Thursday, August 20, 2009

Happy Birthday, Ray Bradbury!

My youth wouldn't have been the same without the work of Ray Bradbury. Maybe my life wouldn't have been the same. When I read "The Fireman" in Galaxy, I thought it was the best thing ever. It's still right up there. And then The Martian Chronicles and The October Country. My, my. I love 'em still.

Todd Mason notes in a comment that I'm two days early with this post. Oh, well.

7 comments:

Richard Prosch said...

Every summer I read DANDELION WINE and every summer it gets me. Live forever, Ray.

Todd Mason said...

Two days early for RB, according to the site (unless Bradbury, who keeps going on how much he hates the internet, has lied to them)...but, as the Writer's Alamanac apparently notes, today's Jackie Susann and Howie Lovecraft's bday.

I certainly enjoyed his work back when I was reading THE HALLOWEEN TREE and R IS FOR ROCKET and S IS FOR SPACE and his stories in the Hitchcock anthos and others, and occasionally still do.

Unknown said...

Oh, well. Better early than never!

Stephen B. said...

Age 89! Yes, I think Martian Chronicles - when I was 13 - was a book I read at least a few times.

I was "wowed" by his work and once got an autograph and I reminded him of this.

SB
-

"Ray Bradbury will celebrate his 89th birthday in Glendale, Ca, on Saturday August 22nd. - The address is for sending birthday greetings is:

Ray Bradbury C/O
Mystery and Imagination
237 North Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203

Richard Robinson said...

Richard Prosch, I'm with you. I re-read DANDELION WINE every couple of years, just love it. The scene when the boy pitches getting a new pair of tennis shoes is fabulous! So is the rest of the book.

I saw (though didn't meet) Bradbury when he spoke prior to a stage presentation of some works, including "The Veldt".

Nik Morton said...

Iwan is a Swedish friend out here in Spain. He has met and kept in touch with Ray. Iwan appeared in a James Bond book by Raymond Benson; he also appears in my latest western! I've even written an article about Iwan and his Bradbury connection but haven't got any takers yet. Probably too erudite - you know, about books and authors, huh?
As Carl Sagan more or less said, without Ray Bradbury (and ERB), many scientists might have trodden a different path.

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