I'm just curious if Ray still reads his mail. I know his fan mail adress from the other mail thread.

I'd love to send something to him, but after mauling it over I began to think that at this point in his life, he probably doesn't need to hear 15-year-old kids raving about how great he is.

Still, I think we have a lot in common. I know it sounds stupid, but every so often, you meet someone or learn of someone who you feel like you have a really strong link with, and I certainly feel that way about Ray. Not only in his writing, but the way he sees the world, his friendship with one of my idols, Walt Disney (who was not the money grubbing phoney who many believe he was today), his love for the world's fairs (which I never got to experience), his love for old movies (which I never got to see in the theatre), architecture, and something else that's spiritual that I can't describe in words...

In short, Ray Bradbury feels like a link to everything I love but was born too late to experience firsthand, because we love the same things. He just happens to also be an incredible writer. Not to sound greedy or concieted, but I feel like it's important to contact him and get some contact back, even if it is a little scribbled sentence, because I'd regret it in the future when it's too late because, well...you know what I mean.

So has anybody gotten a letter from Ray back if you wrote to him? Sorry for being so long-winded

[This message has been edited by scarywarhol (edited 04-06-2005).]

Good question! For a long time we discouraged people sending him mail or said, if you do, don't expect an answer, as his eyesight was so poor he had to hold an item about half an inch from his one good eye to read it! Cataract surgery has now given him perfect eyesight, but he may still have the mobility problems such as difficulty typing which have plagued him since his stroke, so I am unable to give an absolute answer to your question.

I sent two copies of the 50th Anniversary issue of F451 to Ray and I got mine back in about a week. The friend, in Philadelphia, got hers about the same time.

However, I sent it directly to his house, I mailed in a Priority Mail envelope and with two stamped, addressed Priority Mail envelopes inside for Ray to simply place the books inside, seal and mail.

He spoils you.

Sent congrat messages to him from my students when he received the medal from the Pres. He forwarded a letter and then a card within a week's time.

Yes, Dandy. I was kindly advised in a similar manner and have refrained from books. Though with the new BIO, I sure would be tempted. What a guy!

That's great!

but...
"I sent it directly to his house"

what is his home adress?

it's really amazing that an author so famous as he is still takes time to send some sort of a response to fans

I'd love to send a letter to Ray, and maybe talk to him before it's, as was put by Scarywarhol "too late because, well...you know what I mean."

One of the reasons I'd like to E-mai him is that I feel similar to him. When I read "The ZEN in the ART of WRITING" I was shocked at half the things we had in common. I mean they probably aren't Rare attributions, but it did feel like he and I were the only ones that had them as I read along. In fact in one of my year books they had a thing like what do you want most, and I put down �To live forever.�

And while I haven't been a fan of all his work, and did skip a chapter* here or a chapter there of the Martian Chronicals I did like Fahrenheit 451 like Millions of others. I mean it's one of those books you remember. I mean I'm not necessarily good with names, dates, whatever. But I remember where I was when I read that book. I remember picking it up in B&N. I remember flipping the pages feverishly racing towards the end. It's one of those books that has to be read, and could be compared to a fine wine. Except that with a wine you need to wait for it to ripen with age, but with Ray's book it's ready whenever you pop the cork. Whether it's a first edition just came on the shelf, or a 50th anniversary edition.

{eyes down cast} Anyway I'd also like to send him a letter, but unlike someone I won't ask for his home address. Everyone is entitle to there privacy even the best author in the world.

*Ray said somewhere that most of his "Chapters" are stories. I can pin point where it was though.

[This message has been edited by Alexander (edited 05-07-2005).]

Alexander, you saw the responses telling how to contact Mr. Bradbury, right?

Yes, I think so...

[This message has been edited by Alexander (edited 05-10-2005).]