Ray Bradbury passed away at the age of 91 on 5th June leaving seven decades of work for posterity.
He was a monumental figure in 20th century science fiction and his genre of choice let him wield imagination to get a message across. He was the master of making the familiar seem strange, and the strange feel familiar.
Novels, comics, and stories of all sorts were an integral part of the author’s life from a very young age. Fahrenheit 451, possibly his most famous work, was a scathing commentary on censorship set in a dystopian future.
That book was published in the 1950s, an era characterised by its enthusiasm for censorship.
Bradbury preferred to call his own works fantasy, rather than science fiction, and although they are fantastic, books like The Illustrated Man and The Martian Chronicles were loved by science fiction fans all over the world.
Outside the literary world, Bradbury acted as a consultant at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City and in 1982 he was instrumental in the development of Spaceship Earth, the iconic “Epcot ball” at Disney World in Florida.
His contributions to science fiction also inspired many to go into the fields of science and technology.
Some of Bradbury’s work describes then-futuristic computers, modes of transportation, and what he believed it would be like to colonise other planets.
Curl up with one of Bradbury’s books over the weekend. Or any book, for that matter – that’s what he would have wanted.
Further Links:
- BBC Obituary: Author Ray Bradbury dies, Age 91, 6th June 2012
- Guardian: Ray Bradbury: a life – in pictures, 8th June 2012
- New York Times Obituary: Ray Bradbury, 1920-2012: Brought Mars to Earth with a Lyrical Mastery by Gerald Jonas, 6th June 2012.
- New Yorker: Take Me Home by Ray Bradbury – an essay by Bradbury published on 4th June 2012.
- Official Ray Bradbury website
- Guardian: Ray Bradbury’s influence on our culture was transformative, says Barack Obama: US president joins chorus of eulogies as HarperCollins announces plans for memorial volume by 26 celebrated authors, 7th June 2012.