There was no way that I was going to do a short story series and not include Ray Bradbury. When I am asked about authors I admire, Bradbury always tops the list. He is the author whose work strikes deepest into my heart and mind. If I am given the choice of an author to whom I’d wish to be compared, it’s him.
Given that I struggled with his writing at first, it’s an interesting place to land. “The Martian Chronicles” is where I began with Bradbury. And I could not get past page 37. It took three attempts before I forced myself to just finish the book. Already a science fiction fan, I felt that this was a “must read”. Once I finished it, I never looked back.
With 100 short stories, this is a great place for both the beginning Bradbury reader and the established fan. The majority of his output was short stories. Stories that spanned genres were his trademark.
Stephen King, in his book “Danse Macabre”, claimed that Bradbury belonged more to the horror world than science fiction. I was outraged at the time I first read that. As I continued reading Bradbury, I realized that there is a thread of horror that permeates the vast majority of his writing. It is a subtle, creeping dread that you feel at the edges of your senses.
In his output, you can find something for anyone. Coming of age stories, romance, humor, science fiction, and horror.
There’s no way I will even try to list all 100 stories in this collection. I enjoyed every last one. The following stuck out:
The Illustrated Man – This is the most subtle horror story of them all for me.
Another Fine Mess – Old movies are a passion that I share with Bradbury. Movies are ghosts in many ways. Here’s a story about movie ghosts.
The Rocket – The master takes on racism. The end of the world is coming and only some will be saved.
One for His Lordship and One For the Road – Really just some silliness, but wonderfully built as always.
The Whole Town’s Sleeping – Here is a classic, pure horror story.
The Beggar on O’Connell Bridge – another horror, but subtle writing takes it beyond mere fear.
The Wonderful Depth of Dudley Stone – A darkly funny story about how death can set an author free.
The Swan – A love story that reaches beyond time.
Oh, let’s face it, I could list every single story in this collection as one that grabbed me. Find any of his collections or novels (Because it’s based in the glory days of the movies, “A Graveyard For Lunatics” is a special favorite of mine), and explore Bradbury’s brilliant technique and storytelling.
Stories Are My Life 
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