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Farewell Summer
by: Ray Bradbury

Off The Bookshelf's Price: $7.99

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Used Price: $0.53
Third Party New Price: $3.48

Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780061131554
ISBN: 0061131555
Label: Harper
Manufacturer: Harper
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 240
Publication Date: November 01, 2007
Publisher: Harper
Release Date: October 30, 2007
Studio: Harper
Sales Rank: 302369

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:

In the deceiving warmth of earliest October, civil war has come to Green Town, Illinois, an age-old conflict pitting the young against the elderly for control of the clock that ticks their lives ever forward. The graying forces of school board despot Mr. Calvin C. Quartermain have declared total war on thirteen-year-old Douglas Spaulding and his downy-cheeked cohorts. The boys, in turn, plan and execute daring campaigns, matching old Quartermain's experience and cunning with their youthful enthusiasm and devil-may-care determination to hold on forever to childhood's summer. Yet time must ultimately be the victor, as life waits in ambush to assail young Spaulding with its powerful mysteries—the irresistible ascent of manhood, the sweet surrender of a first kiss . . .

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Contains only hints of the genius of "Dandelion Wine"
While I personally could not call anything that Bradbury has written "bad," this book doesn't meet the expectations of a sequel/continuation of the literary masterpiece that "Dandelion Wine" is. There are glimpses of the beauty of its predeccesor here--some moments where Bradbury touches your inner child, takes you back to your youth and fills you with the stuff of life. However, such moments are the exception and not the rule in this book. The plot is rather simple for Bradbury and the books moves rather slowly. This book is worth reading if you are a Bradbury fan, but you can tell that his writing simply isn't as strong as it was when he was in his prime (some 30-40 years ago now). For those who are ambivalent about Bradbury, you can safely pass on reading this one.

Rating:

- Sounds, smells, and life of one Summer
As always, Bradbury takes us into his prolific mind of the past and the future. He let's us see, once again, how it could have been. Sweet, aromatic, and soft. The interrealtionships, and the mysteries of life are all there for you, if you are ready for the visit.

Rating:

- Disappointing
I'm a big fan of Dandelion Wine, but found Farewell Summer to be disappointing at best. The Douglas of Farewell Summer bears little resemblance to the boy we knew in the book's prequel; he comes off as little more than a hoodlum in this story. Further, I thought the chapter dealing with his sexual awakening was weird. I think Bradbury has lost it, but then maybe all men lay awake at night talking to that thing down there.

Farewell Summer lacks the depth and emotion of Dandelion Wine. Check it out for the library if you are curious, but don't waste your money.

Rating:

- I almost can't put it in words.
I read this book in one sitting, just over a month ago, and I'm still finding it hard to put it in words just how powerful it was for me. I had just read Dandelion Wine and moved straight on into Farewell Summer. The cumulative effect was nothing less than awe-inspireing, and I really think it's how you should go about reading the two works, almost as one. Dandelion Wine is without a doubt a masterpiece, and is told as a novel made up of short stories. Farewell Summer is a more concise story, and more of a straight forward novel. While they both deal with the topics of youth and mortality, they each come from a slightly different perspective. Dandelion Wine was written fifty years ago in Bradbury's youth, while Farewell Summer comes to us in his later years. In the end they act as bookends ... Read More

Rating:

- Sequels aren't always Equals
Farewell Summer is a good story, but pales in comparison to Dandelion Wine. While recognizable as atypical Bradbury, it lacks the wallop I was hoping to get from his other books. I can't say much more than that without spoiling the story for you.

It is a fast read though. I finished it in one sitting between lunch and dinner. It's not a waste of time, just not Ray's best work. Read Dandelion Wine first.

Books : Farewell Summer