1. Ray Bradbury

2. Bradbury - Childhood Born in 1920
Waukegan, Illinois
Influenced by sci-fi and films at a young age
1932 (age 12) – writing Martian stories
1934 (age 14) – moves to L.A.
Spent time at film studios, loved movies
1938 (age 18-19) – graduated from HS
Family had little money, Bradbury sold newspapers to help out
Spent free time reading and writing
Bradbury - Childhood

3. Bradbury – Adult Life 1941 (age 21) – sells first story
Increased to one story/month
Most sold to sci-fi and horror mags
Also sold to Saturday Evening Post!
VERY popular magazine
1947 (age 27) – published first collection
Dark Carnival
Horror stories
1950 (age 30) – Martian Chronicles
Sci-fi stories = reflected American fears (nuclear war, racism, censorship, fear of change – technology)
Bradbury – Adult Life

4. Bradbury – Adult Life 1953 (age 33) – Fahrenheit 451
Written on coin-operate typewriter
Cost $9.80 to write
Sci-fi = reflected 1950s issues with censorship and WWII/Nazism (Nazism = controlling government)
Made into a movie (1967)
2001 version?
new version 2012??
Bradbury – Adult Life

5. Has written MANY other books, short stories, poems, screenplays (movies), scripts (TV), etc.
The Illustrated Man
Collection of sci-fi stories
The Red Pony
Dandelion Wine
Semi-autobiographical
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Bradbury is still alive! (91 years old)
Does some speaking events, books signings, etc.
Bradbury – Adult Life