Dandelion Wine

Does not translate well into an audible book

This book is one of those few novels that just don't translate well into an audible book. While I thought Stephen Hoye sounded good, and I thought the writing was exceptional, this book just did not work in audio format. I think the problem is that, in this novel, Ray Bradbury writing emphasizes extremely rich imagery...so rich and complex that hearing the words are just not adequate to catch it. Let me try to explain what I mean...when one reads the printed word, the content "sticks" better than when one "hears a speech". I struggled through the first couple of hours of this audio book, eventually I realized that I was just not engaged with the story...then i realized that there really was not much of a story here. This book is written as an “ode to summer and childhood", it main purpose of this book is to try to convey the memories and feelings that R.B. felt towards his childhood summers. As much of the content is "stream of consciousness" of a young boy imagining things, remembering things, and trying to describe things (as a young boy would describe them if they had a master’s degree in English Lit). The rest of the content is "3rd person stream of consciousness" of an old man trying to describe their memories as a child. The result is simply too complex for someone to grasp and imagine simply from hearing the words...I think you have to actually read the words yourself to understand and get into this story. SO I gave this book 3 stars for performance and story, but a one overall because I felt that while either element was fine (even excellent) the overall effect of this audiobook fell flat due to this being the wrong medium to enjoy this novel.

29 of 35 people found this review helpful

Happiness Machine!

I wish I had read this in my 20's. I plan to reread this every 10 years at least.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

The Summer of 28'

The magic and dark tragedy in the summer of 1928 seen through the eyes of Bradbury's alter-ego Douglas Spaulding. The audio performance is excellent. The story was nostalgic like somewhere in time, but rather a love story about growing up and the love of life as it passes you by. It's a good story but not really my cup of tea.

15 of 18 people found this review helpful

Taste of Summer.

I listened to this book, because both of my kids read each summer. Bradbury does a great job of capturing the feeling of summer. People of all ages can relate to the smell of cut grass, the taste of ice-cream on a hot day, catching fireflies, picking berries, and all the other typical events of summer. The vivid images in the book brought me close to the enjoyable summer days of my childhood. Dandelion Wine touches on some important aspects of life such as growing up and the reality of death. It was a good book, but at some parts it was difficult to remain interested. It would have been better if there was a little more organization and flow to the book. It was all over the place which at times made it hard to follow.

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Ideal for adults who forgot how children think

This tale of summer vacation seen through the eyes of naive children will remind readers of the magical way of thinking youth offers, as well as the painful disenchantment of becoming self-aware. The vignettes of the town's distinct inhabitants gives Bradbury's world a sense of genuine life.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

HOME AGAIN

What made the experience of listening to Dandelion Wine the most enjoyable?

Ray Bradbury is from green town ( Waukegan Il. ). As I grew up there the story really hit home as I have not lived there for a great many years. As I listened to the story I found myself home again. As he spoke of all the surroundings I remembered them as if I were back there again. Green town has for all of these years as for the most part not grown up, the houses the lawns the streets will all take you back in time as they have never changed. It is to say time does and has stood still there. It to is my home town.

Have you listened to any of Stephen Hoye’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

The author grew up and lived here and he presents the story in much of the way he had lived it. I was born and raised there as well. His views of the layout of the city and the goings on in Waukegan are just as he wrote of them. He really knows how to describe the actual surroundings so as to make you feel you are actually there.The book makes you feel right at home.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I found nothing wrong with the narrator. He was able to speak clearly and with passion as if it was a story of his own life. He told the story in such a way it was hard to turn it off for the day.

5 of 7 people found this review helpful

More short stories than a novel

This reads more like a series of connected short stories, a few powerful and riveting, but most banal, all read in a tone of reverence and awe that only sometimes makes sense.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

pronunciation too hard for non-native speakers

I'll choose another narrator as it was too hard for me to listen in the car

1 of 3 people found this review helpful