[Perdogg]

ping

[freedumb2003]

Other than maybe Clarke, this is the last of the giants.

[muir_redwoods]

We all die and the worst part of getting old is getting used to those around us dying. I will miss living in a world with Ray Bradbury in it. I won’t get used to this loss. He was an amazing writer; it seems almost that English was invented for his use.

[Steely Tom]

His story Dandelion Wine will always stay with me as a description of what it was like to grow up free in Middle America. It contained this phrase (I may not be getting it word-for-word right): "the future stretched before him like a six-lane highway". I read it nearly 50 years ago.

[Bon of Babble]

I love these two quotes from Bradbury about writing:

1. “You don’t need anything but a pad and a pencil, for Christ’s sake!”

2. “Make a list of the things you hate, and the people you hate, and write about them.”

Yes, sic transit gloria mundi

I’d like to know Freepers’ favorite Bradbury short stories or novels:

For me: Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man

Short Stories: The Veldt, And There Will Come Soft Rains, Zero Hour (absolute best AFAIC), The Emissary.

Bon

[Sudetenland]

Most of the folks I know that read sci-fi would describe Bradbury as the English Teacher's (or Librarian's) concept of what a science fiction writer was. He was never considered "real sci-fi."

I liked some of his work, but I found most of his work to be pretentious.

To be certain, his writing was not sci-fi in the same vein as his peers. The fiction of van Vogt, Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Doc Smith, Russell, Piper, Laumer, and most of those Campbell featured in his magazines tended to be more focused on the "science" portion of science fiction. Bradbury was more about the "fiction" than about the science--much like Ellison.

Probably not explaining the difference very well, but that has always been the general perception. There have always been sci-fi authors that teachers like and those that sci-fi readers like--they are rarely the same.

All that being said, he did have a profound effect on the genre's becoming accepted as "legitimate." Sad to see him leave us.

[iceskater]

Thanks for posting this.

Bradbury’s books are now moved to the top of my reading list - just like they were when I was in high school.

[I still care]

Yes, unlike “The Lottery”, you easily know the ending but still a great read:

http://www.veddma.com/veddma/Veldt.htm

I remember when I read this in high school my first thought was, why are they stupid enough to turn the thing back on?

Answer: Because they are libs that have bought into current parenting methods.