The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

  I'm not sure how to describe The Martian Chronicles, but I'll give it a shot.  It is a series of short stories set on Mars.  Earthlings went to Mars to explore and to get away from the war and destruction that was the Earth.  The first visit to the Mars doesn't go well.  Neither does the second, the third, or the fourth.  Still, they keep coming.  Mars seems to be a lot like Earth, or maybe that's just how Earthlings perceive it.  Mars feels like home, and it doesn't.

"Science ran too far ahead of us too quickly, and the people got lost in the wilderness, like children making over pretty things, gadgets, helicopters, rockets; emphasizing the wrong items, emphasizing machines, instead of how to run the machines.  Wars got bigger and bigger and finally killed Earth." (The Million Year Picnic)

I don't think I've ever read Ray Bradbury before.  He is one of those authors that I have always heard about, that I meant to get around to, but somehow never did, until now.  Bradbury's writing is beautiful and lyrical.  There is a loneliness, sadness, desperation, but also hope and beauty.  I really enjoyed reading this.  I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this.  My favorite stories were The Earth Men, The Fire Balloons, and The Long Years.  Maybe Fahrenheit 451 should be next on my reading list.  That's another book I should have read by now.

"The Lord is not serious.  In fact, it is a little hard to know just else He is except loving.  And Love has to do with humor, doesn't it?  For you cannot love someone unless you put up with him, can you?  And you cannot put up with someone constantly unless you can laugh at him." (The Fire Balloons)