Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) was an exceptional storyteller, a "poet of the possible," and one of the most popular authors in modern American literature. His literary career spanned six decades, leaving behind an impressive body of work that includes novels, essays, plays, screenplays for film and television, and numerous short story collections. Among his most renowned works are "Fahrenheit 451," "The Martian Chronicles," "The October Country," "The Illustrated Man," "Dandelion Wine," "Something Wicked This Way Comes," and others. He wrote plays and screenplays, including the screenplay for the film adaptation of "Moby Dick," directed by John Huston. He adapted sixty-five of his stories for the television show "The Ray Bradbury Theatre" and won an Emmy Award for the screenplay of the TV movie "The Halloween Tree." In 2000, he was honored with a medal from the National Book Foundation for his outstanding contribution to American literature. His more recent books include the novel "From the Dust Returned" (named one of the best of the year by the Los Angeles Times), the short stories "Quicker than the Eye," "The Cat's Pajamas," and "Bradbury Speaks," a collection of essays on the past, the future, and everything in between. He passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 91 on June 5, 2012.