Sci-fi legend Ray Bradbury dies aged 91

6^th June 2012

Abigail Moss

Abigail Moss

6 June 2012

Ray Bradbury, one of the great names in science fiction and fantasy literature, has died aged 91. American novelist Ray Bradbury’s first published work came in 1947, a collection of short stories entitled Dark Carnival. Bradbury was best known for his still deservedly popular modern classic Fahrenheit 451, a novel which criticised television as promoting ignorance – a brave criticism to make during the TV boom of the 1950s. This novel still graces curriculums in English Literature classes in the US and UK, often beside other dystopian classics such as George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. During his illustrious career, many of Bradbury’s works were adapted to film and television. Fahrenheit 451 was adapted for screen and directed by cinematic great Francois Truffaut in 1966.

Ray Bradbury was heralded as one of the most astute and skilled writers of speculative fiction of the 20^th century – his works influenced numerous writers, scientists and artists. So much so that he has a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s walk of fame.

Bradbury was born on 22^nd August 1920 in Illinois, but moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1934. He did not attend college, but graduated from Los Angeles High School, where classes in creative writing and poetry began to spark his fascination with sci-fi literature. Despite being slowed down somewhat by a stroke a few years back, Bradbury continued writing into his 90s. His final published work was printed only last week in the New Yorker, an essay entitled Take Me Home. Ray Bradbury’s wife of 56 years Marguerite Bradbury died back in 2003. He is survived by four daughters and eight grandchildren. In a statement concerning Ray Bradbury’s death, his grandson Danny Karapetian commented: “His legacy lives on in his monumental body of books, film, television and theater, but more importantly, in the minds and hearts of anyone who read him.”

Abigail Moss