In my 7/18/16 post, I wrote about how I first became familiar with Ray Bradbury’s writings when I read The Martian Chronicles for my 10th grade English class. I loved that book so much that I went on to read a number of other Ray Bradbury books. My favorite was Dandelion Wine, but I also really liked Something Wicked This Way Comes (SWTWC). As I re-read Dandelion Wine over this past summer, I did a little research and learned that SWTWC is the thematic sequel. That makes perfect sense. Dandelion Wine is set in the summertime and has a decidedly bright tone. SWTWC, in contrast, is dark and autumnal with elements of fantasy and horror. Furthermore, although the two books have different characters, they both feature boys around the same age. Twelve-year-old Douglas in Dandelion Wine is closer to the youthful innocence of childhood. Will and Jim in SWTWC are only slightly older (13 on the verge of 14), yet their shadowy circumstances thrust them toward adulthood. Taken together, these two books brilliantly portray the transitional cusp of adolescence. I’ve been waiting until October to start re-reading SWTWC. The time is now, and I’m loving it.
A few other notes from my recent Bradbury research: Dandelion Wine, SWTWC, and Farewell Summer, constitute Bradbury’s “Green Town Trilogy.” All three books take place in fictional Green Town, which is based on his hometown of Waukegan, Illinois. Additionally, Bradbury wrote a collection of short stories called Summer Morning, Summer Night, which is also set in Green Town. I had never heard of Farewell Summer (published in 2006 and his last novel released in his lifetime) or Summer Morning, Summer Night (published in 2007), two of his last works before he died in 2012. I can’t wait to read both of them!
My research also taught me the term fix-up. A fix-up is a novel created from short fiction (e.g., short stories) that may or may not have been initially related or previously published. The author modifies the original text, perhaps adding new material to connect the shorter pieces. Fix-ups are particularly common in science fiction, which was published mostly in pulp magazines before science fiction books became popular in the 1950s. Interestingly, The Martian Chronicles and Dandelion Wine are both fix-ups while SWTWC was written as a single, full-length novel.
SWTWC has inspired other authors (including Stephen King), become a movie by the same title, and been parodied in pop culture (e.g., the TV show South Park). I was particularly interested to learn of the 1967 album by Harry Nilsson entitled Pandemonium Shadow Show, a direct reference to SWTWC. I’ve listened to it a good bit in the last few days and love how it sounds both Beatle-esque and carnival-like. It’s not frothy, though; the depth of the lyrics pay proper tribute to the darkness of SWTWC.
Before I began re-reading SWTWC, I didn’t remember much detail except that one of the boys was born one minute before midnight, and the other was born one minute after midnight. What has stuck with me the most over the years is the malevolence and carnival atmosphere, a spellbinding juxtaposition. About 20 years ago, Robert and I went out to dinner one Friday evening with his grandparents. We were headed back to their house afterwards, and Gran suggested that we stop by a neighbor’s house because she wanted Robert and me to see his jukebox collection, an impressive array of a dozen or more from several decades. It was dark outside. We entered a doorway and walked down some stairs to see the jukeboxes. The basement was dimly lit except for the bright, rather garish neon lights of the jukeboxes. Later, I told Robert that it was like something out of SWTWC.
I've always had a fear of/fascination with tornadoes. Some years ago I discovered an intriguing artist named John Brosio, who features tornadoes in most of his paintings. I purchased a print from him that shows a guy grilling in his backyard, oblivious to the impending doom of the tornado bearing down on him. John later sent me a postcard with another of his works, called "Rides." I keep it in a frame in my office. It's always reminded me of SWTWC.
Speaking of rides, now would be a good time for one.
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