Ray Douglas Bradbury was a science fiction author compared, frequently, to his compatriots, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clark and Robert Heinlein.
Though not a particular fan of Bradbury’s works, I respected his vision and his perseverance and insight. He wrote 27+ novels and close to 600 short stories.
I believe that many other sci-fi authors of Bradbury’s generation overshadowed him greatly. That is simply my opinion.
He died at the age of 91 in Los Angeles, as documented by the LATimes.com:
Ray Bradbury, the writer whose expansive flights of fantasy and vividly rendered space-scapes have provided the world with one of the most enduring speculative blueprints for the future, has died. He was 91.
Bradbury died Tuesday night in Los Angeles, his agent Michael Congdon confirmed. His family said in a statement that he had suffered from a long illness.
Author of more than 27 novels and story collections—most famously “The Martian Chronicles,” “Fahrenheit 451,” “Dandelion Wine” and “Something Wicked This Way Comes”—and more than 600 short stories, Bradbury has frequently been credited with elevating the often-maligned reputation of science fiction. Some say he singlehandedly helped to move the genre into the realm of literature.
Bradbury was not my specific “cup of tea,” so to speak.
But I will always acknowledge his import in the overall narrative of science fiction, the import of his originality. Of his voice.
Ray Bradbury was born the same year of my father: 1920. He survived the Roaring 20s. He survived the Great Depression. And he brought that same toughness and insight to his printed page.
He refused to drive a car. He refused to ride in an aircraft. He wrote on a mechanical typewriter. Further, Bradbury was a noted conservative.[51]
- ^ “Ray Bradbury – Conservative turns 90 – WSJ Political Diary”. Politicalnewsnow.com. 2010-08-20. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
God bless the man for his truth, his creativity, his innovation, his willingness to craft social issues into science fiction and fantasy genres.
Rest now, sir. You deserve it and you have my ultimate respect.
You blazed a path where few other American authors did so.
BZ
Ray Bradbury and his wife Maggie, 1970, in Bradbury’s personal library.
I’m not into his genre but I know he was loved by many.
Ironically, I got to hear him speak at a library nearby about 20 years ago…and meet him.
I then wrote a poem about him for some reason.
I wish I could find it.
Rest in peace, Mr. Bradbury, you had a LOT of fans.
He was pretty nice, I have to say.
I loved his “Fahrenheit 451” movie.
Wonderful portrayal of a true socialist civilization. They had book police rounding up books, anything with words on it and burned them immediately in a big bonfire
Also, 451 degrees, is the temperature that paper burns!!!!
Sometimes I think that this may be in our future of the World.
Farenheit 451… RIP sir, RIP!
I loved SOME of Bradbury’s work — particularly the novel Fahrenheit 451 (on my class’s reading list for 2012-2013 as of February 2012) and the short story “A Sound of Thunder.” I do highly recommend the latter, very short and and available online.
Z, what an honor to have met the man, and that he was kind is a definite bonus.
MrC: yes, that is correct regarding the temp. Makes you wonder.
NFO: his classic!
AOW: interesting, isn’t it, how prescient sci-fi authors can be.
BZ