Ray Bradbury

Like so many others who are probably remembering him on their blogs today I couldn't help but do a post on Ray Bradbury. Probably some of the first science fiction I ever read. I've always liked Bradbury. The first story I can truly remember reading of his is The Veldt. That left an impression on a very impressionable 7th grader. Virtual reality before there was even the word virtual reality. Such a forward thinking man of his time. The Jules Verne of our generation definitely. Of course there's all the martian stories and Mars. I loved Dandelion Wine though not in the science fiction department. And every time I see a very tatted up individual I can't help but think of The Illustrated Man. Who can ever forget Fahrenheit 451? Especially being a librarian, the thought of burning books is just too horrifying to think of and the oppression of knowledge through burning books. I can't help but parallel Hitler's book burning campaign to Fahrenheit 451. So if you wanted to do a compare/contrast lesson you could use The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Here's Mr. Bradbury's official site. For those of you who homeschool or teach English thought you might like this site for lesson ideas.

   

Thanks Ray Bradbury for all the stories. Thanks for awakening our imaginations and helping us to see into the future both near and far. As Mr. Electrico commanded you'll live forever in literature. 

Ray Douglas Bradbury  August 22, 1920 - June 5, 2012