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Somewhere a Band is Playing
A NEW RAY BRADBURY NOVELLA WHICH HE HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR OVER 50 YEARS. THIS EDITION CONTAINS EARLY DRAFTS AND EXCERPTS AS WELL AS THE FINAL NOVELLA.
187 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2007
2 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Ray Bradbury
2,566 books25.4k followersRay Douglas Bradbury was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and realistic fiction.
Bradbury is best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), and The October Country (1955). Other notable works include the coming of age novel Dandelion Wine (1957), the dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and the fictionalized memoir Green Shadows, White Whale (1992). He also wrote and consulted on screenplays and television scripts, including Moby Dick and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into television and film productions as well as comic books. Bradbury also wrote poetry which has been published in several collections, such as They Have Not Seen the Stars (2001).
The New York Times called Bradbury "An author whose fanciful imagination, poetic prose, and mature understanding of human character have won him an international reputation" and "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream".
Bradbury is best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), and The October Country (1955). Other notable works include the coming of age novel Dandelion Wine (1957), the dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and the fictionalized memoir Green Shadows, White Whale (1992). He also wrote and consulted on screenplays and television scripts, including Moby Dick and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into television and film productions as well as comic books. Bradbury also wrote poetry which has been published in several collections, such as They Have Not Seen the Stars (2001).
The New York Times called Bradbury "An author whose fanciful imagination, poetic prose, and mature understanding of human character have won him an international reputation" and "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream".
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 17, 2012
Damn it. I wanted to love this. Even with all the extra excerpts and the teleplay, which were interesting to read to see how Bradbury had changed things for the final version, weren't enough to really impress me. I think this is one of his weaker works: thin, underdeveloped, lacking any character development at all. None. It might not even deserve 3 stars (I'm mostly giving them to him for idea and prose.)
July 29, 2018
Having read short stories "All summer in a day" and "A sound of thunder" I expected this novella to delight the senses, to surprise with brand new metaphors and fantasies, to stir thoughts of how to be better and how to take better care of our world. I wasn't disappointed.
The sensory language beckoned me to be present and live each moment to the fullest. One such passage that stuck with me was "Cardimon and anise and cinnamon were there, and cayenne and curry. Added to which there were ginger and paprika and thyme and celandrine." When I read this I had just returned from Jamaica where I stayed at the foot of the Dolphin Head Mountains, far from the concrete jungle I now call home. I could so relate to the longing for a simpler life. I paused to replace Bradbury's words with "crickets and toads and cicadas were there, and barble doves and woodpeckers. Added to which were ferns and bamboo and wild ginger. On top of that, there were mangoes and avacados and ottiette apples. And the smell of hog plums hung heavy in the air".
I enjoyed the fantastical elements of the story. Since I was already familiar with his style, I half knew to expect it, but it was still new and surprising when it came. If you're new to this author, his writing sounds like realistic fiction, yet you'll find yourself in the middle of a fantasy.
But the fantasy is meant to work through something about people and society. For me it sometimes reads like an interior monologue of a writer about his craft, sometimes like an environmental prophet warning of impending doom, sometimes like a spiritual healer saying slow down and reassess what's important, live your best life.
The sensory language beckoned me to be present and live each moment to the fullest. One such passage that stuck with me was "Cardimon and anise and cinnamon were there, and cayenne and curry. Added to which there were ginger and paprika and thyme and celandrine." When I read this I had just returned from Jamaica where I stayed at the foot of the Dolphin Head Mountains, far from the concrete jungle I now call home. I could so relate to the longing for a simpler life. I paused to replace Bradbury's words with "crickets and toads and cicadas were there, and barble doves and woodpeckers. Added to which were ferns and bamboo and wild ginger. On top of that, there were mangoes and avacados and ottiette apples. And the smell of hog plums hung heavy in the air".
I enjoyed the fantastical elements of the story. Since I was already familiar with his style, I half knew to expect it, but it was still new and surprising when it came. If you're new to this author, his writing sounds like realistic fiction, yet you'll find yourself in the middle of a fantasy.
But the fantasy is meant to work through something about people and society. For me it sometimes reads like an interior monologue of a writer about his craft, sometimes like an environmental prophet warning of impending doom, sometimes like a spiritual healer saying slow down and reassess what's important, live your best life.
September 14, 2019
I was very disappointed in this book. The description sounded so interesting, but I couldn’t get past the writing style. I don’t think there was a normal sentence in the entire story, everything was so flamboyant. On top of that, there was just way to many parables, no one could just answer a question like a normal person would. I still don’t know half of the story. Why did the town have no kids, although there once had been? And what happened to his writing rival? Did he really attempt to kill him or was it the magic of the town? And most importantly, why did no one age?! Was it just some freak thing in the people all along or what?! So many questions, but so few answers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2024
This is a strange book that puts you from the first scene in touch with death, age/time, loneliness and perfection/happiness. The town and its inhabitants and their role in the world created is beyond brilliant. I felt like this book is similar to Fahrenheit 451 in many aspects with a lot of shared philosophical notions about life. This story keeps you wondering and even its language is intriguing especially with its few characters. A great read if you ask me.
December 15, 2025
Fabuloso, en lo personal una de las mejores novelas del autor. Poética, nostálgica.
Mueve emociones, sensaciones… logra en su sencillez agudizar sentidos… una experiencia existencial más que racional…
Mueve emociones, sensaciones… logra en su sencillez agudizar sentidos… una experiencia existencial más que racional…
November 14, 2018
No Spoilers: His minimalistic, yet creative style of writing makes for amazing stories. This particular one is nowhere near Fahrenheit 451, but still leagues ahead of other books.
July 9, 2022
This novella had all the things I love about Bradbury—beautiful writing and a mystery. May not as memorable as Dandelion Wine, but it had some of the same elements and I quite enjoyed it.
May 17, 2025
5/2/25
Not his best, but felt familiar.
Not his best, but felt familiar.
June 25, 2014
This is another book I was fortunate to be able to find through the magic of inter-library loan. It includes the novella "Somewhere a Band is Playing" along with early snippets, fragments and drafts that have a connection to the final manuscript. It is a signed, limited edition. The copy I have in hand is #299 of 500 with Bradbury's signature in red ink on the cover page.
I won't bother to repeat my thoughts on the novella (see my review of "Now and Forever" on February 23, 2014 for that), but I will note that it is interesting to see some of the "behind the scenes" process Bradbury used in developing his final materials. The fragments and snippets are at times very similar to the final draft and at other times they are miles away, bearing only a tangential connection to the finished product. Some of them seem to have greater relationship with other Bradbury stories, novels and poems. This is a glimpse behind the curtain, wherein we get to see the magician at work.
I am not sure if I would recommend this to a Bradbury neophyte, but for the aficionado, it is a fun little book. I might also recommend it for anyone who simply enjoys getting a glimpse of an artists' creative process.
I won't bother to repeat my thoughts on the novella (see my review of "Now and Forever" on February 23, 2014 for that), but I will note that it is interesting to see some of the "behind the scenes" process Bradbury used in developing his final materials. The fragments and snippets are at times very similar to the final draft and at other times they are miles away, bearing only a tangential connection to the finished product. Some of them seem to have greater relationship with other Bradbury stories, novels and poems. This is a glimpse behind the curtain, wherein we get to see the magician at work.
I am not sure if I would recommend this to a Bradbury neophyte, but for the aficionado, it is a fun little book. I might also recommend it for anyone who simply enjoys getting a glimpse of an artists' creative process.
August 12, 2016
Very much an eloquently written praising to small towns in America where everybody knows everybody and never wants the town to change. I enjoyed the writing, done as only Bradbury can, but no being a lover of small towns nearly as much as Bradbury I only appreciate the piece and admire the love Bradbury put into this novella. It really was too short to develop any characters as actual dynamic characters and the plot was hidden well with mystery but still simple. It was an enjoyable piece to read but would definitely be recommended more to those who love the small town atmosphere above all else.
August 15, 2015
I needed to read a sci-fi book for the Summer Reading program at the library, so I chose an author I have enjoyed before. I loved the setting of this story and the old-fashioned feel of it, but I guess I just don't really understand Bradbury. Or sci-fi. A bit weird for me. But a quick read that made me think a bit.
November 25, 2012
This was an amazing story both my dad and I loved this book. He requested me to read this story so I did and I really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend it to people who prefer to read mystery and entertaining stories great book.
May 5, 2013
Ray Bradbury had done it again. It's an interesting tale that societal values and ideas. It's a quick read and I'd recommend it to anyone.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews