Uncle Ray is Dead
Ray Bradbury has died, chronologically at age 91, though he managed throughout his career to maintain the awe and wonder of a 12-year old.
Here is a picture of him surrounded by one of the many anachronisms he loved, something called printed books.
And here’s something I wrote a while ago about his influence on me.
A great life should be celebrated and not mourned. I started reading Bradbury in high school (The Illustrated Man) and have always been amazed at the the sheer number of ideas this man could pack into a slim volume.
Heart breaks.
I always hoped he’d get a chance to stand on Mars.
Sorry, I must mourn.
It is a dark passage that takes such as him from us. The world is less illuminated. A dimmer place with a few less possibilities.
This is the saddest news I’ve heard in a while. Really wish I could have met this great man. . . those people whom were fortunate enough to were very lucky.
When I talk about my favorite writers I always mention the ones I found inspiration from as a young man. But the guy who got me really excited about reading… that was Ray Bradbury, Opener of Ways. I can still remember how thrilling it was to discover a new Bradbury collection at the library, and the excitement of starting a new story as I worked my way through the anthology. Every one would take me to a different place.
I do wish that limited edition “complete Martian Stories” of a few years back had been a little less limited, and released in a far more affordable collection. Perhaps we will see it now.
In the meantime, I think I will set aside the book I’ve been reading, and pick up my battered copy of The Martian Chronicles and lose myself in the words of a master.
Urbem lateritiam invenit, marmoream reliquit.
I’ll miss Mr Bradbury too…
It’d be nice if there would be a collective “Tribute” work done by lots of top sci-fi/fantasy artists who liked him.
Hearing about Ray Bradbury got me thinking: Who’s left now from that generation? Fred Pohl and Jack Vance, at least, but anyone else? Or have the giants left us?
Here’s my small tribute to him.
http://johnmwhalen.wordpress.com/2012/06/07/178/
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