"The Toynbee Convector" by Ray Bradbury

LeVar Burton Reads - LeVar Burton and Stitcher

LeVar Burton reads Ray Bradbury's 'The Toynbee Convector,' a story about a man who claims to have traveled through time but reveals his journey was a lie born of hope. The tale explores the power of storytelling and beli

Key takeaways

• Time travel is metaphorical, not literal

Transcript preview

Hi, I'm Lavor Burton, and this is LeVar Burton reads. In every episode, I have hand-picked a different piece of short fiction, and I've read it to you. The only thing these stories have had in common is that I love them. And I've read it to you. The only thing these stories have had in common is that I love. to. This is indeed the final episode of season 13 of Laver Burton reads y'all. But here's the thing. You know how much I love reading aloud. And so, rest assured, I'll figure out how to continue to engage with you in storytelling that we love. And so, rest assured, I'll figure out how to continue to engage with you in storytelling that we love. And as it's the final episode, it really made sense to read something today by one. of the greats, a speculative storyteller whose work has endured for decades, the great Ray Bradbury. Ray Bradbury's stories are so powerful and appeal to so many people, partially because they are lyrical and colloquial, often playful, while all the time engaging with difficult truths. The story that I've chosen for today is one of Bradbury's tales of about time travel. I think it's about human destiny and hope for the future. More than anything, I think it's about the power of human storytelling. The Toynbee Convector was written in 1983 and first published in Playboy magazine, then later featured in a collection of short stories by the same title. The Toynbee Conveter, and it's still in print today. Go Ray. As one of the characters explains, the Toynbee in the name refers to the historian Arnold J. Toynbee, who said, any group, any race, any world that did not run to seize the future and shape it, was doomed to dust away to the grave in the past. Can't wait for you to hear this story. You'll find a content advisory for this story. You'll find a content advisory for this story in the story in the written episode description and now if you're ready let's take that deep breath yeah yeah by Ray Bradbury. heading south toward Lohuea. How lucky can you get? For he was on his way to an incredible meeting. The time traveler, after a hundred years of silence, had agreed to be interviewed. He was, on this day, 130 years old, and this afternoon at four o'clock sharp, Pacific time was the annual time. of his one and only journey in time. Lord, yes, one hundred years ago, Craig Bennett Stiles had waved, stepped into his immense clock, as he called it, and vanished from the present. He was and remained the only man in history to travel in time. was the one and only reporter after all these years to be invited in for afternoon tea. And the possible announcement of a second and final trip through time. The traveler had hinted at such a trip. Old man, said Shumway. Mr. Craig Bennett Stiles, here I come. The dragonfly, obedient to fevers, seized a wind and rode it down the coast. The old man was there waiting for him on the roof of the Time Lammissary at the rim of the hang gliders cliff in Lohoya. The air swarmed with crimson, blue, and lemon kites from which young men shouted while young women called to them from the lands end. Edge. Stiles, for all his 130 years, was not old. His face blinking up at the helicopter was the bright face of one of those hang gliding Apollo fools who feared off as the helicopter sank down. Shumway covered his craft for a long moment, savouring the delay. Below him was a face that had dreamed architectures, known incredible loves blue-printed mysteries of seconds, hours, days. Then, dived in to swim upstream through the centuries, a sunburst face celebrating its own birthday. For on a single night, 100 years ago, Craig Bennett Stiles, freshly returned from time, had reported by Telsto around the world to billions of viewers and told them their future. We made it, he said. We did it. The future is ours. We rebuilt the cities, freshen the small towns, cleaned the lakes and rivers, washed the air, saved the dolphins, The wars. Tossed solar stations across space to light the world colonize the moon, moved on to Mars, then Alpha Centauri. We cured cancer and stopped death. We did it. Oh Lord much thanks, we did it. Oh, futures bright and beauty aspires, arise. He showed them pictures. We did it. Oh, samples, he gave them tapes and LP records, film and sound cassettes of his wondrous roundabout flight. The world went mad with joy. It ran to meet and make that future, fling up the cities of promise, save all, and share with the beasts of land and sea. shout came up the wind. Shumway shouted back and let the dragon fly simmer down in its own summer weather. Craig Bennett Styles, 130 years old, strode forward briskly and incredibly helped the young reporter out of his craft. Shumway was suddenly stunned and weak at this encounter. I can't believe I'm here. Shumway said, You are. And none too soon. Lapped the time traveler. Any day now, I may just fall apart and blow away. Lunch is waiting. Hike. A parade of one. Stiles marched off under the fluttering rotor shadows that made him seem a flickering newsreel of a future that had somehow passed. A parade of one. Stiles marched off under the fluttering rotor shadows that made him seem a flickering news reel of a future that had somehow passed. Shumway, like a small dog after a great army, followed. What do you want to know? Asked the old man as they crossed the roof, double time. First, gasped Shumway, keeping up. Why have you broken silence after a hundred years? Second, why, to me, third, what's the big announcement you're going to make this afternoon at four o'clock? The very hour, when for a brief moment you will appear in two places, a paradox, the person you were, the person you were, man you are, fused in one glorious hour for us to celebrate." The old man laughed. How you do go on? Sorry, Shumway blushed. I wrote that last night. Well, those are the questions. You shall have your answers. The old man shook his elbow gently, all in good time. You must excuse my excitement. Said, Shumway. After all, you are a mystery. You were famous. World acclaimed. You went, saw the future. Said, Shumway. After all, you are a mystery. You were famous. World acclaimed. You