I think it might also be the fact that as a genre, sci fi/fantasy often doesn't get the respect it deserves. (The Rodney Dangerfield of literature?) Of course most of us at this board love it and even worship it, but there are many people that think of it as second-class. I can't tell you the number of teachers I have worked with over the years that honestly don't understand why I love it so much and always do a huge unit of sci fi/fantasy stories. Most of them do one or two stories, if that, and then quickly move on. And it's not just teachers. Lots of people just don't "get it."

Oprah tends towards certain themes in and types of literature. She prefers stories of children overcoming brutal childhoods and topics about women. Face it, Ray has NEVER been much for writing about oppressed minority groups or for "balance." For instance, all the main characters in "The Martian Chronicles" are white males of American ancestry. He didn't make efforts to present a woman captain (and responded violently to the suggestion) or depict colonization efforts from other countries. Someone could write about a Russian colonization of Mars and come up with a whole different book.

My brother-in-law says the alarming thing about Oprah's book club is it's such an influence that "authors are starting to write to Oprah, which is not helping American literature."

Has to do with being in the right place at the right time. For instance:

...I wrote Harpo Studios some 6, 7 years ago about the notion of having Ray Bradbury considered as a guest. Nothing! Now just where did my idea go? Onto a pile of papers viewed by somebody and maybe nobody??!! Now back in 1993, I got into the audience on Oprah, and after the show, everyone that wanted could go up to Oprah and shake her hand and have a few words with her... I did! And 'THERE' would have been an excellent opportunity to say, Hey! Let me tell you about Ray Bradbury etc etc. But there was no book club back then anyway. If someone would have gotten the word directly to her, and showed her some of Ray's books, and tell her he was 'local boy', etc etc...maybe!! MAYBE...that would have helped. Otherwise... it's the long and vast wide sea of open video air....

Interesting, Imskipper. Genre fiction sometimes can't even win over the academics, even when it's award-winning, poetic, and powerful, as in the case of RB. I'm so glad that you do a whole unit of sci-fi/fantasy each year...you are the wave of the future, I hope.

I also wonder that if Ray's roots were somewhere other than Illinois, would he glean more respect from the locals, i.e. Oprah. Does he suffer from neglect from his home state because they take him for granted?

Anyway, it's a shame that Oprah has not honoured RB. He is, after all, simply a master of words and wonder. You'd think that that should be enough.

Oprah, and her Harpo Productions, are inundated with publisher's copies of books and press releases about upcoming books. There are no doubt hundreds of worthy books that she could choose for her book club.

As dandelion said, Oprah tends to choose books whose central characters are women, minorities, or children.

There are hundreds of books she could chose from, but they don't all represent the impact Ray's literature has had on tens of thousands of readers. Each generation creates a new wave of Bradbury fans. His influence is throughout the culture. I think LMSkipper is partly right (that there is a cultural prejudice against sci-fi/fantasy) and that Dandelion is also right (that Oprah's themes are focused on overcoming abuse and women). Although I think Bradbury was on the forefront of civil rights with stories about partially integrated baseball games and the story about the American couple trapped in Mexico during a nuclear explosion and the turning of tables of prejudice and power, and the story in MC where the blacks are in power and the whites have to come and put themselves at their mercy. Bradbury has written much that is very sympathetic to the hispanic culture. I don't think its fair to imply that he's not been sensitive in those areas. But he's not known for his nuanced characterizations about women.

Mr. Dark,
I agree. I've always thought that Ray Bradbury was ahead of his time when it came to his treatment of minorities in his books.

As for women, he has created countless female characters who are smart, creative, and, yes, darkly fascinating and troubled.

Just my opinion.

Per the characterizations of women, a thought: One thing the Martian Chronicles mini-series did right, it captured the mysterious, graceful, and alien beauty of Ylla! (Right off the page - a rarity in RB film adapts.)

And then, of course, there is Cecy!

quote:

As for women, he has created countless female characters who are smart, creative, and, yes, darkly fascinating and troubled.

Countless? Why am I having trouble remembering more than a handful of any female characters of consequence?

Sigh. Where to begin?

In his best-known work, Fahrenheit 451, Clarisse and Mildred are inspired and complex characters, characters that are fascinating and indelible. Any actress would give her eye teeth to play either part.

In "I Sing the Body Electric!" Grandma is the most important and, of course, the heart and soul of this short story.

I could go on and on, but it would be nice to hear from others. I have to go to work.

Perhaps there are not THAT many women characters created by Ray!? Okay, let's list them as we recall.

My favorite is Ol' Mam, from "Death and the Maiden."

Then there was the woman in 'The Tombling Day'. I will have to locate a story and get her name.

Of course the girl from 'April Witch'. Note also that Ray has mentioned 'April Witch' as one of his favorite stories he has written.

Then there are women we never meet. How about the woman in "And The Sailor at Home from the Sea." A lovely lovely story.

Or how about the women in 'Fahrenheit 451?' Memorable? Like the older woman who tried to stop her house from being burned down with her books, is memorable.

Check out "The Cistern" and "The Day It Rained Forever".

RB paints the perfect portrait of the heroic female character when he describes the matriarch of Douglas's family in Dandelion Wine, who, in her final spiritual scene, depicts the qualities of inspiration, wisdom, discipline, tradition, hope, affectation, and LOVE ~ Great-grandma Spaulding!!

Great female characters who have stuck with me: the teacher in "Emissary", the girl in "The Lake", Cora in "The Great Wide World Over There". (I'm generally rubbish at remembering character names, I'm afraid.)

But many of Ray's females are secondary, and serve primarily to focus the story of the male protagonist. Lots of mothers, grandmothers, nurturing teachers, free spirits; not many other professions represented.