Ray Bradbury, Farewell Summer

Farewell Summer

Ray Bradbury

Morrow, October 2006, $24.95

ISBN 0061131547

In 1928, in Green Town, Illinois, with school to shortly commence, twelve year old Douglas Spaulding leads his brother and their friends in a make-believe war against the town's older male citizens. Their childish mischief irks octogenarian Calvin C. Quartermain, who expects children to respect, not harass the elderly. After a cap gun raid followed by the abduction of chess pieces, Calvin, invoking his memories as a young teen during the Civil War, mounts a counter offensive, while the courthouse big clock keeps on ticking.

The war between the young and the old escalates, with neither side ready to capitulate or allow the sandwich generation to intercede with a punishing self-serving truce. However, the two ring leaders quickly gain respect for one another, but it is life that intervenes when Doug discovers he likes girls more than war.

Ray Bradbury is at his best with his expanding a tale included in his work DANDELION WINE. The lead "generals" make the tale, as both start out with dissing their adversary, but soon respect their opponent. Both soon realize they walk in the same shoes, as Calvin sees Doug as his past and Doug sees Calvin as his future. One of the grandmasters of twentieth century literature, Mr. Bradbury is still in top form with a superior character study that looks at time ticking, with a child eventually becoming the adult.