Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury, born on August 22, 1920, in Waukegan, Illinois, was an American author best known for his contributions to science fiction and fantasy literature. 

Bradbury in 1959

EARLY LIFE

Bradbury grew up in Waukegan, a small town in Illinois. His family moved to Los Angeles, California, during the Great Depression when he was around 13 years old.

He developed a love for reading and writing at an early age, often spending time in libraries and immersing himself in various genres.

Bradbury attended Los Angeles High School but did not go to college. He considered himself largely self-educated, having spent much of his time reading and educating himself in public libraries.

Ray Bradbury was so poor growing up that he borrowed the suit with a bullet hole his uncle was murdered in for his high school graduation ceremony.

WRITING CAREER

His writing career started with short stories. Bradbury's early works were published in fanzines, pulp magazines, and other periodicals.

One of Bradbury's breakthrough moments was when he was inspired by a carnival magician named Mr. Electrico who sat in an electric chair and was charged with fifty thousand volts of pure electricity. Within a few days the 12-year-old Bradbury started writing.

Bradbury's first published work was Hollerbochen's Dilemma, a short story that appeared in 1938. He continued to write and publish stories throughout the 1940s.

Bradbury's first major work, Dark Carnival,  a collection of his short stories, was published in 1947. This marked an important step in his literary career.

Truman Capote helped Ray Bradbury achieve some recognition the same year. After unearthing one of Bradbury’s stories from a pile of unprinted works at Mademoiselle magazine, he decided to publish it. The story, Homecoming, won a place in the O. Henry Award Stories of 1947.

One of his most famous works, The Martian Chronicles, was published in 1950. This science fiction classic depicted the colonization of Mars and explored themes of humanity, war, and exploration. 

In 1951, Bradbury wrote his novella, The Firemen in the basement of the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) library where he used a typewriter, which he rented for10 cents per half hour. The novella was completed in about nine days, and Bradbury spent a total of $9.80 on the typewriter to finish the first draft.

After being urged by his publisher, he returned to the basement, got to work, and expanded his The Firemen into Fahrenheit 451. Fahrenheit 451 was published on October 19, 1953. This dystopian novel explores themes of censorship and the suppression of intellectual freedom.

First edition cover

Ray Bradbury released a limited 200 signed copies of Fahrenheit 451 bound in an asbestos cover making them fireproof. They rarely sell for less than $10,000.

PERSONAL LIFE 

Ray Bradbury married Marguerite "Maggie" McClure in 1947, and they remained married until her death in 2003. They had four daughters together.

Bradbury was an avid supporter of libraries. He credited much of his education to libraries and believed they played a crucial role in fostering a love of literature and learning.

Writing was not just a profession for Bradbury; it was his passion. He often spoke about his love for storytelling and the imaginative process of creating worlds through words.

Bradbury had a fascination with various forms of entertainment, including the circus, magic, and the theater. His experiences at the carnival and encounters with Mr. Electrico left a lasting impression on him.

Given his contributions to science fiction, it's no surprise that Bradbury had a keen interest in science and space exploration. The Martian Chronicles and other works reflect his fascination with the possibility of life on other planets.

DEATH AND LEGACY

He received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to literature, including the National Medal of Arts in 2004.

Ray Bradbury passed away on June 5, 2012, leaving behind a rich literary legacy that continues to captivate readers around the world.

HTTP error code 451 = "Unavailable For Legal Reasons". The error code is displayed when the user requests an resource which cannot be served a web page that is censored by a government. The number 451 is a reference to Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, in which books are outlawed.

Here are some songs inspired by the works of Ray Bradbury 

"The Veldt" by Deadmau5 based on Ray Bradbury's tale of a family living in a futuristic home with a virtual reality room, which was published originally as The World the Children Made in the September 23, 1950 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. It was later republished in the anthology The Illustrated Man as "The Veldt" the following year. 

"The Body Electric" by Rush. Based on the Bradbury penned Twilight Zone episode #100 - "I Sing the Body Electric."

"Rocket Man" by Elton John. Bernie Taupin's lyrics were inspired by Bradbury's short story of the same title, which was another tale in his The Illustrated Man anthology.

"Medicine Man" by Barclay James Harvest. Lead guitarist John Lees' lyrics were inspired by the 1962 Bradbury horror novel, Something Wicked This Way Comes.