Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

The TV promos for "Ray Bradbury Theater" were what sparked my first interest in Sci-Fi, Mystery, Horror. Even though I was very frightened, I did manage to watch several episodes all the way through to the end. It opened my eyes and my life to the wonders of his world and his writing. Thank you Mr. Bradbury for opening my world to include yours. RIP

"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them." Ray B.

In a day and age when the average adult hasn't read a book in over 6 years, and people obsess over reality TV as if it actually is real, I fear we are way too close to the dystopia he imagined.

Ray Bradbury was more than a writer, he was a legend. He was also a great motivational speaker, funny, witty, you name it. He wrote short stories when people made careers from it.

Here is a great speech he made on 12 pieces of advice to young authors.

http://www.openculture.com/2012/04/ra...

My favorite story by Ray Bradbury is "Here there be Tygers". He was such a writer of deep perception, which, I suspect, was even more deeply indicative of the man, himself. Godspeed, Ray Bradbury. Your voice will live on through the pages of your literary gift.

My heart is still heavy, but I had to share my story...

http://lisakessler.wordpress.com/2012...

Ray was one in a million...

Lisa

Something Wicked This Way Comes is one of my all-time favorite books. Huge loss for the literary community, but I'm grateful that he created the works he did. Now he's immortal. :o)

Good youtube video of him speaking about writing. A surprisingly powerful speaker.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgkVNK...

My cousin had a treasure-trove of comics and books, and introduced me to Ray Bradbury's novels as a teenager. The hours I spent reading, pondering, and dreaming of the impossible.

Mr. Bradbury blew my mind when I was young and impressionable. His writing affected me long after and never really stopped.

He will be sorely missed.

Ray Bradbury was a great writer in an interesting genre. Readers of his work or of Sci-Fi generally may want to take a look at my recent THE MACHINE STOPS, AGAIN: http://www.lulu.com/shop/george-perki...

The reference is to E. M. FORSTER'S 1909 classic, THE MACHINE STOPS.

I cried. This hit me full force. I have admired Ray Bradbury for all of my reading life. His were some of the first books I actually fell in love with. I wish I had met him. I wish I had thanked him for loving what he did enough to share it with the rest of us. I will more than miss him. I feel a part of my childhood, adolescence and soul has died with him. I hope he's out here flying among the stars.

I had the privilege of meeting Ray Bradbury at the Westwood premiere of the film "Something Wicked This Way Comes". He was autographing books and chatting with everyone. The movie didn't do the book justice. I guess he had his share of troubles with the film industry and John Ford. You couldn't beat his writing which tapped into your imagination so well. Thanks so much for entertaining us all Ray!

"When we reach the city."

OMG, I can't believe I forgot that one. I LOVED that one.


L.H. wrote: "I always though his non-science fiction piece, Something Wicked This way Comes, was his best. Absolute creep fest. Farenheit 451 probably contributed to any number of world views, as well."

Ray Bradbury was one of my bigger writing influences. Right now, I'm working on a novel that has elements of one of the MARTIAN CHRONICLES. Bradbury's exploration of the human condition, and the most creative ways he did that, was one of the main things that drove me to his work. I thought he was brilliant. I'm glad he was able to live into his 90s, and that (according to news reports) he pretty much wrote until the day he died. RIP, Mr. Bradbury.

My own earliest memory of Ray Bradbury is watching the TV adaptation of The Martian Chronicles - the book itself was instrumental into hooking me into science-fiction (and so funny in parts!). As a writer, I loved his style and the fictional universe of my novel includes an outpost in the Barnard's Star system named 'Bradbury Heights' in his honour. He will be sadly missed, but his works will live on.

Dandelion Wine was one of my many inspirations as a young reader and in becoming a writer...his work was magical, thought provoking, and haunting...he was a treasure and a rare talent that is hard to come by. He will be missed.

The October Country has to be one of my favorites. I love Dandelion Wine and Something Wicked This Way Comes also. What an amazing writer! He definitely has been inspiring to me. He will be missed.

Still grieving such a bold and wonderful author. He has shaped the way I read and how I view the world around me. His books are always like old friends on my bookshelves and his inspiration is always in my heart.

My uncle Max H. Flindt wrote four nonfiction books about his theory that modern man is the result of ancient unions between apes and Starmen. When he was working on his last book Between The Apes And The Angels he asked Bradbury to write a forward which he did.
IMO that forward is absolutely brilliant! My uncle's father Homer Eon Flint, a pioneering science fiction writer, has a website www.HomerEonFlint.com and I just posted the forward for anyone who needs another Bradbury fix.

If anyone needs another example of Bradbury's brilliance, I just put up a forward he wrote for my uncle's book Beyond The Apes And The Angels. My uncle's father www.HomerEonFlint.com was a pioneering science fiction writer so that's where I posted the forward. Enjoy. I did.

Vella Munn

The first author who introduced me to Science fiction, read all his stories in my teens and 20's. RIP Ray Bradbury

Ok well to say I liked Ray Bradbury would be an understatement. I have a bunch of his books and loved everything he's written. I also enjoyed the TV show he had in the past. I always thought it was really cool how he got his ideas for his stories.
Anyway, when I saw this thread and that it was by Vincent I was hoping it was cause Vincent wrote one of his fantastic poems and it had to do with Ray Bradbury. Either way I think it's great that there have been threads on here that have paid tribute to Bradbury and I know these will all inspire and jump start those creative juices :O)

He was a true talent and I would say that many of his works have inspired untold thousands of other writers like me. He will be missed.

Cheers, Greg.

I have decided that I would be The Andromeda Strain if I was to be a book.

One of the first Ray Bradbury stories I read was "The Emissary". It masterfully mingled both terror and wonder in just about equal measures. That's pretty much defined a genre for me ever since, and set the bar high for other writers to follow. Impressive and inspiring!

Ghunterhanks wrote: "One of the first Ray Bradbury stories I read was "The Emissary". It masterfully mingled both terror and wonder in just about equal measures. That's pretty much defined a genre for me ever since, ..."

"The Emissary" is one of my favorites. I picked it to read aloud on a panel at Balticon last month. I love his writing style and thought it was a perfect example.

Ray Bradbury was a huge influence on me and one of the reasons why I write what I write. He will be missed.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Sad thing! He will be missed!
Sci-Fi writer here!

Something wicked that way went. RB was genuinely a wicked writer (in the colloquial British sense of the word 'wicked'). He informed my youth and still influences my writing. Thanks, Ray!

I see some of you were lucky to have met Ray Bradbury, I never did...except on the page, and what pages he wrote! The greatest! He will be sorely missed, but his heredity is with us...