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On Storytelling: The Powells.com Interview with Donald Miller

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   $13.99 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

   A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life

   Donald Miller

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Chris Horne, April 15, 2009 (view all comments by Chris Horne)
The Martian Chronicles is, in many ways, one of science fiction's most important novels. It's deemed an essential read on almost all notable lists, is the book that broke Bradbury into the mainstream, and was the single most widely read SF book during the 1950's. This book is not a novel per se, but rather a collection of separately linked stories that chronicle, in about as many ways as you can imagine, Man's experiences with Mars, hence the title. Though it covers a span of time from 1999-2026, it is, like all great SF, a commentary on the times in which it was written, rather than the times it is set in. This book is a startling example of human folly. In contrast to much science fiction (from The War of the Worlds onward) the Martians in Bradbury's universe are calm, peaceful, and dreamlike (for the most part, anyway) rather than vicious and malicious. This book shows how humans-arrogant, self-righteous, and irrespectful-can and probably will ruin a beautiful, peaceful planet through ignorance and lack of respect. Also in the book are situations depicting ways in which other races we meet in space may react to us. I found these situations to be highly original and imaginative, sometimes we fail to realize that there are other ways for them to react besides peaceful, cooperative tranquility and war. Sprinkled throughout the seriousness of the stories mentioned above, are lighter, somewhat comical tales that liven up the pace a bit. Through fictional situations, this book also manages to comment on such issues as racism, slavery, social life, marriage, etc. A highly interesting read. Though it is a short read (less than 200 pages) it feels like an epic. By the time you are done with the book, you will feel like you have witnessed a saga, a great work of art, a feeling that few books indeed, much less ones this short, manage to accomplish. The last two stories in the book are startling in their differences. There Will Come Soft Rains is an utterly believable, highly pessimistic, and ultimately thought-provoking piece of work followed by The Million Year Picnic, a contrastly optimistic, hopeful story. These two situations are beautiful in their contrast and a fitting ending to a wonderful book.

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Product Details

ISBN:

9780553278224

Author:

Bradbury, Ray

Publisher:

Spectra Books

Location:

New York

Subject:

General

Subject:

Fiction

Subject:

Classics

Subject:

Science Fiction - General

Subject:

Science fiction

Subject:

Science fiction, american

Subject:

Interplanetary voyages

Subject:

Mars

Subject:

Mars (Planet) Fiction.

Subject:

Mars (planet)

Edition Number:

Grand master ed.

Edition Description:

Grand Master

Series Volume:

322

Publication Date:

June 1984

Binding:

Mass Market Paperbound

Language:

English

Illustrations:

Yes

Pages:

192

Dimensions:

6.96x4.13x.54 in. .22 lbs.