This is a bit off-topic (although he has written at least one mystery: 1985’s Death Is a Lonely Business), and I’m a day late. But Ray Bradbury has shaped my reading tastes to such a large extent that I want to join all those people, like Carolyn Kellogg of the Los Angeles Times, who are celebrating his 90th birthday.
The Martian Chronicles (1950) was my first Bradbury, and as a budding teenage writer I was thrilled and delighted by the way he combined science fiction with social documentary to generate stunning emotional power. Other of his classic works (The Illustrated Man, Fahrenheit 451, Something Wicked This Way Comes) worked the same sort of magic.
Bradbury has been tremendously influential on other writers, as well. As far as I’m concerned, he’s right up there with Shakespeare. So happy 90th, Mr. Bradbury. Shall we try for 100?
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Nice appreciation of Ray Bradbury, being a hug fan from an early age, I'd agree with you Dick. He's up with the best, man I still recall A DISTANT SOUND OF THUNDER, and the stories suck as THE CROWD, et al
One of the greatest
Ali
thanks, Ali -- but get a better copy editor. Altho "and the stories suck" is a great typo.
ROFL.....not enough coffee in the morning...and new lap-top so getting used to the keyboard [after a disc crash last week, on a HP after years on ACER] - I meant ROCK! What an idiot, no you all know how much work Jeff has editing me when I haven't had my morning coffee!
Ali
And Hug Fan is of course Huge Fan
Bradbury write a mystery trilogy that started with DEATH IS A LONELEY BUSINESS and ended with KLET'S ALL KILL CONSTANCE. Can't recall the middle one off the top of my head.
RJR
Post a Comment