Ray Bradbury | Lecturia

Ray Bradbury: Kaleidoscope

“Kaleidoscope” is a science fiction story written by Ray Bradbury, published in 1949 in Thrilling Wonder Stories magazine and later included in the collection The Illustrated Man (1951). The story follows a group of astronauts who, after their ship explodes, are left floating uncontrollably in space, doomed to imminent death. As they drift apart and their lives fall apart, their radio conversations become a reflection of their fears, regrets, and reflections on life and death.

Ray Bradbury: The Wind. Summary and Analysis

“The Wind” by Ray Bradbury was first published in Weird Tales in March 1943 and later included in the collection Dark Carnival (1947). The story revolves around a series of telephone calls between Herb Thompson and his friend Allin, a travel writer who lives alone in an isolated house. Allin is convinced that the wind—a conscious force that has pursued him since an expedition to the Himalayas—has finally returned to capture him. Throughout the night, he describes how this presence surrounds his home, tries to enter, and tears apart parts of the structure. Meanwhile, Herb, caught between disbelief and concern, listens to his friend’s increasingly desperate calls. At last, after losing contact and hearing what seems to be Allin’s laughter outside his own door, Herb opens it… but finds only wind and silence.

Ray Bradbury: Skeleton

“Skeleton” is a short story by Ray Bradbury, first published in Weird Tales magazine in September 1945. It tells the story of Mr. Harris, a somewhat hypochondriac man who, convinced that he suffers from mysterious health problems, seeks the help of an alternative medicine specialist named M. Munigant. The doctor offers a psychological explanation for his ailments, suggesting that they stem from an apparent disconnection with his own skeleton. As the story unfolds, Harris becomes increasingly obsessed with his bones, leading him into a series of surreal and disturbing events that plunge him into a spiral of fear and paranoia.

Ray Bradbury: The Wind

“The Wind” is a psychological horror story by Ray Bradbury, published in Weird Tales in March 1943. It tells the story of Allin, a man convinced that the winds are living entities and that one of them is trying to possess him. Seeking comfort, Allin turns to his friend Herb Thompson, but Herb is unable to visit him because he is expecting guests at his own home—and his wife believes Allin has gone mad. Throughout the night, Herb receives several phone calls from Allin, each one more disturbing than the last.

Ray Bradbury: The City

“The City” is a short story by Ray Bradbury, published in July 1950 in Startling Stories and later included in The Illustrated Man (1951). On a distant planet, amid dark towers and empty streets, an ancient city seems immersed in an endless wait. Everything changes when a rocket from Earth lands nearby and a group of explorers ventures into its silent walls, unaware of the mystery surrounding them and the enigma hidden within its structures.

Ray Bradbury: A Touch of Petulance

“A Touch of Petulance” is a short story by Ray Bradbury, published in 1980 in the anthology Dark Forces. The story begins on an ordinary afternoon when Johnathen Hughes, a young, newlywed accountant, takes his usual train and sits next to an older man reading a newspaper with a future date. Intrigued, Hughes strikes up a conversation that leads him to discover disturbing details about his life, his marriage, and his destiny. What seemed like a chance encounter turns into a disturbing warning about a possible future.