these sorts of stories interspersed with other works like they are in the rest of his collections.
I do like Bradbury's short fiction a lot, but this collection in particular was just too much sameness for me - especially the two novellas at the end that only varied in minor scenes.
This collection would be great for someone with an academic interest in Bradbury's views as you can see how his ideas evolved over time, but for myself as a casual reader, I prefer these sorts of stories interspersed with other works like they are in the rest of his collections.
April 25, 2013
Ray Bradbury’s A Pleasure to Burn: Fahrenheit 451 Stories is a collection of stories exploring the themes addressed in his classic novel Fahrenheit 451. The publisher claims that it is a must read for fans of Fahrenheit 451, but I’m not so sure it is. The book seems more like a collection of ideas, some half-formed, that Bradbury wrote before all the ideas coalesced into his amazing novel, Fahrenheit 451. While it is interesting to get insight into how Bradbury explored the theme of censorship and loss of individuality, after a while the stories get a bit tedious because they all repeat this same theme with little variation.
The novellas “Long After Midnight” and “The Fireman” are basically the same story with a few words changed here and there. There’s no need to read both of them. All of the stories show a future (which is sometimes now, the 2010s) in which the government doesn’t necessarily control citizens’ thoughts as much as distract them from thinking with ever-present entertainment in the form of television and radio programs. All books, except for gossip magazines and trade journals, are confiscated and burned because they contain “dangerous” ideas. There is no room for reflection, philosophy, creativity or individuality in Bradbury’s dystopian worlds. A person sitting or walking alone (even walking is frowned upon) is a radical. All activities are done in groups, and all activities must involve mindless television viewing or driving aimlessly about the city. A character in the novella “Long After Midnight” (and in “The Fireman”) remarks that she is not allowed to attend school but must see a psychiatrist to be “fixed” because she is considered anti-social: “I don’t mix. And the yelling extrovert is the thing this season, you know” (188). To which Mr. Montag, the fireman, responds that it’s been a long season. This hits home for me because as an introvert, the activities that make me happy are often the exact opposite of what I’m supposed to want to do. Being around large groups of people exhausts and irritates me, which makes me a loner. Which is a dangerous thing to be these days.
Another theme explored in the book is how people give up thinking for themselves, stop learning. It’s easier to not think. Again, in “Long After Midnight,” Mr. Montag’s supervisor is explaining to him how the government started burning books and his explanation is chilling. Too many different people with too many different interests and too much information. Publishers and writers and media content providers had to shorten and make information and entertainment “paste-pudding norm” in order to please everyone: “Pictures became puddings. Magazines were tapioca. The book buyer, the ticket buyer bored by dishwater, his brain spinning, quit buying, the trades died a slow death. There you have it. Don’t blame the government. Technology coupled with mass exploitation, coupled with censorship from minorities…books went out of fashion…[censorship was established, but] By that time people were uneducated. They stayed away from books, and, in ignorance, hated and feared them. You always fear something you don’t know. Men have been burned at the stake for centuries, for knowing too much” (202). This I see happening right now. News reporting is dumbed down and shortened and has been turned into entertainment for the masses. If you really want to know what’s going on in the world (or even in your own backyard), you have to investigate. You have to put in the effort to educate yourself. Not only are many people not inclined to do so, they don’t know how. They don’t have the energy to do so. Why try to get to the truth of the matter (which is often complicated) when one news channel or another wraps up all the world’s ills into a neat package by blaming it on one group of people or another?
While Bradbury presents these chilling and thought-provoking ideas, his stories are also dated. When these stories were written is not noted in the collection, but they are obviously pre-2000s. He places too much emphasis on the burning of physical books as representing the end of thought and the death of ideas when today books are digital. The loss of the physical book is not the end of the world because more than likely that book is available in digital format somewhere. If not yet, soon it probably will be. Bradbury also presents technology as an agent of doom, but technology (at least as it concerns information consumption and production) hasn’t done that. Sure, you have websites that skew information to fit the creators’ agenda, but the digital revolution has allowed for people to connect who never would have connected before, for creativity to flourish in the form of digital-only magazines, Youtube, blogs, etc. As with everything, technology is a mix of positives and negatives. There’s always going to be technology. There’s always going to be entertainment and news and millions of flashing displays demanding our attention. What’s important is how we deal with this influx of media. It’s important to be educated and engage in critical thinking. This is how we save ourselves from becoming Bradbury’s drooling idiots staring at giant television screens.
While this collection of stories is sometimes interesting, I recommend Fahrenheit 451 instead. A Pleasure to Burn is all the ingredients, but Bradbury’s classic dystopian novel is the finished dish.
October 8, 2011
Ben lungi dall'esser una trovata commerciale, questo volumetto raccoglie tutti quei racconti, alcuni editi, altri fino ad adesso inediti persino in America, che hanno contribuito alla creazione del mondo distopico di Fahrenheit 451 e alla formazione del pensiero di Bradbury, sul valore della cultura contro l'oppressione del potere, della società e dell'eufemisticamente chiamato 'progresso'.
Innanzitutto rimarrà certamente soddisfatto l'affezionato lettore di Bradbury: in questa antologia viene ottimamente ricostruita la storia editoriale di Fahrenheit 451, dagli spunti originari ai manoscritti ufficiali ai racconti editi. L'idea di una società che opprima la cultura e bruci i libri sembra esser un incubo di vecchia data di Bradbury: già nei racconti più vecchi, a cavallo tra gli anni Quaranta e i Cinquanta, quando cioè riecheggiava ancora troppo assordante l'eco delle bombe di Hiroshima e Nagasaki, compare il fuoco, i roghi di libri, le torri di fuoco che bruciano i cadaveri. Il concetto fa inizialmente da sfondo ad un paio di racconti dal sapore horror, e che bene restituiscono il senso di straniamento che certamente l'autore dovette provare in quel tempo; successivamente, si comincia ad intravedere la figura di Montag, che da un racconto all'altro diventa sempre più nitida. Si intravede Montag nel racconto Il pedone: un brevissimo racconto nel quale la libertà dell'individuo viene esaltata nella passeggiata notturna e solitaria, per la città, di un uomo insonne: e tanto basta alle forze dell'ordine per parlare di aperta sfida alle regole della società. Il pedone senza nome è in realtà Montag, il pompiere: il racconto del pedone viene infatti inglobato in Molto dopo mezzanotte, la prima versione, inedita, di quel che poi sarà Fahrenheit 451.
E' seguendo questa storia editoriale, quest'esatta successione di racconti, che si può riconoscere e seguire la progressione del pensiero di Bradbury, forse ancor più che nel suo romanzo più famoso. Bradbury è, inutile dirlo, un conservatore spaventato dai pericoli del progresso tecnologico, dalle false promesse del benessere: lo si vede nel ruolo sempre fortemente negativo ricoperto dai nuovi media, che uccide l'immaginazione, e della scienza, che crea le bombe atomiche, lo si vede soprattutto nel fuoco, simbolo massimo, sembra quasi di sentire l'eco degli antichi miti greci, di Prometeo e del ratto del fuoco, il fuoco come prima invenzione dell'uomo.
A chiudere l'antologia gli ultimi e più recenti racconti: eppure, dopo cinquant'anni, le tematiche son le stesse, o quasi. Sebbene non si siano avverate le più funeste profezie di Bradbury, è ancora vivo in lui, forse ancora più di prima, lo straniamento. E' con un totale straniamento che l'autore vive l'epoca attuale, al punto che vorrebbe fuggire via, tornare nel passato. Ed è esattamente ciò che fa compiere ai suoi personaggi in questi ultimi racconti: tutti, in un modo o nell'altro, in fuga dal loro tempo, di oppressione e miseria, verso le rassicuranti epoche del passato. Che è un po' ciò che permettono i libri, essenzialmente: evadere dal presente, viaggiare nel tempo.
Innanzitutto rimarrà certamente soddisfatto l'affezionato lettore di Bradbury: in questa antologia viene ottimamente ricostruita la storia editoriale di Fahrenheit 451, dagli spunti originari ai manoscritti ufficiali ai racconti editi. L'idea di una società che opprima la cultura e bruci i libri sembra esser un incubo di vecchia data di Bradbury: già nei racconti più vecchi, a cavallo tra gli anni Quaranta e i Cinquanta, quando cioè riecheggiava ancora troppo assordante l'eco delle bombe di Hiroshima e Nagasaki, compare il fuoco, i roghi di libri, le torri di fuoco che bruciano i cadaveri. Il concetto fa inizialmente da sfondo ad un paio di racconti dal sapore horror, e che bene restituiscono il senso di straniamento che certamente l'autore dovette provare in quel tempo; successivamente, si comincia ad intravedere la figura di Montag, che da un racconto all'altro diventa sempre più nitida. Si intravede Montag nel racconto Il pedone: un brevissimo racconto nel quale la libertà dell'individuo viene esaltata nella passeggiata notturna e solitaria, per la città, di un uomo insonne: e tanto basta alle forze dell'ordine per parlare di aperta sfida alle regole della società. Il pedone senza nome è in realtà Montag, il pompiere: il racconto del pedone viene infatti inglobato in Molto dopo mezzanotte, la prima versione, inedita, di quel che poi sarà Fahrenheit 451.
E' seguendo questa storia editoriale, quest'esatta successione di racconti, che si può riconoscere e seguire la progressione del pensiero di Bradbury, forse ancor più che nel suo romanzo più famoso. Bradbury è, inutile dirlo, un conservatore spaventato dai pericoli del progresso tecnologico, dalle false promesse del benessere: lo si vede nel ruolo sempre fortemente negativo ricoperto dai nuovi media, che uccide l'immaginazione, e della scienza, che crea le bombe atomiche, lo si vede soprattutto nel fuoco, simbolo massimo, sembra quasi di sentire l'eco degli antichi miti greci, di Prometeo e del ratto del fuoco, il fuoco come prima invenzione dell'uomo.
A chiudere l'antologia gli ultimi e più recenti racconti: eppure, dopo cinquant'anni, le tematiche son le stesse, o quasi. Sebbene non si siano avverate le più funeste profezie di Bradbury, è ancora vivo in lui, forse ancora più di prima, lo straniamento. E' con un totale straniamento che l'autore vive l'epoca attuale, al punto che vorrebbe fuggire via, tornare nel passato. Ed è esattamente ciò che fa compiere ai suoi personaggi in questi ultimi racconti: tutti, in un modo o nell'altro, in fuga dal loro tempo, di oppressione e miseria, verso le rassicuranti epoche del passato. Che è un po' ciò che permettono i libri, essenzialmente: evadere dal presente, viaggiare nel tempo.
September 6, 2011
A very interesting collection of stories that could all conceivably take place in the Fahrenheit 451 universe.
I especialy liked the story "Bright Phoenix" which is about the beginnings of the Book People, the preservers of knowledge who memorize volumes of literature.
Two of the stories in this anthology are revisions of stories that can be found in the collection titled The Illustrated Man. "The Mad Wizards of Mars" is really "The Exiles"(The Illustrated Man) and "To The Future" is really the story "The Fox and the Forest"(The Illustrated Man).
The whole collection is a must read for anyone who was moved by Bradbury's novel "Fahrenheit 451" the collection even inculdes two early versions of the novel titled "Long After Midnight" and "The Fireman" though really there are so few differences between the two stories that they become quite redundent by being in the same short story collection.
I especialy liked the story "Bright Phoenix" which is about the beginnings of the Book People, the preservers of knowledge who memorize volumes of literature.
Two of the stories in this anthology are revisions of stories that can be found in the collection titled The Illustrated Man. "The Mad Wizards of Mars" is really "The Exiles"(The Illustrated Man) and "To The Future" is really the story "The Fox and the Forest"(The Illustrated Man).
The whole collection is a must read for anyone who was moved by Bradbury's novel "Fahrenheit 451" the collection even inculdes two early versions of the novel titled "Long After Midnight" and "The Fireman" though really there are so few differences between the two stories that they become quite redundent by being in the same short story collection.
January 16, 2021
"Трябва да има нещо в книгите, цели светове, за които дори не сме сънували, щом накараха тази жена да остане в горящата къща. Трябва да има нещо, не може да остане просто така."
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"...Днес най-голямата обида е да наречеш някого "професор" или "интелектуалец"... Интелектът е подозрителен, при това с основание..."
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Из "Много след полунощ", Рей Бредбъри
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Сборникът с разкази играе ролята на предистория на “451 градуса по Фаренхайт”. Но и да не сте чели романа, много от разказите са напълно самостоятелни. Типично за Бредбъри, краските са мрачни и тъмни. Героите от историите му са вкопчени в живот, който не могат да имат. Други пък търсят изход от лесния живот по течението, за да се почувстват свободни. А крайното усещане е за лъч светлина и възможност за отърсване от правилата и еднаквомислието.
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"...Днес най-голямата обида е да наречеш някого "професор" или "интелектуалец"... Интелектът е подозрителен, при това с основание..."
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Из "Много след полунощ", Рей Бредбъри
.
Сборникът с разкази играе ролята на предистория на “451 градуса по Фаренхайт”. Но и да не сте чели романа, много от разказите са напълно самостоятелни. Типично за Бредбъри, краските са мрачни и тъмни. Героите от историите му са вкопчени в живот, който не могат да имат. Други пък търсят изход от лесния живот по течението, за да се почувстват свободни. А крайното усещане е за лъч светлина и възможност за отърсване от правилата и еднаквомислието.
April 4, 2015
İlk sayfalardaki yeniden dirilenlerin hikayeleri beni biraz rahatsız etse de yazarın kurduğu dünyayı daha iyi anlamak açısından isabetli bir tercih olmuş. Yazarın geleceğe yönelik kurgusu bu kısa hikayelerle daha belirgin bir şekilde vücut buluyor.
Fahrenheit 541'in ne yollardan geçilerek yazıldığını anlamak için de fırsat buluyoruz.
Biraz düzensiz olsa da güzeldi.
Fahrenheit 541'in ne yollardan geçilerek yazıldığını anlamak için de fırsat buluyoruz.
Biraz düzensiz olsa da güzeldi.
March 4, 2018
Kısa bilim-kurgu/ distopya tarzı öyküler muazzamdi.
Fakat bence kitabın sıkıntısı diğer kitaplarda da bulunan öykülere tekrar yer verilmiş olması. Aynı öyküleri okumak bir yerden sonra sıktı diyebilirim.
Fakat bence kitabın sıkıntısı diğer kitaplarda da bulunan öykülere tekrar yer verilmiş olması. Aynı öyküleri okumak bir yerden sonra sıktı diyebilirim.
February 14, 2024
There are several variations on a theme, and I loved it. There were a few stories I'd read before, but several that were new to me. While not ever story is 5 stars, many are at the very top of the 5 star range. I don't usually reread things, but I think I'll come back to this after a couple of years, as some of these stories are worth pondering.
Great narration.
Great narration.
March 30, 2023
Ray Bradbury é um dos autores que tenho por planos um dia terminar a leitura de toda a bibliografia. Eu tenho paixão pela forma como ele consegue misturar fantasia e ficção científica com temas de necessária reflexão, ao mesmo tempo em que imbuí suas narrativas com uma linguagem incrivelmente, deliciosamente poética, daquelas que te assombram por tempos mesmo após a última página.
Assim é que baixei Prazer em Queimar pelo Skeelo e embarquei no volume. Acho que praticamente todos os volumes dele lançados pela Biblioteca Azul em português estão disponíveis lá (incluindo o mais recente, A morte é um negócio solitário, que será minha próxima leitura no aplicativo).
Eu conhecia alguns dos contos que aparecem aqui de outras antologias e, como vários têm a mesma temática ou mesmo são variantes de Fahrenheit 451, a leitura pode se tornar um pouco repetitiva. É um exercício interessante, contudo, para acompanhar a evolução da ideia e como Bradbury trabalhou os mesmos elementos em cenários por vezes completamente distintos.
Em Fahrenheit 451, os livros são queimados, mas em vários dos contos de Prazer em Queimar, são pessoas - ou melhor dizendo, corpos - que vão para os fornos. Em mais de uma história temos um falecido que retorna num mundo obcecado por uma assepsia que não é apenas física, mas também da memória. Cemitérios estão sendo destruídos, cadáveres e restos mortais de todos os tipos são cremados e sua destruição é também um símbolo de destruição do passado.
Dou um destaque especial para o conto O Sorriso, que li alguns dias após os eventos do oito de janeiro em Brasília - e que me fizeram pensar muito no que aconteceu durante a invasão, especialmente no ataque a obras de artes e objetos históricos expostos nos prédios dos Poderes (que são, afinal, museus públicos também). Teria sido uma história dolorosa de toda maneira, por falar do processo de descida da civilização ao nível da barbárie, mas o momento em que dei de cara com o conto tornou-o ainda mais amargo.
Bradbury, ao final das contas, é muito político e atual, uma leitura sempre necessária e cativante.
Assim é que baixei Prazer em Queimar pelo Skeelo e embarquei no volume. Acho que praticamente todos os volumes dele lançados pela Biblioteca Azul em português estão disponíveis lá (incluindo o mais recente, A morte é um negócio solitário, que será minha próxima leitura no aplicativo).
Eu conhecia alguns dos contos que aparecem aqui de outras antologias e, como vários têm a mesma temática ou mesmo são variantes de Fahrenheit 451, a leitura pode se tornar um pouco repetitiva. É um exercício interessante, contudo, para acompanhar a evolução da ideia e como Bradbury trabalhou os mesmos elementos em cenários por vezes completamente distintos.
Em Fahrenheit 451, os livros são queimados, mas em vários dos contos de Prazer em Queimar, são pessoas - ou melhor dizendo, corpos - que vão para os fornos. Em mais de uma história temos um falecido que retorna num mundo obcecado por uma assepsia que não é apenas física, mas também da memória. Cemitérios estão sendo destruídos, cadáveres e restos mortais de todos os tipos são cremados e sua destruição é também um símbolo de destruição do passado.
Dou um destaque especial para o conto O Sorriso, que li alguns dias após os eventos do oito de janeiro em Brasília - e que me fizeram pensar muito no que aconteceu durante a invasão, especialmente no ataque a obras de artes e objetos históricos expostos nos prédios dos Poderes (que são, afinal, museus públicos também). Teria sido uma história dolorosa de toda maneira, por falar do processo de descida da civilização ao nível da barbárie, mas o momento em que dei de cara com o conto tornou-o ainda mais amargo.
Bradbury, ao final das contas, é muito político e atual, uma leitura sempre necessária e cativante.
July 15, 2014
Aslında sevgili Bradbury ve İthaki Yayınları'nın ufak bir oyunu bize bu kitap, zira içinde Mars Yıllıkları'ndan da, Resimli Adam'dan da öyküler var. Ama okunmamış öyküler de var yine de. Ve okunmamış Bradbury öyküsü için bile değer. Ayrıca Fahrenheit 451'e giden yolda yazdıklarını da okuyarak o ulvi romanı toplamda on kez falan okumuş oldum ister istemez.
<<"Bay Garrett" diye seslendi Stendahl usulca. Garrett susmaya zorladı kendini. "Bay Garrett," dedi Stendahl bir kez daha. "Bunu size neden yaptığımı biliyor musunuz? Çünkü siz Bay Poe'nun kitaplarını hiç okumadan yaktınız. Başkaları size onların yakılması gerekiğini söyledi, siz de onlara inandınız. Öyle yapmamış olsaydınız, biraz önce buraya geldiğimizde ne yapmak istediğimi anlardınız. Cehalet, Bay Garrett, ölüm getirir.>>
<<"Bay Garrett" diye seslendi Stendahl usulca. Garrett susmaya zorladı kendini. "Bay Garrett," dedi Stendahl bir kez daha. "Bunu size neden yaptığımı biliyor musunuz? Çünkü siz Bay Poe'nun kitaplarını hiç okumadan yaktınız. Başkaları size onların yakılması gerekiğini söyledi, siz de onlara inandınız. Öyle yapmamış olsaydınız, biraz önce buraya geldiğimizde ne yapmak istediğimi anlardınız. Cehalet, Bay Garrett, ölüm getirir.>>
February 2, 2018
В този сборник разказите са крачките в съзнанието на Бредбъри, които водят към създаването на "451 по Фаренхайт". Написани са през 50-те години на миналия век и са плашещо актуални днес. Част от тях ни разхождат в познатия дистопичен свят от "451 по Фаренхайт", където книгите са мразени, страшни и изгаряни, а хората са хипнотизирани от телевизията. Друга част от разказите имат и готик елемент като трибют на любимите автори на Бредбъри - По, Амброуз Биърс, Лафкрафт и др.
Още една ценна книга за книгите. И ми напомня, че ако попаднем в свят, в който няма да съществуват книги, добре ще е да има хора наизустили Бредбъри, за да го разказват край дистопичните огньове
Още една ценна книга за книгите. И ми напомня, че ако попаднем в свят, в който няма да съществуват книги, добре ще е да има хора наизустили Бредбъри, за да го разказват край дистопичните огньове
December 29, 2017
Струва си да се прочете. Бредбъри поставя сериозни въпроси в разказите относно смисъла на човешкото съществуване. Акцент е темата какво би се случило, ако книгите не съществуват и изкуството не присъства в нашето ежедневие.
August 4, 2011
Asking me what I think about Ray Bradbury is probably a waste of time. I love almost everything he's ever done.
He's got a poetic way of writing and can make the most mundane topic seem magical.
He's got a poetic way of writing and can make the most mundane topic seem magical.
February 8, 2024
This was an outstanding collection of short stories from Ray Bradbury. Amazing narration from Scott Brick on the audiobook as expected. This is only the second Bradbury book I have read, and I did not like Something Wicked at all. This feels a lot more engaging in detailed world building and character personalities. I can tell I will really enjoy Fahrenheit 451 after listening to these prequel stories. There was a good amount of connections between a few of them. 4.25/5
Summary:
"The Reincarnate" - A man rises from his grave to try and reclaim his former life, only to find that he is no longer welcome in the world.
"Pillar of Fire" - In the year 2349, the last cemetery on Earth is being removed. The bodies are to be burnt, as all others have been. Upon hearing the commotion of what is happening, the final corpse decides to rise in the night and hide from this ultimate fate. He learns that horror writers such as Poe and Lovecraft have had their books burned and removed from the planet, and that nobody in this future society knows what fear is. At this point, he decides that as the last anachronism of the former world, he will be the one to teach the new world of fear. This story is also found in Bradbury's short story collection S is for Space.
"The Library" - Government officials raid a library to burn the last known copies of classic literature. This short could have been a scene cut from Fahrenheit 451.
"Bright Phoenix" - When the town's chief censor comes to use the library as a testing ground for burning selected books, a librarian angers him with his strange behavior. Originally written in 1947, the premise was later expanded upon and turned into The Fireman, the novella which was later expanded upon and turned into Fahrenheit 451.
"The Mad Wizards of Mars" - After burning all but a single copy of history's greatest horror writings, Earth attempts its first crewed expedition to Mars. The familiar, current occupants of the red planet aren't happy to see them coming. Originally published in Maclean's.
"Carnival of Madness" - A former library owner in a future in which the macabre has been banished uses the stories of Poe to plot his revenge on those who were responsible for the banishment of horror stories, films, Hallowe'en, etc. Revised as "Usher II" in The Martian Chronicles.
"Bonfire" - Two people have a phone conversation while waiting for the end of the world. One of them seems more concerned with the loss of all of the great art than with their lives.
"The Cricket on the Hearth" - When a couple discovers that the government is spying on them, it has a strange effect on their relationship. Originally included in the short story collection One More for the Road.
"The Pedestrian" - A man goes out for his routine evening stroll and ends up being stopped just for walking. Also included in the short story collection The Golden Apples of the Sun.
"The Garbage Collector" - A garbage collector learns that his job is no longer going to consist strictly of picking up garbage, but also something much more grisly. Also included in the short story collection The Golden Apples of the Sun.
"The Smile" - A little boy stands in line, awaiting his turn in a bizarre form of public entertainment involving the Mona Lisa.
"Long After Midnight" - Early version of the story that eventually became Fahrenheit 451.
"The Fireman" - Another early version of the original story that was later developed into Fahrenheit 451.
Bonus Stories:
"The Dragon Who Ate His Tail" - A couple contemplates taking a time travel vacation. Also included in the chapbook The Dragon Who Ate His Tail.
"Sometime Before Dawn" - A seemingly strange couple is observed by a neighbor. Also included in the chapbook The Dragon Who Ate His Tail.
"To the Future" - A couple takes advantage of a time travel vacation to try and hide from the miserable time in which they live. They are pursued by those who don't want them to escape. Also included in the chapbook The Dragon Who Ate His Tail.
Summary:
"The Reincarnate" - A man rises from his grave to try and reclaim his former life, only to find that he is no longer welcome in the world.
"Pillar of Fire" - In the year 2349, the last cemetery on Earth is being removed. The bodies are to be burnt, as all others have been. Upon hearing the commotion of what is happening, the final corpse decides to rise in the night and hide from this ultimate fate. He learns that horror writers such as Poe and Lovecraft have had their books burned and removed from the planet, and that nobody in this future society knows what fear is. At this point, he decides that as the last anachronism of the former world, he will be the one to teach the new world of fear. This story is also found in Bradbury's short story collection S is for Space.
"The Library" - Government officials raid a library to burn the last known copies of classic literature. This short could have been a scene cut from Fahrenheit 451.
"Bright Phoenix" - When the town's chief censor comes to use the library as a testing ground for burning selected books, a librarian angers him with his strange behavior. Originally written in 1947, the premise was later expanded upon and turned into The Fireman, the novella which was later expanded upon and turned into Fahrenheit 451.
"The Mad Wizards of Mars" - After burning all but a single copy of history's greatest horror writings, Earth attempts its first crewed expedition to Mars. The familiar, current occupants of the red planet aren't happy to see them coming. Originally published in Maclean's.
"Carnival of Madness" - A former library owner in a future in which the macabre has been banished uses the stories of Poe to plot his revenge on those who were responsible for the banishment of horror stories, films, Hallowe'en, etc. Revised as "Usher II" in The Martian Chronicles.
"Bonfire" - Two people have a phone conversation while waiting for the end of the world. One of them seems more concerned with the loss of all of the great art than with their lives.
"The Cricket on the Hearth" - When a couple discovers that the government is spying on them, it has a strange effect on their relationship. Originally included in the short story collection One More for the Road.
"The Pedestrian" - A man goes out for his routine evening stroll and ends up being stopped just for walking. Also included in the short story collection The Golden Apples of the Sun.
"The Garbage Collector" - A garbage collector learns that his job is no longer going to consist strictly of picking up garbage, but also something much more grisly. Also included in the short story collection The Golden Apples of the Sun.
"The Smile" - A little boy stands in line, awaiting his turn in a bizarre form of public entertainment involving the Mona Lisa.
"Long After Midnight" - Early version of the story that eventually became Fahrenheit 451.
"The Fireman" - Another early version of the original story that was later developed into Fahrenheit 451.
Bonus Stories:
"The Dragon Who Ate His Tail" - A couple contemplates taking a time travel vacation. Also included in the chapbook The Dragon Who Ate His Tail.
"Sometime Before Dawn" - A seemingly strange couple is observed by a neighbor. Also included in the chapbook The Dragon Who Ate His Tail.
"To the Future" - A couple takes advantage of a time travel vacation to try and hide from the miserable time in which they live. They are pursued by those who don't want them to escape. Also included in the chapbook The Dragon Who Ate His Tail.
December 30, 2018
Bradbury continues to be a wealth of creative power. His writing comes across crisp and exploding with possibility. One really gets the sense that his writing is that of a trained muscle ready at every opportunity to prove it's muster. This collection is a bit more scattered and features some familiar stories and some new. Not perhaps the best for seasoned readers of his work but if you've only read a few of his more major works, Fahrenheit 451 being the obvious connecting point, this is a fine collection of his shorts and show's him at peak craft. Each story contains a world and scratches away at the greater universe he continued to revisit over his many novels and stories. Add to that anyone interested in combing the impetus for Fahrenheit 451 will find the various shorter attempts and the handful of novel husks an interesting look into Bradbury's writing process.
July 24, 2021
A few of the short stories I hadn't read in his other anthologies and I enjoyed, but the re-writes of Fahrenheit 451 were more than a little disappointing. I was expecting more of a conceptual exploration of the characters based on the description I got from the afterword of the original book, but it was really just a worse rewrite of the book (with the obvious exception of "the Fireman" which was, in fact, the predecessor to the novel and is therefore excluded from that assessment).
Was hoping for some unique insight into the characters in Bradbury's exceptional style. Got a Montag whose anger was on the edge of disturbingly competent compared to the Fahrenheit 452 novel, where "I don't know what I'm doing" paired well with his anger and sincerity to make him really relatable. In this version (Long After Midnight) he's just an unhinged entitled sociopath.
Was hoping for some unique insight into the characters in Bradbury's exceptional style. Got a Montag whose anger was on the edge of disturbingly competent compared to the Fahrenheit 452 novel, where "I don't know what I'm doing" paired well with his anger and sincerity to make him really relatable. In this version (Long After Midnight) he's just an unhinged entitled sociopath.
December 19, 2019
I listened to this short story collection as an audio book. I really dug that. The largest chunk of this collection is around an early draft of Fahrenheit 451. I did enjoy that part even though and it made me want to go back and reread Fahrenheit 451. The rest of the stories all involve the theme of destroying books as well. I'd say I'd read around 70% of the stories already. That is why my rating is relatively low for this collection. For anyone that is already a fan of Bradbury you will have read most of this material. The arrangement of these particular stories had a nice flair, but still it would rank lower down than other collections.
April 22, 2018
Two of the stories in this book are more like novelettes than short stories, I think. Long After Midnight is an early version of Fahrenheit 451. The Fireman is a rewrite of Long After Midnight. The two stories are the same -in some instances the wording is identical- but The Fireman is clearly more mature, more literary. So these are two steps along the way, as Bradbury developed his great style, to his well known masterpiece Fahrenheit 451.
November 13, 2021
the first few stories were captivating!! i, like bradbury, enjoy the classics like poe and all, but the same old story continued with a different name throughout the entire book. i was motivated to finish, not to enjoy it, by the middle. the only thing that kept me going was the promise of non fire related stories at the end. id suggest reading said stories separately, not as a book, in case you begin to lose interest by the repetitive format, as i imagine most do.
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