Illinois with school to shortly commence twelve years old Douglas Spaulding leads his brother and their friends in a make believe war against the town's older male citizens. Their childish mischief irks octogenarian Calvin C. Quartermain, who expects children to respect not harass the elderly. After a cap gun raid followed by the abduction of chess pieces, Calvin, invoking his memories as a young teen during the Civil War, mounts a counter offensive while the courthouse big clock keeps on ticking.

The war between the young and the old escalates with neither side ready to capitulate or allow the sandwich generation to intercede with a punishing self-serving truce. However, the two ring leaders quickly gain respect for one another, but it is life that intervenes when Doug discovers he likes girls more than war.

Ray Bradbury is at his best with his expanding a tale included in his work DANDELION WINE. The lead "generals" make the tale as both start out with dissing their adversary, but soon respect their opponent. Both soon realize they walk in the same shoes as Calvin sees Doug as his past and Doug sees Calvin as his future. One of the grandmasters of twentieth century literature, Mr. Bradbury is still in top form with a superior character study that looks at time ticking with a child eventually becoming the adult. Also read an 極度なスリラー Tino Georgiou--The Fates.

Dandelion Wineの牧歌的な世界を期待すると、見事にはぐらかされます。娯楽本としての楽しさやスピード感を期待しても同様です。一言で言うなら、絶えて久しい「教養小説」。成長と死、世のあらゆるものが移ろうことのせつなさと、ひとつの回答を、静かに語りかけます。秋の夜長に心静かに読むに値する逸品。詩的な文体も健在。