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R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles

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Re: R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles

#51

Post by pasbesoin »

paulhauggis wrote: post #34
jedberg wrote: post #32

My favorite Ray Bradbury memory is the time he came to my school to talk about his books and ended up yelling at my English teach for trying to find hidden meaning that wasn't there just for the sake of busywork. RIP Mr. Bradbury.

When I was in school, I often wondered how often teachers did this.

I forget which year, but my high school had a class on science fiction. Which the teacher did not understand too well. I ended up having to publicly correct her on the interpretation of the end of 2001 (the book -- not that it matters given how closely it parallels the screen play).

To her credit, she thought about it and publicly acknowledged my correction in a subsequent class.

Also to her credit (and/or the school's): They offered a class on science fiction!

Re: R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles

#52

Post by pasbesoin »

Retric wrote: post #25
joshuahedlund wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Orson Scott Card is not too far off, IMO.

Sadly, I found over time his newer books became steadily worse. It's odd to me that someone like Jim Butcher can get steadily better where other authors 'give up', start believing their own hype, use ghost writers, or something.

Of the more recent generations, I've particularly enjoyed Vinge and Brin, although Brin varies somewhat.

There are probably a few others I could mention, but they have a nasty habit of not coming to mind when I make a conscious effort.

For Vinge, I would recommend particularly A Deepness in the Sky and (prequel) A Fire Upon the Deep.

For Brin, the second and third books of his Uplift Trilogy, adding also the first for context. The second and third are Startide Rising and The Uplift War. Also, his book Earth, which stands alone.

P.S. Gibson and Stephenson. Gibson's Neuromancer and the two subsequent; after that, I couldn't continue (so, another "Card-esque" experience?). Also Gibson's collected short stories, Burning Chrome.

I've quite enjoyed several Stephenson novels -- I guess they might tend to be his "older" ones. I tried The Baroque Cycle and could not stay with it.

Re: R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles

#53

Post by brudgers »

I read and enjoyed Bradbury's short stories as a teenager, but his novels made no connection with me. I found them boring.

A few years ago, I started reading science fiction again and reread The Martian Chronicles. The degree to which it's themes about family and community connected was stunning.

Re: R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles

#54

Post by zem »

pasbesoin wrote: post #52
Retric wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sadly, I found over time his newer books became steadily worse. It's odd to me that someone like Jim Butcher can get steadily better where other authors 'give up', start believing their own hype, use ghost writers, or something.

Of the more recent generations, I've particularly enjoyed Vinge and Brin, although Brin varies somewhat. There are probably a few others I could mention, but they have a nasty habit of not coming to mind when I make a conscious effort. For Vinge, I would recommend particularly A Deepness in the Sky and (prequel) A Fire Upon the Deep . For Brin, the second and third books of his Uplift Trilogy , adding also the first…

my favourite recent author is unquestionably lois bujold (unless you want to count pratchett as recent). also, don't forget charles stross and stephen baxter.

Re: R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles

#55

Post by d1c0m »

"There was a smell of Time in the air tonight. He smiled and turned the fancy in his mind. There was a thought. What did Time smell like? Like dust and clocks and people. And if you wondered what Time sounded like it sounded like water running in a dark cave and voices crying and dirt dropping down on hollow box lids, and rain. And, going further, what did Time look like? Time looked like snow dropping silently into a black room or it looked like a silent film in an ancient theater, one hundred billion faces falling like those New Years balloons, down and down into nothing. That was how Time smelled and looked and sounded. And tonight--Tomas shoved a hand into the wind outside the truck--tonight you could almost touch Time." (Illustrated Man)

"And we lived in a world that [...] was like a great black ship pulling away from the shore of sanity and civilization, roaring its black horn in the night, taking 2 billion people with it, whether they wanted to go or not [...] to fall over the edge of the earth..." (Don't recall the story this is from...)

Re: R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles

#56

Post by MattGrommes »

jedberg wrote: post #32

My favorite Ray Bradbury memory is the time he came to my school to talk about his books and ended up yelling at my English teach for trying to find hidden meaning that wasn't there just for the sake of busywork. RIP Mr. Bradbury.

Obviously doing things for busywork is pointless, but there is plenty of good to come of trying to find hidden meanings in books. Not all meaning was put there by the author and if you find something that helps you get deeper into a book or get more out of it for yourself, good for you. A book only has meaning when filtered through your brain so if your brain finds something, it's there.

Note that this is not my idea and many, many wars of words have been fought over it so you don't have to believe it.

Re: R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles

#57

Post by wglb »

pasbesoin wrote: post #49
alanfalcon wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ray was a huge proponent of libraries. If you want to honor the man, go visit your local library today. Check out a book. Shame on you if you don't have a library card, but it's not too late to get one. If you have some money or some books you can donate, help the library out while you're there.

I'm pretty certain wglb has a library card.

Yes, I actually have two.

One for my local library, and one to the Northwestern University Library, of which I am an alumnus. This is a nice benefit, I must say.

Re: R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles

#58

Post by wglb »

alanfalcon wrote: post #45
wglb wrote: post #40

I often walk by this building https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Carnegie+Library+Waukegan,+Ct... which is the library he spent lots of time in as a youth. Sadly, the building is now closed, but I do hear occasional rumblings of it being reopened.

Ray was a huge proponent of libraries. If you want to honor the man, go visit your local library today. Check out a book. Shame on you if you don't have a library card, but it's not too late to get one. If you have some money or some books you can donate, help the library out while you're there.

Every year, I take on the order of two boxes of books to the library nearest me that has an annual book sale. Profits from this book sale help that library.

Re: R.I.P. Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles

#59

Post by javajosh »

I heard him speak at the LA Times Festival of books, and even in his eighties, he was vibrant, sparkling, and extraordinary. He told of his optimism and his humble beginnings (renting typewriters in the basement of the LA public library). He signed books tirelessly, including mine, and was a marvel. That man exuded more life at 80-something than most people do in their twenties.

For some reason I thought he would never actually die. And now that he has, I can't help but feel that the world is lessened by his loss, and that we all have a responsibility to try to live as fully and inspirationally as he did.

In tribute to a great man.

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