Ray Bradbury, the beloved science fiction and fantasy writer who blended social commentary with warnings about the dark side of modern technology, died on Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 91 after a long illness, his website announced.
In a career spanning more than 70 years, Bradbury took readers on out-of-the-world journeys to the outermost edges of the galaxy without having to leave their reading rooms.
Bradbury’s most celebrated works include his dystopian novel “Fahrenheit 451,” science fiction short story collection “The Martian Chronicles,” and “The Illustrated Man.”
In Bradbury’s honor, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America for screenwriting has named its Ray Bradbury Award after him. Bradbury was also given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to give credit to his novels that have been adapted into television shows and films.
In a book of essays titled “Bradbury Speaks” in 2005, Bradbury captures his life in his later years. “I have looked in the mirror each day and found a happy person staring back,” he wrote. “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.
Bradbury was born on Aug. 22, 1920 in Waukegan, Ill. was an avid reader and writer throughout his childhood. He was particularly influenced and impressed by the writings of Edgar Allan Poe.
He is survived by his four daughters, Susan Nixon, Ramona Ostergren, Bettina Karapetian, and Alexandra Bradbury, and eight grandchildren’s. His wife of 57 years, Marguerite, died in 2003.
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