Del Rey has long been privileged to be one of Ray Bradbury’s publishers. The photo above, from our archives, is a Christmas card from Ray to Judy-Lynn Del Rey.
It seems an impossible task to memorialize Ray Bradbury. The loss to readers, of generations past, present, and future, and all over this world—and in worlds yet uncolonized and undiscovered—is profound. But I find that as I write this, my grief is gold-threaded with joy.
Because what I’ve been thinking about, as I have read the tributes, heartbreaking and heart-lifting, all around the Internet this day, are the gifts he gave us all. For my part, he gave me the gift of my vocation: I can trace a direct path from my youthful reading of The Martian Chronicles to choosing to devote my life to editing science fiction and fantasy at Del Rey. And we will feel, even a thousand years from now when we are living in gold cities in Venus, or in shining vessels in the farthest reaches of space, his influence on science fiction and writing and American culture. From his stories have come a thousand stories—how many writers became writers after they read “Homecoming” or “All Summer in a Day” or The Golden Apples of the Sun? And how many readers, like Granger in Fahrenheit 451, kept his stories alive in their hearts and minds forever?
But he gave us something more, even, than the gift of his extraordinary books. The Martian Chronicles didn’t just make me a devoted science fiction fan and a book editor: Ray Bradbury made me a dreamer. He showed me, and millions of other readers, how to travel back in time, and recover from the distant October country of childhood an unending love of sideshows, space travel, gorillas, and dinosaurs…and how to keep forever the eternal boyish optimism he himself retained well into his golden years. And he showed us the way to the future, and not just visions of impossible cities on faraway worlds or prescient visions of unimaginable technology; he reminded us of that these visions will only be built with Hope and Imagination and Joy.
–Tricia Narwani, Editorial Director, Del Rey Books
I love the Bradbury’s book to.I read first The Martian Chronicles than Fahrenheit 451 and many others books.He was a genious. But,he lives forever and his works to.
Yes, Ray Bradbury was/IS Still a hero of mine. I saw him at Comic-Con …. I’ve loved his fiction dearly since I was a teen.
His works have influenced my life, and provided more than a few weeks of reading pleasure, over its long duration ….
One of the literary greats of our time is now hanging, and shining bright, in the firmament: and in our hearts.
We’ll miss you Ray: but we’ll always have the marks you left on paper, and in our hearts, to remember you by. :’(
I first saw him live in the late 60s-early 70s in the gym of our local community college where I was a student. At that time he signed my well-read copy of his poetic prose novel, Dandelion Wine. I was able to see him again a year or so ago again at the college (this time in the theater) for a library event. I wish there could have been more times to hear and see him, but I’m very glad for the times I was able to be there, and his words will always be with me.
I have been reading Ray Bradbury since I was about 10 & had read everything in the children’s section of the Anaheim Public Library & a nice librarian introduced me to his books. A few years later I was able to see & hear him speak at a Friends of the Anaheim Public Library lecture & get copies of several of his books signed. I hung on every word! I heard him speak several years after that at Fullerton College. In recent years, Ray’s presence was a highlight of San Diego Comic-Con. I know I will still be looking to catch a glimpse of him this year!