One of my all-time favorite authors turns 90 today.
I had the pleasure of meeting him on 3 occasions: Once at the 25th Archon show in the late '90s, where I had the privilege to thank him for being the author whose stories introduced me to the pleasures of fiction written for adults (I graduated from kid's lit with Bradbury's The October Country); at a lecture he gave at Washington University in St. Louis, where he propounded, in part, his message of having "enthusiasms" and throwing yourself fully into them; and at a book signing where I brought a paperback I had for him to sign. (He pleasantly upbraided me for not bringing a hardback.)
You can leave a birthday message for Ray here.
His works still resonate in memory and imagination for me. This summer I read his From the Dust Returned and enjoyed it very much. I recommend it to you.
An interview with Bradbury at the site "Wired for Books" can be heard here, and a video interview for Truthdig on "Literature and Love" can be seen here.
For laughs and grins, I also recommend this NSFW or children video by upcoming comic Rachel Bloom: F__ Me, Ray Bradbury
Ray's 90! Seems like he's been around forever. Amazing you're met him on three different occasions.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Ray! I still hold a hope that I will one day be able to just look upon him alive and real and simply say "thank you" for the lifetime of wonder he's given me.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Ray Bradbury!
ReplyDeleteBack in 1968, I picked up Dandelion Wine. It opened a whole new world to me.
Thank you.