NNO Book Club: The Illustrated Man

We try to do an easier read for December, as it is often a crazy month for folks. This year, I’ve selected a collection of short stories from a true classic – Ray Bradbury. So much of his work stands up so well and this collection contains one of my favorite stories of all time, which should probably NOT have been in an English textbook/anthology for 4th graders. Interested to see what you all think…

For December, we will be reading “The Illustrated Man” by Ray Bradbury.

***Book summary from Goodreads***
That “The Illustrated Man” has remained in print since being published in 1951 is fair testimony to the universal appeal of Ray Bradbury's work.

Only his second collection (the first was Dark Carnival, later reworked into The October Country), it is a marvelous, if mostly dark, quilt of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

In an ingenious framework to open and close the book, Bradbury presents himself as a nameless narrator who meets the Illustrated Man--a wanderer whose entire body is a living canvas of exotic tattoos.

What's even more remarkable, and increasingly disturbing, is that the illustrations are themselves magically alive, and each proceeds to unfold its own story, such as "The Veldt," wherein rowdy children take a game of virtual reality way over the edge. Or "Kaleidoscope," a heartbreaking portrait of stranded astronauts about to reenter our atmosphere--without the benefit of a spaceship. Or "Zero Hour," in which invading aliens have discovered a most logical ally--our own children. Even though most were written in the 1940s and 1950s, these 18 classic stories will be just as chillingly effective 50 years from now.

***This month's restaurant selection***
This month we are trying someplace new in Midtown Tampa – True Food Kitchen! I am hoping it may be nice enough for us to sit outside, but regardless – this menu looks exciting. You can check it out here: https://www.truefoodkitchen.com/.

***Not sure about book club or never been to one before? ***
Read the book (or some of the book). Come to the Meetup. Eat yummy food and chat with folks about what you thought about the book. REPEAT!

***Not sure where to get the book? ***
All books we select have a decent number of copies (at least 3-4 across all formats) at both the Hillsborough and Pinellas County Library. And, of course, you can always buy a copy.

***Didn’t finish/hated this book?***
Come to the Meetup anyway! If you didn't finish - just be aware, there will be spoilers. If you hated it, come and rant! In my experience, the books that generate the best conversations and the books we really love are rarely the same books.