Posted on 08/02/2010 7:40:15 AM PDT by smokingfrog
Ray Bradbury lives in a rambling Los Angeles home full of stuffed dinosaurs, a tin robot pushing an ice cream cart, and a life-sized Bullwinkle the Moose doll lounging in a cushioned chair.
The 89-year-old science fiction author watches Fox News Channel by day, Turner Classic Movies by night. He spends the rest of his time summoning "the monsters and angels" of his imagination for his enchanting tales.
Bradbury's imagination has yielded classic books such as "Fahrenheit 451," "The Martian Chronicles" and 600 short stories that predicted everything from the emergence of ATMs to live broadcasts of fugitive car chases.
Bradbury, who turns 90 this month, says he will sometimes open one of his books late at night and cry out thanks to God.
"I sit there and cry because I haven't done any of this," he told Sam Weller, his biographer and friend. "It's a God-given thing, and I'm so grateful, so, so grateful. The best description of my career as a writer is, 'At play in the fields of the Lord.' "
Bradbury's stories are filled with references to God and faith, but he's rarely talked at length about his religious beliefs, until now.
'Joy is the grace we say to God'
He describes himself as a "delicatessen religionist." He's inspired by Eastern and Western religions.
The center of his faith, though, is love. Everything -- the reason he decided to write his first short story at 12; his 56-year marriage to his muse and late wife, Maggie; his friendships with everyone from Walt Disney to Alfred Hitchcock -- is based on love.
Bradbury is in love with love.
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
Interesting.
One of my favorite authors as a kid. Glad to read he’s still kickin.
My kinda guy.
Bradbury should look up Leonard Cohen - they have things to say to each other...
One of my favorites. His F451 is the reason I realy started reading at age 13. Until that book, I had to force myself through a book. After F451, I couldn’t stop reading. He was the best Sci-Fi author of his time. He transcended the “Weird” magazine pulpers and wrote art. Glad to know he is tuned in to the big unfolding equation. I feel a real compatico with this amigo.
CC
bump
Bradburry does not watch OReily either...
He is also (next to Gene Wolfe) the finest writer in all SF.
He is still alive,
where can we send him thank you for everything letters?
I love the look on Montag’s face just before he lights his boss up.
Oskar Werner died tragically and much too young.
Incredible writer. If his name is on it, I read it. Even better than Richard Matheson, another guy who wrote a bunch of near-perfect shorts and novels.
If you ever want a good chuckle, read “The Murderer” (1953). It’s a short about a guy who gets fed up and destroys every machine that talks to him. I think of it every time I’m at the gas station and the pump starts talking to me.
Smart guy. Why torture yourself.
Interesting and thought-provoking phrase/description... I'm thinking that such could be one of the greatest complements to a Christian there is.
i am so glad Ray has shared this. it is very meaningful and inspiring to me. i get it Ray. God bless you!
Ray Bradbury was a ghostwriter on the movie King of Kings.
He also script doctored and did other uncredited screenwriting.
He was dissatisfied with the ending of Rosemary’s Baby and fired off his own alternate ending.
PING
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.