Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

Bradbury readily admits that he has always loved carnivals, magicians, mind readers, and skeletons. Once, as a lad, he was so enthralled by a red and yellow circus banner that he fell down a window pit, shattered one of the glass panes, and crashed into a cellar barbershop. Undaunted, though, he returned to re-observe the circus banner which, for him, in spite of his catastrophe, had lost none of its excitement. Something Wicked This Way Comes evolved as a direct result of this fondness for carnivals. Here, all of his imaginative powers are unleashed to produce an eerie, even nightmarish, novel in which the powers of evil are made manifest through the arrival of the Cooger and Dark Carnival in Green Town, Illinois. This novel is Bradbury's most extensive treatment of the reality of evil. It analyzes the varied ways that evil can be a temptation to man, and it is the most heavily allegorical novel which he has written thus far. Bradbury referred to this novel as his favorite book, his most "delicious" book. He confessed that he wrote it hoping that everyone who read it would do so with a flashlight under the covers, late at night.

The central characters of the novel are two boys, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, and Will's father, Charles Halloway. Mr. Halloway is the person through which Bradbury expresses his philosophy concerning good and evil. The theme that emerges in this novel, as well as in several of Bradbury's other works, is that light is good and dark is evil. Bradbury's carnival is the epitome of this darkness. It is the "something wicked" that "this way comes."

Few American novels written this century have endured in th heart and mind as has this one-Ray Bradbury's incomparable masterwork of the dark fantastic. A carnival rolls in sometime after the midnight hour on a chill Midwestern October eve, ushering in Halloween a week before its time. A calliope's shrill siren song beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. In this season of dying, Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Green Town, Illinois, to destroy every life touched by its strange and sinister mystery. And two inquisitive boys standing precariously on the brink of adulthood will soon discover the secret of the satanic raree-show's smoke, mazes, and mirrors, as they learn all too well the heavy cost of wishes -- and the stuff of nightmare.

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  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Published by New York Simon & Schuster 1962, 1962

    First Edition Signed

    First Edition. Signed by the author, Ray Bradbury, in black ink on the front free endpaper. First Edition. Bradbury�s large illustrated business and calling card affixed on the front free endpaper designating Ray Bradbury as a creative consultant of Epcot/Disney World 1982 and the U.S. Pavilion of the 1964 New York World�s Fair, and with his address and number. Fine in a near fine dust jacket.

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. First Edition, First Printing SIGNED by Ray Bradbury on a laid in signature. A beautiful copy. This ORIGINAL First Issue dustjacket is rich in color with minor wear to the edges. The book is bound in the publisher's cloth and is in excellent condition. The binding is tight with NO cocking or leaning and the boards are crisp with minor wear. The pages are clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A wonderful copy SIGNED by the author. Signed by Author(s).

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. First Edition, First printing Near fine stated first edition, BOLDLY SIGNED by Ray Bradbury in blue pen as ?Ray Bradbury? across the title page. Near fine book with near fine jacket. The book is in near fine condition with crisp, clean mustard boards , The board have sharp corners and no edgewear. The binding is tight and square. The end papers are clean with no owner names, no inscriptions, and no bookplates, but with a neat embossed owner seal (hard to even see). The internal pages are bright, flat and clean inside with No marks, No inscriptions, No stains, No writing, No bent pages and No foxing. Clean, crisp book appearing as unread. Bright Strong red top stain applied by publisher, and rough cut outer page edges as issued. The title page was boldly signed by Ray Bradbury in blue pen as ?Ray Bradbury?. Please see images. The original first edition dust jacket has benefited from some slight restoration to the spine tips by an expert paper conservator and presents as a near fine example. The jacket has strong vibrant colors with No edgewear, No rips, No chips, No rubbing, No fading and No foxing. The jacket is NOT price clipped and has a stated price of $4.95 with a tiny pen mark of 379 below the list price (this could be easily clipped off if desired). Stunning jacket! The dust jacket is now protected in a new clear removeable archival cover. Please see images. A very handsome copy of this title with a scarce signature in difficult to find near fine condition. Presents extremely well on the shelf. ADDITIONAL IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Please see our ABE store for other SciFi listings. Signed by Author(s).

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good -. First Edition. Signed by Ray Bradbury on the first free end paper. First Edition, stated First Printing. Boards are soiled. Text block and endpages are foxed. Binding is tight; spine has slight lean. A few scattered pages have stains and/or foxing in the margins; otherwise, pages are clean and unmarked. Dust jacket is price-clipped with toning to edges, some staining to back cover, a few spots to inside flaps, rubbing and creasing to edges, corners and ends of spine. Two small pieces of tape are applied to the tail of the spine on the underside of the dust jacket. Dust jacket is covered in protective mylar jacket.

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hard Cover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. DJ not price clipped ($4.95); classic, very decorative jacket in nice condition with only very light rubbing to top and bottom of spine and a light crease; dj cover very attractive; some browning to inside covers; Bradbury's signature tipped in on a bookplate Size: 8vo - over 7�" - 9�" tall. Tipped in Signature.

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. First Edition, First Printing with the words "FIRST PRINTING" printed on the copyright page. A wonderful copy. This First Issue dustjacket has the publisher's $4.95 printed price present on the front flap that is a little shorter than the book. The book is bound in the publisher's yellow cloth and is in great shape. The binding is tight with NO cocking or leaning and the boards are crisp. The pages are clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A superb copy.

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Simon & Schuster, 1962. Hardcover. Book Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. It is labeled "First Printing" on the copyright page, therefore a presumed First Edition. 8-5/16" tall (jacket is only 8-1/4" tall), 317 numbered pages; one-piece yellow cloth (linen?) binding, black lettering on spine and front panel; plain ivory end pages; fore edge is not trimmed. Book very good condition, head & heel of spine lightly bumped; very faint soiling of spine. Jacket is clean with vibrant colors with light foxing along all edges (more noticeable on the back panel and flaps rather than the front panel); very tiny chips at front & back edges of head and heel of spine; jacket has the original publisher's price of "$4.95" printed at bottom of front flap. No other discernible or objectionable faults on book or jacket such as marks or writing within, stains, tears, chips, or other damage that would diminish its appearance. No remainder mark, no previous owner markings or inscriptions, not price clipped, not a book club edition, not a former library book. Very legibly signed (actually closer to printing) by Mr. Bradbury in blue ball point ink near top middle of FFEP. Stored in no light/fade, smoke free storage. Signed by Author(s).

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Simon and Schuster. New York. 1962. 317 pages. First edition, First printing in original 1st issue DJ. Signed by Ray Bradbury directly to the title page and dated. Inscription by Ray Bradbury as well on the precedin page and has written the inscription in the format of connecting the dots though in this case, the dots are actually stars as printed on the page. Mustard yellow cloth is bright. Cloth shows some instances where Mr. Bradbury's handling of book at signing has left a few minor ink blemishes to cloth. FFEP also has a poignant non-authorial gift inscription dated 1962. Endpapers and pastedowns show some foxing. 1st issue DJ is attractive. $4.95 price intact on bottom of DJ flap. DJ would grade fine if not for shallow rubs/chipping to foot and crown of backstrip. A very nice copy signed, inscribed and dated by Ray Bradbury. VG+/VG++. Signed by Author(s).

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. Stated First Edition, First Printing. Not price-clipped ($4.95 price intact). Published by Simon & Schuster, 1962. Octavo. Mustard yellow cloth boards stamped in black with red topstain. Signed and dated by Ray Bradbury on front flyleaf. Book is like new; clean with no writing or ownership markings. Spine straight and corners sharp except for one light bump to front bottom board corner. Small bookstore label on front pastedown. Dust jacket is like new with some light shelf wear, tiny edge nicks. Postcard from the book signing with the author laid in. Vintage jacket art by Gray Foy. A wonderful signed copy of this landmark Bradbury tale. Book has been placed in a custom acetate protector. 100% positive feedback. 30 day money back guarantee. NEXT DAY SHIPPING! Excellent customer service. Please email with any questions or if you would like a photo. All books packed carefully and ship with free delivery confirmation/tracking. All books come with free bookmarks. Ships from Southampton, New York. Signed by Author(s).

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hard Cover with Dust Jacket. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good+. First Edition. Octavo. Stated first edition, first printing. Bound in original gold cloth with black lettering spine and front cover. Top edges stained red, as called for. $4.95 price on dust jacket flap. Fine copy in a very good+ dust jacket. A very handsome copy of an important title by this highly collectable author.

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Gold cloth titled in black, red topstain. Stated first printing. Spine ends/points slightly softened. Leading board edges somewhat frayed. PO lengthy inked inscription/info to fep and ffep. Boards lightly soiled, with small dark stain to rear board corner. Sound binding. The DJ in mylar has shallow chipping plus clear tape to spine ends, very light edgewear, short closed edgetear to rear panel, bit of toning to flap edges. $4.95 flap price intact. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall.

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. SECOND PRINTING. Gift inscription to front fixed endpaper (hidden by jacket flap) else VG in publishers golden rod cloth with titles in black. Dust wrapper priced at $4.95 with tiny chipping at spine ends, edge wear, short closed tear top front panel. Pics on request.

  • Ray bradbury something wicked this way comes

    Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Very Good/Very Good. First Edition. fiction, 1st UK Edition, D/J 2 small tears on spine/rear, not price clipped, name and address in front and lightly on foredge, 2 red marks on FFEP.

What is the meaning of Something Wicked This Way Comes?

Something Wicked This Way Comes can be interpreted as an allegory of the struggle between good and evil, with the human characters Will, Jim, and Charles on the side of morality and Mr. Dark and his carnival on the side of sin and temptation.

Is Needful Things based on Something Wicked This Way Comes?

' The title is in referencing to Ray Bradbury's novel "Something Wicked This Way Comes", while the plot more closely follows the storyline of Stephen King's "Needful Things". Stephen King's script for the 1983 film for "Something Wicked This Way Comes" was rejected due to creative differences.

Is Something Wicked This Way Comes scary?

Parents need to know that Disney's 1983 horror-fantasy movie Something Wicked This Way Comes is scary the way The Wizard of Oz is scary, but it makes far less sense than Oz, which actually makes it far scarier.

Where does the quote Something Wicked This Way Comes?

'Something Wicked This Way Comes', Meaning & Context. Something wicked this way comes is one line of a couplet from Macbeth, spoken by the second of the three witches in act 4, scene 1 of the play.