Today I was finally able to finish Boccaccio's Decameron. I'm now convinced more than ever that Boccaccio read Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, or that Chaucer read the Decameron, especially after reading the last story in the Decameron. Other than the names being different, the two share a story that is nearly identical in both texts. Of course, it could have come from a third source altogether that they were both familiar with. The basic premise is similar as well: a group of people telling stories to one another to pass the time. It's a subject to ponder.
Next on the list is From the Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury. I've taken a great liking to Bradbury. He writes truly entertaining, imaginative fiction with great details, but without becoming bogged down in the details. Does that make sense? Probably not.... Let's put it this way. When he writes a science fiction story, it's more about the story than it is about the science. There. If that doesn't explain it, then forget it.
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