A few years ago, I reread The Martian Chronicles, and wished I hadn't, because the best book in the world when you're in seventh grade isn't necessarily the best book in the world when you're in your forties. However, with Bradbury's death the other day, and all the tributes I've been seeing, I've been curious to reread some more. I found S is for Space on my shelves. The title is a misnomer, as most of its stories are actually firmly earthbound, but it's a collection which includes many of my old favorites, and I'm glad I chose it.It's peculiar to inhabit a future where there's lots of cigarette smoking going on, where the atomic bomb is a bigger worry than global warming or economic catastrophe, and where seemingly most women are housewives. But science fiction is, of course, always very much a product of its time. I skipped the mushrooms in the basement story, but I took great joy in "Pillar of Fire" (one undead man vs. a world that's abolished horror), "The Pedestrian" (a lead-up to Fahrenheit 451, which poses a very good question), "The Screaming Woman" (both the one buried-alive story that doesn't make me *entirely* claustrophobic, and a pitch perfect inquiry into why nobody ever listens to kids), and "Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed" (the best of Bradbury's Mars stories). "The Man" and "The Smile" scan as absurdly naive to my older self, but I feel a certain sentimental regard connected to my childhood memories of reading them. Others work less well, but there are very few short story collections where everything works for every reader.I even have a new favorite, "The Trolley," about the last trolley ride in a small town. Now knowing the history of public transportation in America, and the concerted effort that was made mid-century to limit/decimate it outside of major cities, this story pressed all kinds of buttons it hadn't when I'd read it years ago. If I ever get to teach my environmental literature class again, this might very well make it onto the syllabus.The book, a mass-market paperback with a 1981 print date, was my original copy and began to deconstruct itself as I read it; the spine is cracking and the pages have gone beyond yellowed into browned. I'm going to respect that and let the book go. However, we've still got copies of Dandelion Wine, Fahrenheit 451, and Something Wicked This Way Comes on our shelves (the latter two not even crumbling), so I may revisit Bradbury again soon.
I first heard about "S is for Space" from Lianne at The Towering Pile. I've been wanting to read more sci-fi - I mean, I love watching sci-fi, and obviously I love reading... but when it comes to sci-fi books, I'm so picky! Reading Lianne's review, as well as having read and liked "Fahrenheit 451," I was pretty sure this would be a good match for me.It's important to remember that this collection of short stories was published in 1966. The role of women in these stories continues to portray a 1950's ideal, which kind of surprised me since most of the stories take place so far in the future, even for we readers of 2013. Plus, space exploration was still very new in the 60's. So in many of the stories, we read of a Mars that is a short journey away, a planet with breathable air, flowing rivers, and fertile soil for flower beds and crops. There is evidence of past civilization, such as mosaic paths, fountains that still run, abandoned highways and small cities. Even though we now have photos of the surface of Mars showing a much different picture, it was still fun to imagine it otherwise.There's a great variety among the stories in this collection. People undergoing metamorphosis, time travel, alien invasions, dystopian future Earth, life on Mars, travel to distant planets, children privy to something major but ignored by adults, nostalgia, and even a bit of faith. And I have to say, "Zero Hour" terrified me to the core (peekaboo!).Overall, this collection was a fast read which I thoroughly enjoyed.
What do You think about S Is For Space (1972)?
Excellent book. This kind of short fiction is a wonderful thing to fall into, and I am very glad I picked it up. While any sci-fi from such a long time ago can seem strange to a modern reader, there is an immortal quality to Bradbury's writing that still resonates and rivets attention. His characters are emotive and vivid, and the scenes he writes are alive with rich detail. As a sci-fi writer myself, I consider this kind of work to be extremely important, I hope others pick this up as a means of educating themselves on what this genre should always be.- Fans of Rod Serling's Twilight Zone must read this book.To pick a favorite story from this collection, Pillar of Fire. The tale of the last dead man on earth rising from the grave in a foreign future world, filled with contempt for the living and an urge to be among his own kind, the dead.
—Samuel Blondahl
Again, Bradbury impressed me. Even though I've already a couple of these short stories in the Illustrated Man, a lot of them were new to me. It is very interesting though to see the recurrent patterns in these stories: how Earth is being blown up by humans and modern civilization leaving people stuck in space or Mars, how no one fear death anymore, thus leaving a world without any imagination or dreams, and other concerns. Besides the amazing science-fiction side, it is also highly philosophical in a way that it challenges your beliefs and the way you live in the modern world.
—Jude
I left this book on a bus, but eventually got it back. So, it took be several months to finish this. But, they're short stories, so I didn't lose the point, really.Mostly disappointed. Some of the stories were good. When he started talking about rocket technology, the stories came across pretty dated. So, I like his fantasy stuff more than his SF stuff. Fantasy doesn't really get "dated", unless it reflects outdated ideas, like racism.Bradbury does a really good job with child characters. Capturing their innocence/cruelty.One of the stories seemed really badly placed in a book by this title. It was a nostalgia piece about "The Trolley". Maybe this it was written in a time when trolleys were more popular, so it was about the future. Otherwise, it didn't have any "science fiction" or anything close to it.
—Charles
