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Ray Bradbury

liv

liv

New Member
Years and years ago, I read From the Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but I liked it just the same. Not enough to go off and read the rest of his works, however. This past summer, I decided to pick up an old, battered copy of The Illustrated Man. I think that decision is one of the best I have made in my entire life. This man is an absolute genius, and he finds ways to describe things you never thought could be described. Every page or so I would have to take a break, sit back, and soak in his words. I'd have to say he is likely my favorite author at this point in time. How have you guys received him?
 
I used to read quite a lot of Bradbury back in my SF days. I think it says a lot that so many of his books have stayed with me - The Martian Chronicles, Something Wicked This Way Comes and of course Fahrenheit 451 in particular. I'd have to revisit him to see if I'd rate him as highly as an author as you do, but he certainly has a knack for taking big and more or less outlandish ideas and bringing them down to a very realistic setting... Stephen King has spent his entire career trying to figure out how Bradbury does it.
 
And thankfully he is more original than Stephen King. Not hard to beat, though.
 
beer good said:
Stephen King has spent his entire career trying to figure out how Bradbury does it.
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Yes, definitely...

I bought The Illustrated Man when I was 17 and loved it. I lent it to a friend and never got it back. My favourite story from that book was The Veldt.

After that I read Farenheit 451, Machineries of Joy, I Sing The Body Electric and Long After Midnight - all dusty old books of my husband.

I got Something Wicked This Way Comes for Christmas in 07 and it's still sitting on my TBR pile...
 
In most cases, movie makes of books always disappoint.
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I have only read Fahrenheit 451 but I really enjoyed it. I'd like to read more of Bradbury so maybe he will become a favorite author in time.

sparkchaser said:
That's the problem. I don't have any recommendations and whoever Hollywood picks likely wouldn't be the right person.
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I vote for Christian Bale. He can do anything! :whistling:
 
I hope they don't remake Fahrenheit 451. They'll screw it up by changing things to fit their political agenda. As if Bradbury's message wasn't important enough . . .
 
If you got the right director, I think Fahrenheit 451 could turn out all right. Hollywood has the potential to make great movies, but most of the time they turn them into complete crap. I do think the message it gives is something that should be reiterated in our time. I also second the vote for Christian Bale. I mean, look how well he did in Equilibrium. He could do it justice. And the combination of Bale and Christopher Nolan (director) has seemed to work well in the past.
 
I, as well, have only read Fahrenheit 451, but I loved it! The way Bradbury tells the tale makes it such an enjoyable read. I'm definitely going to look into some of his other works.
 
Ray Bradbury was one of the first authors that I could not get enough of. The first Bradbury I ever read was his short story A Sound Of Thunder (When I was 12, and it was for school, so I didn't really care about it until after I read it). It was so amazing. I've read Fahrenheit 451, Something Wicked this Way Comes, Martian Chronicals and several of his short stories. On the waiting list is Illustrated Man and Dandilion Wine, and I can't wait to start them! He's just a nightmarish joy to read! ^_^
 
Didi_Gogo said:
Ray Bradbury was one of the first authors that I could not get enough of. The first Bradbury I ever read was his short story A Sound Of Thunder (When I was 12, and it was for school, so I didn't really care about it until after I read it). It was so amazing. I've read Fahrenheit 451, Something Wicked this Way Comes, Martian Chronicals and several of his short stories. On the waiting list is Illustrated Man and Dandilion Wine, and I can't wait to start them! He's just a nightmarish joy to read! ^_^
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You might want to follow up Dandilion Wine with Farewell Summer. I would also suggest Green Shadows, White Whale.
 
Many years ago I read Fahrenheit 451, didn't particularly like it. Reading it almost back to back with 1984 made me think what a poor man's version it was. But the idea of the Book-Men always stayed with me. I wish I could remember entire books in my head.

Lately I've been thinking of returning to Bradbury. What would you recommend?
 
Heteronym said:
Many years ago I read Fahrenheit 451, didn't particularly like it. Reading it almost back to back with 1984 made me think what a poor man's version it was. But the idea of the Book-Men always stayed with me. I wish I could remember entire books in my head.

Lately I've been thinking of returning to Bradbury. What would you recommend?
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It depends on what you like. If you like short stories or Sci Fi then you might try the The Martian Chronicles.

Green Shadows, White Whale came from when he was writing the screen play for Moby Dick. It's a lot of fun.

Dandelion Wine is my favorite.
 
But the idea of the Book-Men always stayed with me. I wish I could remember entire books in my head.
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I always thought that was the neatest thing! Then I got to thinking, "What if this actually happened and I had the responsibility of memorizing an entire book?" The question then became: what book? I still can't answer my own question. I don't know that I could decide. For me, though, it would have to be something short and impressionable due to my faulty memory. ^_^
 
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