Does anyone know of R.B. was influenced by T.S. Eliot? While he writes many of his favorite authors into his stories, such as Hemmingway, Baum, Poe, etc, I don't remember seeing Elliot ever mentioned. Still there is this passage in The Waste Land, eeirily reminscent of The Illustrated Man:

[speaking of a Dust-Witchesque woman's tarot pack:]

...and this card, which is blank, is something he carries on his back,
Which I am forbidden to see.

The other characters in the pack, and in fact the poem as a whole, are all very Bradbury-like.

So does anyone know if R.B. was familiar with Elliot?

He read just about everybody but certainly claims to be more influenced by some than others.

Okay, was just on the phone and asked him. The rest of the conversation, I will post under one of the "Spoke to Ray" threads, rather than starting a new one every time someone speaks to Ray.

One thing to get used to with Ray is he is about the most UN-wishy-washy person on the face of this (or other?) planets. When he has an opinion on anything, he almost always loves or hates it. When asked about Eliot, he said, "Oh, no! I hated his poetry. I love Yeats and Emily Dickinson." Then he very quickly changed the subject, as he also doesn't like to dwell on what he hates or why he hates it.

(Edit: Spelling! It's T. S. Eliot, one "l," one "t.")

This message has been edited. Last edited by: dandelion,

Thanks!

It's great to get a Bradbury question I don't know and be able to answer it!