<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>All 16 pieces in the collection explore the hazards befalling mankind when society contrives to restrain the imagination. An indispensable companion to Bradbury's most celebrated novel.--"Booklist."<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br>Grandmasterof American Letters Ray Bradbury presents the 16 vintage stories and novellasthat informed and prefigured the creation of his dystopian classic, <em>Fahrenheit451</em>. Collecting rare and unknown tales as well as notable early triumphs, <em>A Pleasure to Burn </em>offers an unparalleled window into Bradbury's creativeprocess, and a unique glimpse at the evolution of one of the greatest works of20^th century American literature. Absolutely essential for fans ofBradbury books like <em>Dandelion Wine</em>, <em>Something Wicked This Way Comes</em>, <em>The Illustrated Man</em>, and <em>The Martian Chronicles</em>--and for readersof William Golding, George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and other titans ofspeculative fiction--<em>A Pleasure to Burn</em> illuminates the unusual hiddencorners of Bradbury's expansive imagination, revealing a creative force asvivid and powerful as the hottest burning flame.<p/><br></br><p><b> From the Back Cover </b></p></br></br><p>Ray Bradbury's novel <em>Fahrenheit 451</em> is an enduring masterwork of twentieth-century American literature--a chilling vision of a dystopian future built on the foundations of ignorance, censorship, and brutal repression. The origins and evolution of Bradbury's darkly magnificent tale are explored in <em>A Pleasure to Burn</em>, a collection of sixteen selected shorter works that prefigure the grand master's landmark novel. Classic, thematically interrelated stories alongside many crucial lesser-known ones--including, at the collection's heart, the novellas "Long After Midnight" and "The Fireman"--<em>A Pleasure to Burn</em> is an indispensable companion to the most powerful work of America's preeminent storyteller, a wondrous confirmation of the inimitable Bradbury's brilliance, magic . . . and fire.</p><p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br>"An essential addition to the bookshelf of every Bradbury fan, the collection is also accessible to curious readers with a taste for the dark, the strange and the macabre."--<em>Publishers Weekly</em> <strong>(starred review)</strong><br><br>"All 16 pieces in the collection explore the hazards befalling mankind when society contrives to restrain the imagination. An indispensable companion to Bradbury's most celebrated novel."--<em>Booklist</em><br>