Sci-Fi Literary Pioneer Ray Bradbury Dies at 91

Ray Bradbury, a prolific author of science fiction and fantasy, died Tuesday night in Los Angeles, according to his publicist. His family revealed in a statement issued today that he had suffered from an undisclosed illness for a long time.

Bradbury penned several novels, of which Fahrenheit 451, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and The Martian Chronicles were the most widely read  I studied Fahrenheit 451 while earning an undergrad degree and when I see that title, I can't shake the feeling of doom that overcame me on first reading it. Although he denied the novel's theme was about censorship, many readers interpret it that way because of the tragic burning of "unacceptable books."  Hmmm--that strikes a familiar note about  our current culture. Bradbury claimed the book denounced the compression of complex ideas into factoids, much like the political ads that abound on television today. He foresaw the demise of learning for the sake of knowledge, referred to now as "the dumbing down of America."

In my first professional iteration, I taught English to junior and senior high school students and used several of his short stories in class.  "All Summer in a Day" tells about school children on Venus, where the sun rarely shines. Some of the children bully a new student, and---well, I suggest everyone read it to learn what happens. Another of my favorites, There Will Come Soft Rains, builds on the theme of a poem by Sarah Teasdale. To reveal more would destroy the impact of the story.

Ray Bradbury inspired generations of science fiction and fantasy writers by couching his social commentary in that which wasn't real. Not only did he write novels and short stories, he also created plays and scripts for movies and TV, as well as children's books.

Those who have never read anything by Ray Bradbury have missed a masterful storyteller. Ham on Wry suggests that readers pick up something that he wrote to experience his genius. Bradbury engages, informs and enlightens the reader. Farewell to a gifted teller of tales well worth reading.