Without him, Heinlein, and Asimov, when I was a teenager, I not only doubt I’d be the person I am today – I doubt that I’d even be the semi-sane one I’ve become.
What a great writer.
Btw – because of “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” I’ve never, ever, been able to read books of horror like those by Stephen King – except for the non-scary ones. THAT book scared the crap out of me!!!
King is actually a terrific popular writer. Maybe America’s Dickens – all of that madness and horror might be reflections on our country, and the times we live in.
Maybe someone else knows better, since, after Bradbury, the only novel of his I’ve read is “The Green Mile” (which I loved). Though I’m finishing his “11/23/63 – A Novel,” which is about a HS English teacher going back in time to stop Oswald from killing JFK. I almost hate to admit it – but it’s pretty damn GOOD!
RIP, Mr. Bradbury.
You were a great and imaginative writer.
Gulag, I’ve often called Stephen King our modern Dickens. Most of King’s work has epic scope and deep moral conviction, although most of his characters are Jacob Marley or The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, rather than Barkis or John Jarndyce. I think King recognized the connection himself, since he intentionally adopted Dickens’s serialized format for the original release of the Green Mile books… I remember I’d run to the bookstore every so often to buy the next skinny little paperback, so I could find out what happened next.
(btw, read “The Long Walk” by King. It’s “Hunger Games” only much more succinct and deep. His very best, imo.)
As a kid I read very little SF (I thought it was a guy thing), until I discovered Bradbury’s lovely, rich poetical style. And then there was Jonathan Pryce in the 1983 movie version of “Something Wicked”… rrrowr!
So long, Ray. Enjoy the wonders of the cosmos.
“enjoy the wonders of the cosmos”
Great line, Joan.
Some time ago a woman I know asked me if I believed in heaven, and if I’d look forward to the eternal afterlife with my wife and daughter.
I paused for a moment , then told her I thought an afterlife would have to be something far bigger than that….something impossible to comprehend.
Enjoying the wonders of the cosmos seems to fit that thought.
Bon Voyage, Ray…..
I always thought F451, with the observation that the people [will have] asked for the government to get rid of the books [Wisconsin anyone?], to be the most powerful of the ‘big brother’ novels… Much more likely than 1984 and its government power over the individual.
Dan,
WI is probably lower in the list of the states asking for the government to get rid of books – most of those states are probably the ones that hate government the most: AZ, SC, AL, AK, etc.
And, in our future dystopian Dominionist Christian Fascist Country, states won’t have to request it, THE STATE will burn gladly them unasked.
Except for The Bible, of course – that them there book’ll b reqwired readin’ – OR ELSE!!!
And Joan,
Thanks, I’ll put in request for “The Long Walk” at my Library. I also want to read “Under the Dome.”
I’m not ready for the horror ones yet. I DO love novels about dystopian futures – mainly, maybe, to see who will be the most accurate about the one America, and the world, will soon enter.
As for, “Enjoy the wonders of the cosmos” – I’m SOOOOOOO stealing that line!
Gulag: I agree. Even in the novel, the government bullies enforced the book ban, but the ban was put in place at the request of the populace.
The point was not that Wisconsin is particularly bad, but that the people of WI were given another chance and then proceeded to vote away their chance at righting an obvious wrong: they voted to ban their books.
And they certainly are not alone, just the most recent and egregious example of people voting away their souls. And it is not even like they are getting the spoils of their myopia: they will just be left with the bill…
Without him, Heinlein, and Asimov, when I was a teenager, I not only doubt I’d be the person I am today – I doubt that I’d even be the semi-sane one I’ve become.
What a great writer.
Btw – because of “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” I’ve never, ever, been able to read books of horror like those by Stephen King – except for the non-scary ones. THAT book scared the crap out of me!!!
King is actually a terrific popular writer. Maybe America’s Dickens – all of that madness and horror might be reflections on our country, and the times we live in.
Maybe someone else knows better, since, after Bradbury, the only novel of his I’ve read is “The Green Mile” (which I loved). Though I’m finishing his “11/23/63 – A Novel,” which is about a HS English teacher going back in time to stop Oswald from killing JFK. I almost hate to admit it – but it’s pretty damn GOOD!
RIP, Mr. Bradbury.
You were a great and imaginative writer.
Gulag, I’ve often called Stephen King our modern Dickens. Most of King’s work has epic scope and deep moral conviction, although most of his characters are Jacob Marley or The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, rather than Barkis or John Jarndyce. I think King recognized the connection himself, since he intentionally adopted Dickens’s serialized format for the original release of the Green Mile books… I remember I’d run to the bookstore every so often to buy the next skinny little paperback, so I could find out what happened next.
(btw, read “The Long Walk” by King. It’s “Hunger Games” only much more succinct and deep. His very best, imo.)
As a kid I read very little SF (I thought it was a guy thing), until I discovered Bradbury’s lovely, rich poetical style. And then there was Jonathan Pryce in the 1983 movie version of “Something Wicked”… rrrowr!
So long, Ray. Enjoy the wonders of the cosmos.
“enjoy the wonders of the cosmos”
Great line, Joan.
Some time ago a woman I know asked me if I believed in heaven, and if I’d look forward to the eternal afterlife with my wife and daughter.
I paused for a moment , then told her I thought an afterlife would have to be something far bigger than that….something impossible to comprehend.
Enjoying the wonders of the cosmos seems to fit that thought.
Bon Voyage, Ray…..
I always thought F451, with the observation that the people [will have] asked for the government to get rid of the books [Wisconsin anyone?], to be the most powerful of the ‘big brother’ novels… Much more likely than 1984 and its government power over the individual.
Dan,
WI is probably lower in the list of the states asking for the government to get rid of books – most of those states are probably the ones that hate government the most: AZ, SC, AL, AK, etc.
And, in our future dystopian Dominionist Christian Fascist Country, states won’t have to request it, THE STATE will burn gladly them unasked.
Except for The Bible, of course – that them there book’ll b reqwired readin’ – OR ELSE!!!
And Joan,
Thanks, I’ll put in request for “The Long Walk” at my Library. I also want to read “Under the Dome.”
I’m not ready for the horror ones yet. I DO love novels about dystopian futures – mainly, maybe, to see who will be the most accurate about the one America, and the world, will soon enter.
As for, “Enjoy the wonders of the cosmos” – I’m SOOOOOOO stealing that line!
Gulag: I agree. Even in the novel, the government bullies enforced the book ban, but the ban was put in place at the request of the populace.
The point was not that Wisconsin is particularly bad, but that the people of WI were given another chance and then proceeded to vote away their chance at righting an obvious wrong: they voted to ban their books.
And they certainly are not alone, just the most recent and egregious example of people voting away their souls. And it is not even like they are getting the spoils of their myopia: they will just be left with the bill…