Ray Bradbury
Last week’s post featuring some thoughts from a favorite author luminary led me to this week’s
post. I’ll get back to etymologies and such next week, but for now, I hope you’ll
have a good time with the ever-prolific & fascinating Ray Bradbury.
Born
in 1929 & leaving this universe as we know it in 2012, author of 500 works,
Ray Bradbury won the Pulitzer Prize Special Citation, the National Medal of
Arts, & the National Book Foundation Medal, & tons more. Known best as
a science fiction novelist & short story author whose stories always valued
character above technology, Bradbury also wrote TV scripts, poems, screenplays
& plays. Here is a tiny sampling of his thoughts:
“We are an
impossibility in an impossible universe.”
“You have to know how
to accept rejection and reject acceptance.”
“We are cups,
constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is knowing how to tip ourselves
over and let the beautiful stuff out.”
&
“Every morning I jump
out of bed and step on a landmine. The landmine is me. After the explosion I
spend the rest of the day putting the pieces together.”
I’m hoping some of you might choose a quote from above &
have something to say about it in the comments section.
photo from FamousAuthors.org
Hi Charlie. Have always loved Bradbury's stories, and recently began admiring him even more as an exemplary human being, after reading a collection of interviews with authors and their writing practices. He lived so simply, was satisfied with so little. Also got into a lot of research on him recently, since a friend in Solvang thought he had once lived in the Santa Ynez Valley (No; lived in same house in LA most of his adult life). Also, when I was a reporter, had the pleasure of talking to him on phone when a store in Cambria, Fahrenheit 451, with painted flames on its exterior, was causing some controversy. (Lee Sutter)
ReplyDeleteAhoy Lee - I've been a fan of his since my "discovery" of Illustrated Man so many moons ago. Thanks for chiming in.
Delete"Something Wicked This Way Comes" is one of my all time favorite books. I met Mr. Bradbury once and told him that that book helped me to understand what it was like to be a boy. He smiled and nodded at me as if to say, "But of course, and you are welcome." Thank you for the quotes. He had such a way of seeing the world.
ReplyDeleteHowdy Christine -- I guess with three grandkids who happen to be boys, it may be time to review Something Wicked... Thanks for popping by.
DeleteCharlie, this is such a fun topic. I have a fav. Ray Bradbury quote I refer to often. Hope it's okay to include: "There is only one type of story in the world—your story."
ReplyDelete—Ray Bradbury
It may be in your post already. Don't think so. I think it speaks to the fact that writers write for all sorts of reasons and everyone's life experience has value. In any case, that's how I'm interpreting it today. Thanks for another great post, my friend. Paul
Hi Paul - Great quote, & thanks for adding it to the mix. What was I thinking doing one little blog post on someone as prolific & insightful as Bradbury? The guy deserves a universe!
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