The first time I read Bradbury, it was in Russian. Since then, I've read him in both Russian and English and have loved all of his stories. I believe his works were my first foray into the darkness of human nature and they influenced me as a young woman, and later a as a writer.
My favorites were the two works that are probably the most known:
Fahrenheit 451 and the Martial Chronicles. But I also enjoyed the Illustrated Man and Dandelion Wine, as well as many other stories. Bradbury was a true visionary (as many sci-fi authors turn out to be) into the human nature, the modernization of the human society and the perils that come with it. Within his works, one can find reality shows watched on large screens (decades before they actually became popular in our culture), the decrease (or loss) of simple human face-to-face interaction because of technology (think text messaging, email, skype, etc..) and the ever growing threat of literature giving way to interactive gaming and such. It is a truly scary and dark world when you read these novels and stories - until you realize that so much of what Bradbury wrote about is part of our present.
But beyond these problems and darkness, there is also a sense of great wonder and curiosity in all of Bradbury's work. And a sense of the human indomitable spirit shining through.
This is my little tribute to the great visionary and writer Ray Bradbury. May you rest in peace - your legacy will remain in this world.
Writers, don't forget to check out Ray Bradbury's essays on writing: The Zen in the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity.
A few of my favorite quotes by Ray Bradbury:
- Jump, and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall.
-
I know you've heard it a thousand times before. But
it's true - hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to
practice, practice, practice. If you don't love something, then don't do
it.
- Love is the answer to everything. It's the only
reason to do anything. If you don't write stories you love, you'll never
make it. If you don't write stories that other people love, you'll
never make it.
-
Love. Fall in love and stay in love. Write only what
you love, and love what you write. The key word is love. You have to get
up in the morning and write something you love, something to live for.
-
The best scientist is open to experience and begins with romance - the idea that anything is possible.
- There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.
