“Summer in the Air” by Ray Bradbury

Summer in the Air reminds us that any great writer can describe the ordinary as if it was amazing and meaningful.

A boy wading through a stream.
"Tom felt the same way every summer when he went wading for the first time in the slow waters of the creek."
Illustration by Amos Sewell

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Ray Bradbury is famous for his dystopian novel Farenheit 451, as well as his science fiction and his horror works. But Bradbury does not need to have a fantastic situation to tell a story. “Summer in the Air” reminds us that any great writer can describe the ordinary as if it were amazing and meaningful.

Download this article as a PDF Read “Summer in the Air” by Ray Bradbury, published February 18, 1956.

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Comments

  1. It’s always a joy to read a Ray Bradbury story. Please do more of them.
    Also I would like to read the Saturday Evening Post version of True Grit,
    and while I’m here some more Shirley Jackson, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

    Thanks

  2. What a thrill to see this story published again, especially with the charming original illustration by my uncle, Amos Sewell. In my opinion (though definitely biased) Amos was extremely underrated, probably due to the more prolific work by his contemporary, Norman Rockwell. Ah well, regardless, thanks for the memories!

  3. If I’m not confused, this is a chapter of “Dandelion Wine” … is it not?

  4. Thank you for posting this 1956 story by Ray Bradbury, Mr. Waltz. Will you be posting other previously published SATURDAY EVENING POST stories by Mr. Bradbury in honor of his 90th birthday this August 22?

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