Showing results for "Rockets" in Classics

Rocket Summer by Ray Bradbury is a haunting and visionary science fiction story that explores humanity’s uneasy relationship with progress. As the first rocket to the Moon prepares for launch, anticipation electrifies the world—but beneath the celebration lies unease. William Stanley, the man behind the mission, wrestles with the moral and existential weight of humanity’s leap into space.

This story concerns a firework, who is one of many to be let off at the wedding of a prince and princess. The rocket is extremely pompous and self-important, and denigrates all the other fireworks, eventually bursting into tears to demonstrate his "sensitivity." As this makes him wet, he fails to ignite and, the next day, is thrown away into a ditch.

The Rocket Man introduces us to an astronaut who spends his life traveling through space, leaving his family behind. Ray Bradbury's powerful storytelling shines through as he explores the complexities of familial relationships and the sacrifices that come with exploration and adventure. The way Bradbury weaves a tale of longing, loneliness, and human connection is both thought-provoking and deeply moving.

Everything in the world revolves around just him. Or does it? A moral fable on delusions of self-importance. First published 1888 in The Happy Prince and Other Tales.

At a royal wedding celebration, a group of fireworks discuss life, philosophy and politics. One supercilious rocket considers himself to be particularly “remarkable”. A witty fable on the subject of vanity, The Remarkable Rocket was first published in The Happy Prince and Other Tales in 1888.

Set in a magical kingdom where a wealthy prince and a Russian princess meet for the first time and fall madly in love with each other. Their wedding is to be a huge celebration for the entire realm, with all sorts of entertainment, including fireworks as a grand finale. As soon as various firework elements are set in place, they start talking amongst each other, and we meet the very distinguished Remarkable Rocket, responsible for so many of Oscar Wilde's memorable epigrams.

"The Remarkable Rocket" This story concerns a firework, who is one of many to be let off at the wedding of a prince and princess. The rocket is extremely pompous and self-important, and denigrates all the other fireworks, eventually bursting into tears to demonstrate his "sensitivity". As this makes him wet, he fails to ignite, and, the next day, is thrown away into a ditch. He still believes that he is destined for great public importance, and treats a frog, dragonfly, and duck that meet him with appropriate disdain. Two boys find him, and use him for fuel on their camp-fire.