Dandelion Wine: 10/19/08

"Dandelion wine will make you remember
The first days of spring in the middle of December" ("Dandelion Wine" by Tommy Makem w/ Liam Clancy). I start this review with the first two lines of the chorus because it sums up the Ray Bradbury novel so perfectly.

I was about twelve when I first learned the song and read the book so the two are forever linked in my memory of being ten. Bradbury's novel is like so many of his books semi-autobiographical It is an account of the summer of 1928 as experienced in a small Illinois town by twelve year old Douglas Spaulding.

Douglas fears the passage of time. He feels it more deeply than his friends. Tom revels in it, keeping a list of everything he does: how many times he does things or eats things and the firsts of every season.

Meanwhile, the adults of Green Town are trying to recreate their youth through Happiness Machines, Green Machines (an electric car), Time Machines and just hoarding the collected kipple of a life lived.

Time is fickle. It goes by too quickly and is impossible to capture. Time maybe permanent but everyone only has a limited amount of it.

If you like Dandelion Wine, you will also like Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Halloween Tree and The Illustrated Man.

Learn how to make Dandelion Wine.

Comments (6)

Comment #1: Monday, October, 20, 2008 at 13:11:05

Jeane

Dandelion Wine was one my first Bradbury reads and a favorite in high school. I think I read it three or four times back then.

Comment #2: Wednesday, Octboer 22, 2008 at 14:42:50

Pussreboots

It's been so long... I can't remember if I read Dandelion Wine or Farenheit 451 first. The former was for fun and the latter was for 8th grade English.

Comment #3: Tuesday, October, 21, 2008 at 01:22:04

Steph

That theme seems to be a recurring one in the books I've been reading these days. And I keep seeing it pop-up here and there on other blogs.
Very eerie
this sounds like a really interesting read
thanks for the review :)

Comment #4: Wednesday, Octboer 22, 2008 at 14:45:40

Pussreboots

It has for me as well.

Comment #5: Saturday, October, 25, 2008 at 11:05:50

Lenore

Thanks for introducing me to Dandelion Wine. I'm going to have to get it!

Comment #6: Tuesday, Octboer 25, 2008 at 11:40:05

Pussreboots

Your local library probably has a copy. Enjoy the book.