Golden Apples of the Sun, The [Paperback]

Ray Bradbury (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 1, 1997

Ray Bradbury is a modern cultural treasure. His disarming simplicity of style underlies a towering body of work unmatched in metaphorical power by any other American storyteller. And here, presented in a new trade edition, are thirty-two of his most famous tales--prime examples of the poignant and mysterious poetry which Bradbury uniquely uncovers in the depths of the human soul, the otherwordly portraits of outré fascination which spring from the canvas of one of the century's great men of imagination. From a lonely coastal lighthouse to a sixty-million-year-old safary, from the pouring rain of Venus to the ominous silence of a murder scene, Ray Bradbury is our sure-handed guide not only to surprising and outrageous manifestations of the future, but also to the wonders of the present that we could never have imagined on our own.Ray Bradbury is a modern cultural treasure. His disarming simplicity of style underlies a towering body of work unmatched in metaphorical power by any other American storyteller. And here, presented in a new trade edition, are thirty-two of his most famous tales--prime examples of the poignant and mysterious poetry which Bradbury uniquely uncovers in the depths of the human soul, the otherwordly portraits of outre fascination which spring from the canvas of one of the centurys great men of imagination. From a lonely coastal lighthouse to a sixty-million-year-old safari, from the pouring rain of Venus to the ominous silence of a murder scene, Ray Bradbury is our sure-handed guide not only to surprising and outrageous manifestations of the future, but also to the wonders of the present that we could never have imagined on our own.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

In a career spanning more than seventy years, Ray Bradbury, who died on June 5, 2011 at the age of 91, inspired generations of readers to dream, think, and create. A prolific author of hundreds of short stories and close to fifty books, as well as numerous poems, essays, operas, plays, teleplays, and screenplays, Bradbury was one of the most celebrated writers of our time. His groundbreaking works include Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man, Dandelion Wine, and Something Wicked This Way Comes. He wrote the screen play for John Huston's classic film adaptation of Moby Dick, and was nominated for an Academy Award. He adapted sixty-five of his stories for television's The Ray Bradbury Theater, and won an Emmy for his teleplay of The Halloween Tree. He was the recipient of the 2000 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, the 2004 National Medal of Arts, and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Special Citation, among many honors.

Throughout his life, Bradbury liked to recount the story of meeting a carnival magician, Mr. Electrico, in 1932. At the end of his performance Electrico reached out to the twelve-year-old Bradbury, touched the boy with his sword, and commanded, "Live forever!" Bradbury later said, "I decided that was the greatest idea I had ever heard. I started writing every day. I never stopped."

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380730391
• ISBN-13: 978-0380730391
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,803 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #51 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Short Stories

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The poet laureate of science fiction February 6, 2001

By "ionadh"

Format:Paperback

This is the first collection of Ray Bradbury's stories I ever read, and it still rocks! I was only 13, and it immediately put me into his own, lyrical and yet dark world: lovelorn sea monsters, pining away for foghorns; time-traveling big-game hunters who accidentally change our history; spaceships dispatched to collect a piece of the sun; dictatorships that outlaw any form of eccentric behavior, such as *not* watching television---a scary premise, indeed, since we're practically in that world now; and more. Bradbury's delight in telling stories, inventing fabulous glimpses into other worlds as well as our own, radiates from every page. His work is warm, but it is not overly sentimental---he is unafraid to let a story end very badly for its characters, if it should help him to make the point he has in his mind. Nor are his tales all scary and dark---one or two are positively hilarious. This is not just highly recommended---it is urged that you rush out and purchase it...

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bradbury's SF strength is in the humanity... April 22, 1998

By Ryan Garcia ([e-mail])

Format:Paperback

You've probably heard a half a dozen Ray Bradbury stories without even knowing it. His tales of space flights, Martian expeditions, and strange occurences on our own planet are all classics. While "Martian Chronicles" is arguably the best collection of Bradbury stories, this book also shows the amazing talent of Bradbury. His ability to mix the human with the fantastic makes for incredible stories.

This book collects several of the best stories Bradbury ever created in one volume. There are several books that group Bradbury stories together, but few contain the raw number of stories as this one.

My own personal favorite Bradbury story is in this collection: "A Sound of Thunder." This short tale of a time-travelling dinosaur safari is an amazingly powerful look at the wonder and consequences of time travel and personal behavior. The story is easily consumed by the youngest reader and just as easily debated by science fiction scholars for hours. I first heard this story on an audio tape during a family car trip--hearing it inspired me to read other Bradbury stories. To me, Bradbury will always be "A Sound of Thunder" and that's quite a reputation to have.

One of Bradbury's longer shorts, "Frost and Fire," is also included. This is an amazing tale of the rapid development of humans on Mercury. Rapid in that everyone grows quickly and dies young. Set against the backdrop of a planet that allows only a few brief minutes of freedom on the surface before the residents must hide from the scorching heat or blistering cold. The story can be appreciated from a pure SF perspective or just from the human side--Bradbury creates realistic worlds in the most fantastic location.

Two other stories are also stand-outs: "The Fog Horn" and "Here There Be Tygers." Saying anything about the actual plots would give away the stories, but I will say they both present unexpected twists that will have you thinking twice about your own normal everyday lives.

As a first introduction to Bradbury this collection is excellent. It gathers together a wide variety of his stories from various sub-genres and has enough to keep readers busy for a while. Ultimately you'll want to read other story collections, but this book will give you a taste of things to come.

For Bradbury fans who haven't read some of these stories I probably don't need to recommend the book at all--by now you've already clicked on a purchase link and had the book sent to you.

For everyone else I can only urge that you try Bradbury. Even if you aren't a science fiction fan, Bradbury is a very approachable author and his works cross the traditional boundaries of science fiction. This isn't nerdy Star Trek or hard-core Neuromancer. His stories are human and that's what makes them universal. Rocketships are entirely optional.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bradburry's classic collection of short stories. April 25, 1998

By [e-mail]

Format:Paperback

I first read "The Golden Apples of the Sun" when I was in grade school, loving it then for the adventure and sense of wonder Bradbury always brings to his work. I have since read and reread it through the years until my tired old copy was so dog-eard and broken as to be almost unreadable. I'm glad to see it still in print.

No one can infuse so much tension, or wring as much drama out of a short story as can Ray Bradbury, and "Golden Apples," in my opinion, is his best collection, easilly rivalling "The Martian Chronicles" in sweep and vista. Just to read the classic time-travel story "The Sound of Thunder" is reason alone to pick up a copy.

I honestly think Mr. Bradbury could write ingrediant lists on cereal boxes and make them spell-binders.