Dandelion Wine

By: Ray Bradbury

Narrated by: David Aaron Baker

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

Ray Bradbury's moving recollection of a vanished golden era remains one of his most enchanting novels. Dandelion Wine stands out in the Bradbury literary canon as the author's most deeply personal work, a semi-autobiographical recollection of a magical small-town summer in 1928.

Twelve-year-old Douglas Spaulding knows Green Town, Illinois, is as vast and deep as the whole wide world that lies beyond the city limits. It is a pair of brand-new tennis shoes, the first harvest of dandelions for Grandfather's renowned intoxicant, the distant clang of the trolley's bell on a hazy afternoon. It is yesteryear and tomorrow blended into an unforgettable always.

But as young Douglas is about to discover, summer can be more than the repetition of established rituals whose mystical power holds time at bay. It can be a best friend moving away, a human time machine who can transport you back to the Civil War, or a sideshow automaton able to glimpse the bittersweet future. Come and savor Ray Bradbury's priceless distillation of all that is eternal about boyhood and summer.

©1957 Ray Bradbury (P)2017 Recorded Books

Turn to wonder and remember childhood summers

I loved this story. The narration by David Aaron Baker was splendid. He did a good job of adapting the younger characters' voices, he portrayed them as thoughtful and inquisitive rather than just merely childish. The tone of this book is peaceful. Hearing the book is in itself like enjoying a glass of dandelion wine on the porch on a summer's afternoon. The book recalls the sense of wonder, adventure, and discovery that we feel as a child. It takes us back to a time when those memories were regarded as precious. I fell in love with the small town and its close-knit community in this story. There are subtexts and lessons to be learned from this book as well, but they are not laid on heavy, they are delicately crafted.

One of my all time favorite books!

Bradbury's timeless tale did not disappoint! Baker's narration really brought the story to life. Highly recommend!

Positively drunk

A book to reach for again and again; one to know by heart. Pass it on. May Ray’s books live forever. A celebration of life; light, dark and grey. Ray had a gift of finding silver-linings.

Narrator: very good, but I would’ve enjoyed it more if the narrator’s voice had been less boyish. I understand why Baker was chosen; I’m just not a fan of nasally tones.

Summer Classic

I read this book every few summers and have done for years. This was a brilliant performance of a true American classic. Although I know the story, listening to it was a new and captivating experience.

A trip back in time

My mother is from Waukegan, IL and as a kid, I spent a lot of summers here. It was wonderful to revisit the town and reminisce about playing kick the can after dinner and walking through the woods. The descriptions in this book are incredible, and the stories are really entertaining.

Mello

A sweet and mello book full of vivid and beautiful descriptions. What a kind to think of putting these words together.

Bedtime

This will help you sleep and relax. The book takes you back to the time when you were young.

Classic summer

Bradbery does it again in this classic tale of a summer through many eyes. This summer is filled with ups and downs horrors and love. By the end you wish summer wasn't over....

Beautifully written Beautifully read

Excellent; brilliantly written of someone development from our childhood moving from innocence to awareness. Developing understanding of what adulthood is step by step

My Favorite Yearly Read!

This was a great production of Dandilion Wine! The narrator was great and I enjoyed the voices used for the characters. I read this book every year to remind me of Summer during the cold months and being busier this year than normal decided to use the audiobook instead. I'm very happy with this in all aspects.

could not listen to it

I played the teaser before ordering this book but made a huge mistake. the actor thinks that all women talk in super high voices, pronounce all vowels long like singing and are hysterical... besides, the performance is somehow overacted and I just couldn't not continue to listen to it. finished at chapter 5 , so really can not evaluate the story.

Brings back childhood wonder

Made me remember things from childhood I had forgotten. Also gave me a new found anticipation for summer.

Beautiful words

Only two stars for the story as there is no plot as such. Just beautiful words read so well. Not what I expected from Ray Bradbury but definitely worth a listen.