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El signo del gato (Ray Bradbury)

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Una compilación brillante de relatos del autor. Colección de 21 cuentos que resumen la trayectoria literaria de uno de los grandes genios de la literatura norteamericana del siglo XX.
Una recopilación de cuentos del gran maestro norteamericano. Escritos entre 1946 y 2005, son pequeñas joyas cuyo común denominador es la observación del comportamiento humano, a veces lúcido, a veces ruin, a menudo absurdo. Grandes temas como el racismo, el amor, el poder y la infancia conviven con viajes en el tiempo y alienígenas. Precedidos por un revelador prólogo, estos relatos resumen toda una trayectoria literaria, basada en el descubrimiento de la dimensión fantástica de la realidad y una extraordinaria capacidad creadora que hacen de Bradbury un autor imprescindible e inolvidable. . Una de las más célebres compilaciones de relatos de Ray Bradbury en nuestra colección Bibliotecas de Autor.
. 21 relatos para disparar la imaginación, que a la vez sirven como recorrido en la trayectoria literaria de Ray Bradbury.
. Pet friendly Sobre la Se ha escogido la representación del relato que da nombre al libro, donde se narra la historia de unos jóvenes desconocidos que se encuentran un gato en una carretera y ambos quieren adoptarlo. Como no es una trama de corte fantástico o de ciencia ficción, se ha utilizado la imagen del gato para ligarla con el título, añadiendo también la imagen de un platillo volante de estilo retro que representaría al relato "Cuestión de gustos" en donde sí aparecen extraterrestres, simbolizando así la típica iconografía ligada a Bradbury.

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2004

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1779 people want to read

About the author

Ray Bradbury

2,560 books25.1k followers
Ray 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".

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5 stars
514 (22%)
4 stars
878 (37%)
3 stars
727 (31%)
2 stars
182 (7%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
Profile Image for Don Gerstein.
754 reviews101 followers
May 8, 2019
For the many fans of Ray Bradbury, you already know what to expect, and this book surely will not disappoint. Bradbury mixes fantasy with whimsy, softcore sci-fi with hard edged emotion. You never know exactly where he is headed, but you always count on a fantastic ride. What is most amazing about Ray Bradbury is his use of words. He creates scenes and worlds with his descriptive passages, at times so subtly you will miss it if you aren’t paying close attention.

All of the stories are short, and many of them have a moral contained within. Fortunately, the author doesn’t focus on the moral, as that’s not his point. He is more concerned with examining the people affected by the circumstances. Even in the most futuristic science fiction tale he is painting his characters with a heavy dose of everyday life. It’s normalcy even in the craziest of moments.

There is no continuing story here, nor a theme that is woven throughout as Mr. Bradbury has done in other books like The Martian Chronicles. What he does offer are the humanistic stories we know we will be gifted with whenever we read one of his books. Five stars.
Profile Image for Melanti.
1,256 reviews140 followers
August 13, 2015
A bunch of previously un-published short stories written anywhere from 1940 to 2010. And, for the most part, there was a reason why others were published and these weren't.

They're not bad, but they're not nearly as good as the ones that were published years ago.


Also, having stories written in the '40s and '50s right next to those written in the '00 really highlights how little his writing style has changed over the decades. Which, I suppose is a good thing considering that he's all about mid-century, small town, childhood nostalgia, and that's really not something that you'd want to update...

But it seems jarring when you realize that he still writes exactly as if he were a mid-century, small town writer - even half a century later!
Profile Image for Jessica.
Author 26 books5,911 followers
August 22, 2018
Collection of Bradbury's later odds and ends. Some of them feel like retreads of stories he would have written years ago, like pieces of Dandelion Wine or bits that would fit into From the Dust Returned. A few of them are standouts, a few are sort of yes, yes, classic Bradbury, one or two are . . . just not great.
Profile Image for James Reyome.
Author 4 books11 followers
August 14, 2016
Oh, thank God for Ray Bradbury. Though I consummated my love for his work far too late, better late than never, and I have so much to look forward to, like this small but superlative collection of short stories.

Bradbury defies categorization. Is he SciFi? Horror? Straight fiction? Romance? Yes. And more. and there is so much of all the above to enjoy in this book that it's over all too soon, and it's next to impossible to pick one story than stands out from the rest. Now, admittedly, I did read the title story to my wife because it affected me so, and the closing love sonnet (well, kinda) will be the next monologue I do on stage. It makes you shiver, it's that good. Ray obviously loved his books, and that's what it's all about. I do too.

But I suppose I should at least tease you a bit. Additionally there's a cement mixer that will send you back in time--with a specific purpose, of course. A pair of sisters and their encounter with a singular man. A hemophiliac who trusts the wrong person. A rapist who gets what's coming to him. A house that needs renovation and a wife that doesn't care...until...

All this, and several autobiographical tales that will have tears welling in your eyes if you're at all human. And of course, it will also leave you hungering for more from this genuine American Treasure. Yes, I discovered his wonders late in life, but not too late to be able to enjoy them. You should too.

Absolutely a must-read.
Profile Image for Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog.
1,077 reviews68 followers
June 22, 2019
This was going to be a four star review because, it is Ray Bradbury. What ended the debate for me was that I finished The Cat’s Pajamas a few weeks back and remember almost nothing. Bradbury at his best builds moods that have stories. His stories that lack mood can be fun reads, but rarely demanding, insightful or as I have said memorable.

The best of these short stories and unexpectedly the earliest are those wherein he addresses what we would now call the politics of race. These stories were written in the late 1940’s. Well before the Civil Rights Movement forced its way into the national news cycle.

The title story, The Cat’s Pajama is a nice little romance. A pleasant, happy enough story. In so titling the book I was expecting 20 lite fun stories. Such is not the case. A Careful Man Dies is too contrived and immediately given away. Gruesome to little or no purpose.

Bradbury has latched onto the idea of trains as magical places. Itself a worthy conceit, but the stories where he tries to apply the notion are muddled.

As a lifelong fan of Bradbury it was interesting to read some of his lessor know short stories. Taken together the result is uneven, but I liked more than I disliked.
Profile Image for Renee.
98 reviews9 followers
August 19, 2015
In reviews I've read of The Cat's Pajamas, many critics seem to be of the opinion that this is one of Bradbury's weaker collections. This was my first time reading any of his work (aside from a halfhearted foray into Fahrenheit 451 when I was in junior high school) and I have to say that if this is Bradbury's weak link, I can't wait to read his other works.

That being said, I can understand where the criticism comes from. I felt like both the quality of the stories and their enjoyability varied, sometimes significantly, from one to the other. Even so, there were several stories that really stood out to me. "The Island" is a fantastic piece of short, suspenseful horror, made even creepier by the number of questions it leaves unanswered. "Hail to the Chief," while not a favorite of mine, contained a line that made me laugh so hard I had to put the book down for a minute. "Sometime Before Dawn" was a mini-mystery with a conclusion that is somehow both satisfying and unsettlingly vague. "The Transformation" made me feel almost physically ill. And "A Matter of Taste" was a beautifully simple piece science fiction with an ending that, for all its inevitability, still comes as a shock to the reader.

Definitely worth a read, and I can't wait to check out more of Bradbury's writing!
Profile Image for D.R. Oestreicher.
Author 15 books45 followers
July 23, 2017
The Cat's Pajamas by Ray Bradbury is a short story collection with a mixture of stories from the post-WWII decade mixed with stories from the first years of the 21st century. In his introduction, Bradbury discusses his short stories as metaphors. The core of each story is a metaphor. For example, The House (1947) compares marriage with a home improvement project.

“All married life you build – build egos, build houses, build children.”

The twenty short stories vary between surprise endings reminiscent of O’Henry and enigmatic ones reminiscent of The Tiger, or The Lady? An enjoyable read in all cases.

For some notes on individual short stories: http://1book42day.blogspot.com/2017/0...
Profile Image for Kai.
55 reviews
May 28, 2021
Trying to get more into short stories. While I found Bradbury's writing to be great, I thought some of the stories were lacking. I enjoyed most of them, my favorites were The Cat's Pajamas, Hail to the Chief, and The Transformation. A couple of them didn't really make sense or draw me in but for the most part this was a solid short story collection with work that ranged from the 40's to the early 2000's and shows the wide range of genres that Bradbury could write about.
Profile Image for Andres.
493 reviews53 followers
September 27, 2023
Otro libro tardío de Bradbury, con historias de distintos momentos de su vida creativa.
Repito que siempre es un agrado leerlo. No todos los cuentos/poema son igual de sobresaliente, pero es un libro que fluye con tranquilidad, con tranquilidad rural, con tranquilidad espacial. Fluye sonoramente.
Siempre es bueno leer a uncle Ray.
Profile Image for Lisedi.
17 reviews
February 25, 2023
Very little cats. Not nearly enough pyjamas.
Some of these short stories were kind of okay, but most were either aggressively boring or they were so disturbing it made me physically ill. Better luck next time, Ray ♥️
Profile Image for Melissa.
136 reviews12 followers
October 7, 2018
Why am I just now getting into reading Bradbury! Love all of it!!!
Profile Image for Alex Levine.
123 reviews6 followers
March 20, 2023
I’ve never read any of Ray Bradbury’s non-sci-fi works and it’s been a fun change of pace! Similar subtle comedic lilt with less subtle meanings and perfectly timed endings for each short story.
Profile Image for Bananafish.
10 reviews1 follower
June 19, 2017
Un libro molto semplice e leggero. Non un capolavoro, ma bisogna considerare anche che è una raccolta di svariati racconti. Alla fine però lo consiglio a chi cerca una lettura poco impegnativa.
18 reviews
September 23, 2022
What an eclectic collection of short stories by genius Ray Bradbury. I am glad I did not skip the Introduction where the author explains the background for some of these stories. In a way, we travel through Bradbury's career starting in the 40s and going towards the early 2000s.

I really enjoyed Chrysalis written in 1946. I could really feel the era through the eyes of a black boy and his white friend. The author was fascinated with his characters, and with the child's naivety, he discovered that black people tan.

There are a couple of stories about writers and their muses. A Careful Man Dies is a bit dark, but beautifully done. The House has a lighter ending.

You would not be able to read Hail to the Chief without a smile on your face. It is a story about the US Senators gambling away... well, the United States.

The Cat's Pajamas is a very kind-hearted story about 2 people fighting over a stray cat. If you enjoy O'Henry's stories, this tale will similarly warm your heart.

I am having a hard time with the rating of this book. On one hand, it is great Ray Bradbury, on the other, I had to go back and re-read a couple of stories to get their meaning. Bradbury may have written them like this on purpose, but I would prefer less ambiguity. That is why I am only able to give it four stars.



This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for El.
1,355 reviews491 followers
October 25, 2009
This is a compilation of some of Bradbury's other short stories, many of which were previously unpublished. As much love as I have for Bradbury, I kept thinking throughout reading this why many of them were not published before this collection came out. Harsh perhaps, but I have high expectations for him. Especially when in the introduction he comments on how he always wanted to be on the same level as Fitzgerald, Melville, Twain, etc.

The stories themselves were - for lack of a better word - quaint. They were short (duh, short stories), but in my opinion too shot. I didn't feel there was enough substance in any of the stories, yet too much to pass as mere vignettes. Normally I can pick out a favorite short story in a collection but I can not with this one. I would not recommend this to someone unfamiliar with Bradbury as there are much better short story collections that show his true ability. This one, however, felt more like Bradbury needed some extra cash and thought he would make some money on some old stories.
Profile Image for José Miguel (TheHudson).
270 reviews9 followers
May 4, 2019
Es tercera vez que leo este libro, y dentro de él hay cuentos que pareciera que cobran otro sentido dependiendo del contexto actual de tu vida o bien, después de leerlos, disfrutarlos y entenderlos, encuentras tú propio sentido. Tal como la vida misma.

"Crisálida" te aprieta el corazón porque en el fondo sabes que de alguna manera, lo que ocurre en el cuento, sigue pasando, en diferentes contextos.

"El Completista" te hace explotar la cabeza con una dosis extremadamente corrosiva de realidad.

"¿Dónde está mi sombrero? ¿Por qué tanta prisa?" Te provoca una angustiante pregunta cuya respuesta nos dolerá asumir y quizá, con el.tiempo podremos revertir, si es que aún queda tiempo.

Finalmente, "El signo del Gato", tal como el cuento que lleva su nombre lo indica, es una invitación a seguir esas pistas que aparecen en nuestra vida.

Si bien esta compilación trae más cuentos igual de importantes, mi reseña apunta a los que más me marcaron.
Profile Image for Chris.
42 reviews1 follower
December 31, 2008
Well-written, though the distance between Bradbury and the characters or lesson of the stories isn't much. More than a few read as if Ray had a bone to pick with someone or something and wrote a story to air it out. Still, after a few years of not reading Ray, it's pleasant water to dip your toes into, with his talent for finding magic in the mundane.

My favorite of the stories, "The House", sees a marriage tested by the husband purchasing a once grand, now decrepit, L.A. house. He's elated by the possibilities he sees, while she sees only the decay. Realizing that her husband is willing to sell his dream home to please her, she understands his love for her. The gulf between them is narrowed as she begins to clean the house with him, accepting it.

I'd still recommend The October Country or I Sing the Body Electric! if you're new to Ray.
Profile Image for Brad McKenna.
1,324 reviews3 followers
June 20, 2012
This collection of short stories didn't have such a heavy sci-fi bent as The Illustrated Man, but the ambiguous endings still remained. He was a master at posing questions about the human condition. One of the stories was about a black boy obsessed with becoming white, until he meets a white boy obsessed with become black (by tanning) to put things into perspective.

He also included a story about a group of senators losing the United States to an Native America Tribe's casino.

Then there was one of his forays into Sci-fi with the story about the race of highly evolved aliens that humans encounter and are scared witless by the pacifists because they're giants spiders.

If you like Bradbury, this isn't his best but even a mediocre Bradbury story is damned decent.
Profile Image for Elena Shyringovskaya.
82 reviews9 followers
December 12, 2012
Откровенно говоря, я не люблю короткие рассказы. Да и вообще считаю, что кроме Сомерсета Моэма, О.Генри и Эдгара Алана По они редко кому удаются не скучными огрызками прозы. Словом, выбрала я эту книгу не из-за рассказов, а из-за названия, в силу своей великой любви к семейству кошачих.
Но после этой книги Рей Бредбери пополнил мой маленький список мастеров коротокого жанра. Каждый рассказ - отдельный целый мир на разные темы - от любви к кошкам до ненависти к политикам, от странностей мужской дружбы до рецептов семейного счастья. Но всех их объединяет великолепная откровенность о человеческой природе, в самых низменных и в самых возвышенных ее проявлениях.
Рекомендую читать всем, каждый найдет что-то для себя.
Profile Image for Jeanette (Ms. Feisty).
2,179 reviews2,185 followers
February 7, 2008
This is a great collection to have around when you just want a quick story. All but two of these stories were previously unpublished, and are from different times in Bradbury's writing career. Some from the 1940's and 50's, some as recent as 2004.
I'm always amazed at the boundlessness of Bradbury's imagination! He is truly a national treasure.
Profile Image for Jena.
595 reviews30 followers
June 17, 2016
The thing I appreciate most about Ray Bradbury is his ability to make an interesting story out of any topic in the universe. This is a good, if a bit uneven, collection of his short stories, written from the 40's to the 2000's. Even in the stories that weren't my favorites, I can still see the unique and brilliant mind of this prolific author.
Profile Image for James Swenson.
506 reviews35 followers
June 22, 2015
I enjoyed this collection of short stories as I was reading it, but when I was done, I couldn't remember much of what I'd read. I had the most fun with "Hail to the Chief," in which a group of U.S. Senators gambles away the nation at a Native American tribe's casino.
Profile Image for Tere.
130 reviews6 followers
July 22, 2020
Extrañaba a Ray Bradbury. Encontré este libro que compré hace quince años en la biblioteca. Él está en cada uno de los cuentos. Hay varias joyitas y una reflexión de su trabajo creativo en sus setenta años de escritor.
Profile Image for Carol Stilman.
46 reviews1 follower
September 8, 2023
Una buena recopilación de relatos cortos, totalmente Bradbury. Una mezcla entre surrealismo y realismo (este último, básicamente, por el comportamiento humano), que da paso a una serie de circunstancias curiosas y que hacen reflexionar.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews

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