The October Country

TheOctoberCountryismanyplaces:apicturesqueMexicanvillagewheredeathisatouristattraction;acitybeneaththecitywheredrownedloversaresilentlyreunited;acarnivalmidwaywhereatinyman'smostcherishedfantasycanbefulfillednightafternight.TheOctoberCountry'sinhabitantslive,dream,work,die--andsometimesliveagain--discovering,oftentoolate,thehighpriceofcitizenship.Hereaglassjarcanholdmemoriesandnightmares;awoman'snewbornchildcanplotmurder;andaman'sskeletoncanwaragainsthim.Herethereisnoescapingthedarkstrangerwholivesupstairs...orthereaperwhowieldstheworld.Eachofthesestoriesisawonder,imaginedbyanacclaimedtale-tellerwritingfromaplaceshadows.Butthereisastonishingbeautyintheseshadows,bornfromaprosethatenchantsandenthralls.RayBradbury'sTheOctoberCountryisalandofmetaphorsthatcanchilllikealong-after-midnightwind...astheyliftthereaderhighaboveasleepingEarthonthestrangewingsofUncleEinar.