RIP: Ray Bradbury (1920-2012)

[AZZenny]

Or, rest in chaos, perhaps more his style. Ray Bradbury has died at age 91. Winner of an Emmy, a special Pulitzer, and has a crater on the moon named in his honor.

I grew up with Ray Bradbury's short stories -- my father, a very well-read man, considered Bradbury the greatest living American writer, and the greatest short story writer in any time or place. On this one thing, I believe my father was right. Bradbury not only had an expansive mind and uncontainable imagination, he was a tight but light-handed craftsman and a brilliant stylist.

'Dark They Were, And Golden Eyed' remains my favorite short story, because it was the first story to completely consume me, although there are so many amazing stories to choose from.

If anyone disparaged Bradbury as 'science fiction' my father would hand them Dandelion Wine. It's still one of my favorite novels, and one of the first and finest examples of American Magical Realism, now that I know the proper name for the genre. If you've never read it, you've missed a gorgeous coming of age story in an eerie small-town America. It reminds me a bit of Fellini's Amarcord, my favorite movie. The Martian Chronicles was like my sci-fi bible for years, and I read and re-re-reread A Medicine For Melancholy and Golden Apples of the Sun -- Bradbury's many superb short story collections go on and on.

In honor of a magnificent writer, stylist, and imagination, pick up one of Bradbury's collections and have a blast.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

RIP.

I'll have to go back and read some of his stuff again. It's been many years.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

RIP. One of the masters of his craft and an American treasure. Sad day.

 

[Dback Jon]

RIP - great writer

 

[crisper57]

Wow. Such a loss for the literary world.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

He loved to talk to groups of college students. I heard him several times. He lived in Laguna and didn't drive so someone would go and pick him up and return him to his house. I never had the chance. Probably just as well as I'd have peppered him with questions the whole trip.

He used to perch himself on the edge of a desk and tell stories about his life. He roller skated all over L.A. as a teenager. He was a huge movie fan and would roller skate from his house to the studios. He was the kid who asked for autographs outside the gates and made a few bucks as an extra. He had dozens of stories and each of them were great.

It's because of Ray that I keep a supply of Dixon Ticonderoga #2 pencils on my desk.

 

[D-Dogg]

f451 is one of my all time favorite books. Bradbury was a great writer with an awesome mind. RIP, Ray.