::READERS REVIEWS::

Book most enjoyable when read in August... - It's funny, I read Dandelion Wine in June/July... Then in the scorcher of August 09'(currently) I finished with Farewell Summer, and the ending, I finished reading laying down on a couch around 3 in the morning. It was decent sychronicity that enhanced the book. I figure, you could walk away from Dandelion feeling sated but farewell summer is close to a mandatory read to get somewhat of a better conclusion, the conclusion of which definitely surprised me.

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.

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.

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.

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 on a topic that is dear, and dreadful to all of us, and perfectly told in Bradbury's magical, poetic style. Read them, back to back, at the end of August, as summer slowly begins to fade. Think about your childhood, and ponder your old age. If you aren't moved, then check your pulse. If it's still there, pay very close attention to it. It's what it's all about.