Ray Bradbury Dead

S

Spokker

CAGiversary!
You've read at least one of his books, possibly under protest, and the man who wrote it died today.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/06/showbiz/ray-bradbury-obit/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

I know Bradbury beyond the books for his activism for public transportation in Los Angeles and his interest in Disneyland. In the 60s, the Los Angeles City Council opposed a plan that would build the first monorail line in the city. Bradbury blasted them, and it became a sticking point for him over the years.

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/06/ray_bradbury_wouldve_crisscrossed_la_with_monorails.php

He also defended Disneyland in its early years against critics who called it too kiddie. Here is one such letter to the editor that he wrote.

"Dear sirs: I think it goes without saying that I am as critical as you people are of many facets of American life. Lord knows I've raised my voice often enough. But when someone like Julian Halevy equates Disneyland and Las Vegas (The Nation, June 7), I begin to doubt his or my sanity.

Not that I haven't met his type before. The world is full of people who, for intellectual reasons, steadfastly refuse to let go and enjoy themselves. Mr. Halevy damns himself immediately when he states he is glad he didn't take a child with him to Disneyland. I did better than take a child; my first visit, I accompanied one of the great theatrical and creative minds of our time, Charles Laughton. I've never had such a day of zest and good humor. Mr Laughton is no easy mark; he has a gimlet eye and a searching mind. Yet he saw, and I found, in Disneyland, vast reserves of imagination before untapped in our country.

I admit I approach Disneyland with many intellectual reservations, myself, but these have been banished in my seven visits. Disney makes mistakes; what artist doesn't? But when he flies, he really flies. I shall be indebted to himf or a lifetime for his ability to let me fly over midnight London looking down on that fabulous city, in his Peter Pan ride. The Jungle Boat ride, too, is an experience of true delight and wonder. I could go on, but why bother?

I have a sneaking suspicion, after all is said and done, that Mr. Halevy truly loved Disneyland but is not man enough, or child enough, to admit it. I feel sorry for him. He will never travel in space, he will never touch the stars.

-Ray Bradbury
From Letters to the Editor, NATION, June 28, 1958.
Click to expand...

What a guy.
 
I love Ray Bradbury. His science fiction anthologies were released well before my time, but they're excellent nonetheless.

"The Illustrated Man and other stories" is a good place to start, if you're so inclined.
 
Death Is A Lonely Business, but not for Ray. He's been a beloved author for the past 60 out of his 91-year-long life. I'm going to go ahead and say he deserved to pass away quietly after such a long and fulfilling time spent enamoring the masses with his fiction. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top