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The legendary writer of science fiction, Ray Bradbury, died peacefully last night in Los Angeles, California, after a lengthy illness, at the age of 91. Bradbury authored such classic science fiction books as Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, and Something Wicked This Way Comes – in all, almost 50 books. Bradbury also penned 600 short stories. In addition, he predicted such things as ATMs and live broadcasts of fugitive car chases.

The article on CNN shares a Bradbury quote about happiness, one with which I now CERTAINLY agree:

“In my later years I have looked in the mirror each day and found a happy person staring back.” he wrote in a book of essays published in 2005. “Occasionally I wonder why I can be so happy. The answer is that every day of my life I’ve worked only for myself and for the joy that comes from writing and creating. The image in my mirror is not optimistic, but the result of optimal behavior.”

A statement by HarperCollins said:

“In a career spanning more than 70 years, Ray Bradbury has inspired generations of readers to dream, think and create,” the statement said. “A prolific author of hundreds of short stories and close to 50 books, as well as numerous poems, essays, operas, plays, teleplays and screenplays, Bradbury was one of the most celebrated writers of our time.”

Comments came from EVERYWHERE.

From the White House:

“For many Americans, the news of Ray Bradbury’s death immediately brought to mind images from his work, imprinted in our minds, often from a young age,” President Obama said. “His gift for storytelling reshaped our culture and expanded our world. But Ray also understood that our imaginations could be used as a tool for better understanding, a vehicle for change, and an expression of our most cherished values. There is no doubt that Ray will continue to inspire many more generations with his writing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

From Steven Spielberg:

“He was my muse for the better part of my sci-fi career,” director Steven Spielberg said. “He lives on through his legion of fans. In the world of science fiction and fantasy and imagination he is immortal.”

From author Stephen King:

“Ray Bradbury wrote three great novels and 300 great stories,” author Stephen King said. “One of the latter was called ‘A Sound of Thunder.’ The sound I hear today is the thunder of a giant’s footsteps fading away. But the novels and stories remain, in all their resonance and strange beauty.”

Bradbury won the 2000 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, the 2004 National Medal of Arts and a 2007 Pulitzer Prize Special Citation. His family moved from his native Waukegan, Illinois to Los Angeles during the Great Depression, and Bradbury lived there ever since.

Bradbury once said, “I started writing every day. I never stopped.”

CNN writes:

He is survived by his four daughters, Susan Nixon, Ramona Ostergren, Bettina Karapetian and Alexandra Bradbury, and eight grandchildren. His wife of 57 years, Marguerite, died in 2003.

-Bill at

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