Ray Bradbury, "The Martian Chronicles"

Have you ever read "The Martian Chronicles," by Ray Bradbury? I remember when I read it many years ago, I was wondering why Bradbury was spending so much time describing the husband playing his music at the beginning of the story. Not only that, but I also remember that Bradbury was describing the scene from the wife's point of view.

I was well into the book before something about that opening scene struck me. Bradbury was showing the reader the loneliness and isolation that the wife felt because her husband neglected her needs. I remember realizing that the scene concentrated on the fact that the wife watched her husband's hands with a passionate yearning for his touch. The subtlety, grace and compassion with which Mr. Bradbury presented that scene is forever endeared in my heart as nothing short of genius.

I have not read much in the sci-fi genre, but I am a huge fan of Ray Bradbury because of his mastery of character development. Kudo's to Mr. Bradbury I'd say, for he knew that where a man's hands are; there his heart is also.