Wednesday, 6 June 2012

Man of Tomorrow - RIP Ray Bradbury

I am saddened to hear this afternoon that author, Ray Bradbury has passed away at the age of 91 - his 1962 novella Something Wicked this way comes is one of my all time favourite stories.

"Bradbury died peacefully, last night, in Los Angeles, after a lengthy illness," HarperCollins said in a written statement.

91 is a pretty good innings by any standards and during that time Bradbury left a massive footprint that will leave him truly immortal. Bradbury received the 2000 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, the 2004 National Medal of Arts and a 2007 Pulitzer Prize Special Citation.

Bradbury lived in Los Angeles since his family moved there from his native Waukegan, Illinois, to look for work during the Great Depression.He is survived by his four daughters, Susan Nixon, Ramona Ostergren, Bettina Karapetian and Alexandra Bradbury, and eight grandchildren. His wife of 57 years, Marguerite, died in 2003.The biography released by his publisher quoted a story in which Bradbury recounted meeting a carnival magician, Mr. Electrico, in 1932. Electrico touched the 12-year-old Bradbury with his sword and commanded, "Live forever!"

1 comment:

Randy Johnson said...

Something Wicked is a favorite, as is The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man, Fahrenheit 451. I could go on and on.

He was an early influence, among so many others, on a young mind discovering the joys of reading.