| | Illustrated Man, The |  | Author: Ray Bradbury
Publisher: Bantam
Category: Book
List Price: $2.95
Buy Used: $0.93
You Save: $2.02 (68%)
New (2) Used (25) Collectible (2) from $0.93
Avg. Customer Rating:  208 reviews
Sales Rank: 1821309
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 186
ISBN: 0553132474
EAN: 9780553254839
ASIN: 0553254839
Publication Date: November 1, 1983
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Standard used condition.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Classic collection March 11, 1999
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
This is one of those "must own" books that you always hear about, in a hundred years this and a handful of other Bradbury books will be considering classics of American literature. Basically a collection of about a guy who has all this illustrations on his body that shows the stories to an unnamed observer. Personally I have no idea why he bothered with the Illustrated Man concept, the stories stand on their own just fine, though it does give him the opportunity to give a great sucker punch ending. And the concept is basically ignored after the second story but hey when the stuff is this good who am I to complain? The stories themselves, like I said are all excellent, some more than others but it's mostly the distinction between "real good" and "really really really good". The highlights are the opening "The Veldt" which is classic Bradbury and some story about some guys on Venus who are going crazy from getting rained on and a few others. Most of his stories are science-fictional, often revolving in one way or another around rockets but Bradbury deals less with actual science and more about fantasy and dreams, leading to some real good touching moments, above all his stories are about people, they just happened to be set in the future on Mars. Some are sentimental, some are creepy, some are funny but all are good. And it's quick reading, so you have no excuse. Get it today
Dated concepts, Timeless writing September 4, 1999
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Some people I know have had real trouble 'getting' Bradbury's work. The bulk of his best work was written in the 50's and 60's. Some concepts in this book are simply outdated. However, in every story is study of a concept that never has and never will be out-dated, The Human Condition. 'The Man', 'Kaliedascope' and 'The Long Rain' are my personal favorites. Potential readers must also understand that Bradbury is not a science fiction writer. A lot of his stories have science fiction themes and backgrounds, but Fantasy is a better way to describe his work. From hard core fantasy, such as what you will find in this book, to subtle fantasy, such as 'Dandelion Wine' you will find the most important element of Bradbury's work is EMOTION. This man is a true one of a kind Artist. I also recommend: Something Wicked this Way Comes, Dandelion Wine, The October Country, Fahrenheit 451 and any of his other earlier short story collections. Bradbury truly is a GrandMaster. PS- You Kids should keep your opinions to your self. You are only making yourselves look bad.
A True Classic September 24, 2000
6 out of 9 found this review helpful
I was introduced to this book in middle school and have loved it and recommended it to many people since then, mainly because of the rich storytelling and beautifully crafted imagery that only Ray Bradbury could create. Admittedly, it can be just a little confusing in some places, but there are very few classics that can be read in one sitting and completely understood. One of the best stories, and my personal favorite, is "The Veldt" because virtual reality is no longer the sci-fi topic it was when this story was written. This makes the story all the more chilling, especially considering all the time kids spend in front of the computer and tv! All in all, this is one of the best books I have ever read, and I would recommend it to just about anyone over the age of 12 or 13.
Exceptional!! November 20, 2000
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
I highly recommend this book to any fan of Ray Bradbury's work, or to anyone who wishes to introduce his classic works into their library. He is a passionate visionary that writes not only about sci-fi, but his colorful writing style encapsulates the sometimes ineffable feelings that each and every one of us have had about every possible situation in life, and dare I say, in death. I always feel like a kid again when I read his books, I am taken away to warm, sunny Saturdays when I was still in awe of the newness of life. I can hardly force myself to read the works of others as I am convinced that no one can do with words the magic that Ray Bradbury has done.
Review for The Illustrated Man March 12, 2001
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I think overall this book, The Illustrated Man, was one of the best books I ever read. It was funny and very easy to read and understand, which for me is a good thing because I don't really like to read books that are hard to follow. I also liked how it was about a man who has tattoos all over his body and each one tells a story about someone's life. My favorite story out of this book would have to be the Veldt and also Marionettes Inc. They both had a more twisted end to them and were almost unreal but I really enjoyed reading both of them. Over all I liked all of the stories and the ending of the book. I would recommend this book to any of my friends or family, especially if they like these types of books.
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