The first Wednesday of the month means it’s time for Insecure Writer’s Support Group, hosted by one of my favorite bloggers, Alex J. Cavanaugh.
I would normally talk about my current struggles on the path to publication, but today something else has occurred that eclipses my everyday fears and writing hardships. Today I leaned that Ray Bradbury has died.
It’s always a shock to learn that one of your idols has died, but for me this death is particularly sorrowful. Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is one of the first science fiction novels I remember reading for a school assignment, and has stayed with me ever since. While I’m not sure I comprehended it in its entirety as a child, I later recognized it as one of the first overtly political novels I ever read, and perhaps my first experience with social commentary through fiction. It inspired an early love for dystiopian writing – which while wildly popular today in the young adult market, was much more obscure when I was in middle school – and I still read Fahrenheit 451 at least once every year.
I’ve since read many other of Ray Bradbury’s works, and he remains one of my favorite authors to this day. And as ridiculous as this may sound to all of you out there who love reading novels on your Kindles, Nooks and iPads, one of the main reasons I’ve refused to purchase and e-reader is an fervent fear that they’re the first step toward the eradication of print books – a fear first that’s origins trace back to the very first time I read Fahrenheit 451. Of course in the novel books were banned and burned as an act of government censorship rather than the product of digital technology . . . but you can never be too careful.
Every writer has an idol they hope they one day live up to, and Ray Bradbury is one of mine. And while I doubt I’ll ever come even close to his literary excellence (a writing insecurity of mine), I’m so grateful for the influence his novels and short stories have had on my life and my work.
Ray Douglas Bradbury
August 22, 1920 - June 5, 2012
Rest in Peace
Wow, sounds like a very inspiring author. Sad to say I haven't read Fahrenheit 451.
ReplyDeleteThis post is such a great tribute to him :)
Fahrenheit 451 is a great novel. Everyone should read it at least once because it had such an important message.
ReplyDeleteRay Bradbury will be greatly missed.
That is very sad! He was one of my favorite authors as well. Now I wonder if print books will go away.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad, but what a legacy to leave.
ReplyDeleteI heard him speak once... about 20 years ago. He was fascinating. One of the things he talked about was one of my favorite stories, the boy that becomes a dinosaur. Or tries to. I'm sad.
ReplyDeleteMy younger son just started Farenheit a few nights ago, and, now, I have to tell him Bradbury died.
I read about his passing just as I posted my IWSG entry. I've not read any of his works but I know he was very influential. 'tis a shame.
ReplyDeleteI've only read some of his short stories, never any of this novels, but I too was sad to learn of his passing.
ReplyDeleteI need to put a little sticky note up to remind me to do this insecurity thing every month. I ALWAYS FORGET!! And I even did a blog post this morning. Gah!
ReplyDeleteBut back to your post...
We all know death is a part of living, but that doesn't make the passing any easier. But what a legacy to leave! He will always be remembered and cherished through the words he left behind.
I haven't read any of his books, but I've heard nothing but great things about them. So sad that he is gone now. But at least we'll always have his words and stories to remember him by. We writers can only hope to achieve as much before the curtain closes. :(
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking I need to re-read The Martian Chronicles soon. Sad Joshua Sad.
ReplyDeleteI just heard about this when I popped onto FaceBook. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteOne reason to keep print books around is if anyone ever wiped out electrical devices with a pulse (whether in Dark Angel or Revolution, coming this fall; this does not count as a plug because I am no way associated with it), books could disappear, and although we could certainly start from scratch with them (or badly recreate them, like Kevin Costner does with Shakespeare in The Postman), it'd be a real shame to lose the classics. You know, like what Ray Bradbury wrote.
ReplyDeleteGreat man and a fine author.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post. RIP indeed.
ReplyDeleteWe lost a good one. I've seen tons of tributes to him.
ReplyDeleteSo sad when such a great author dies! Beautiful tribute.
ReplyDeleteHe'll be sorely missed.
ReplyDeleteI love ray bradbury, he will definately be missed. I wish I could write like him! I just got his book, zen and the art of writing. It is fantastic :)
ReplyDeleteAndrea
So interesting how one book can stay with you and become an influence, will have to locate and read this now...
ReplyDelete