TMC: half-way done

[Ruth]

Well I wasn't sure how well I was going to get on with this book as my record with reading SF classics is mixed. However, I'm just over half-way through and it's only the 2nd of May, so it's certainly very readable. I've almost reached the controversial story Way Up in the Middle of the Air, and I thought I'd record a few thoughts before I get there just in case it changes my perspective...

Thought 0) it's fun comparing this to our recent pick The Calculating Stars, which has several nods to Bradbury (most obviously the character name Nathaniel York) but takes a very different angle.

Thought 1) the writing style is interesting. At times it's very poetic, at other times very straightforwards, even terse, and Bradbury has a very dark, dry sense of humour which appeals to me. It's quite unlike any other SF author I can think of, and I'm finding it very easy to read.

Thought 2) I like the format of linked short stories - it means something is always happening, and it's easy to read it short bursts (which suits my reading style since I'm usually snatching 10 minutes here and there), while also developing a bigger picture. I'd like it if more contemporary authors followed this track.

Thought 3) as noted on another thread, a lot of the concerns around ecology, colonisation etc feel very fresh and relevant...

Thought 4)... but boy oh boy what was with male SF writers of the 50s who could imagine the colonisation of Mars (including how Earth theologians would wrestle with the question of if the native Martians had souls or not) but couldn't conceive of women as anything other than housewives or whores? Which loops nicely back to Thought 0) and imagining Bradbury and his ilk as the kind of guys who stood in the way of Elma York and the other lady astronauts (and the real-life computers who were essential in sending humans into space).

tl;dr I'm finding this book very readable and mostly relevant but yikes! 50s sexism

[Rob, Roberator]

I did this on audio awhile back and I struggle with most old SFF for this very reason. Either sexism, colonialism, racism, etc.

That said, I still found the book (or collection of stories) compelling and interesting. As Dara mentioned in another thread, the writing is quite good.

It's always hard to judge these kind of books by modern sensibilities. I'm sure many of the works I read and enjoy today will be considered dated 50-70 years from now too.

I like your comparison to Lady Astronauts. I'd agree these are probably a lot of the same people who'd try to keep them grounded.

[Rebecca]

Ruth wrote: "Thought 0) it's fun comparing this to our recent pick The Calculating Stars, which has several nods to Bradbury (most obviously the character name Nathaniel York) but takes a very different angle."

Oh my gosh, that's why the name Nathaniel York was so familiar, I can't believe I didn't realize that! I was so confused when (view spoiler)[he pretty much died immediately because when I read the name it triggered recognition, and I assumed I must have heard the name before as the person who was going to be a main character throughout the stories (hide spoiler)]

I basically agree about the sexism. I do think that there are a couple men who are show less than ideal behavior toward their wives, and the story is telling us this is not good behavior, so there is that at least, but I definitely would prefer more female characters in a wider variety of roles.