I know, that all or most of you who post here enjoy ray bradbury books (hence the site i suppose), but are there other literary interests that coincide? Any other authors you like? fiction-science fiction etc...? Also another item: i've read that Bradbury just started writing on a type writer in the library with out any previous education on the inner working or mechanics of english, story-telling, literary history... If this is true, do any of you believe this has had it's effect? 2nd item: does anyone know the difference between a violin and a fiddle (physical or just the way its played?) refrence sites and stuff is greatly appreciated. 3rd item: do you think it unnatural for me to fear living in the midwest because its landlocked- its almost like claustraphobia, no ocean no way out.wierd.

1) I tend not to like the hard SF or high Fantasy so much. I do like stories that are slightly off-center, a little strange or unsettling. I would probably put Harlan Ellison high on my list. Also, Charles Baxter used to write amazing stories, and his collection Through the Safety Net is one of my favorites. Also, Bruce Holland Rogers, especially stories like "The Dead Boy at Your Window." That's probably one of the best stories I've read in the last ten years.

2)Bradbury was educated in a public library. I do think it made it easier for him to "follow his bliss" to borrow an old phrase. But considering Ray's strong personality, I have a feeling he would have found "true north" no matter where he was.

3)A violin is played by young people in a series of tortuous lessons, or snotty people in tuxes. A fiddle is played by mountain folk having a hootenanny or cats in nursery rhymes.

4)Yes. Very unnatural. But if you lived in California, you'd just be afraid of the coast cracking off and sinking into the ocean during the next earthquake. So stay where you are.

DOH! Charles Baxter's collection is Through the SAFETY NET, not Looking Glass.


[This message has been edited by WritingReptile (edited 05-08-2003).]

Mephistopeles:

per 'WritingReptile's #4 reply':

Hmm!
Lived in LA for 18+ years and went thru some earthcreakes.
But 'NOTHING'...compared to the' BIG ONE' in the Midwest, coming soon..
It's called the Madrid Faultline, centered in Missouri. It gives way approx. every 185-230 years. The window for another earthquake opened awhile ago. But no one much talks about it here in the Midwest. By far, largest every recorded. Last time it hit in the Midwest, it rang church bells in Philadelphia, knocked Thomas Jefferson out of his bed, and "reversed" the course of the Mississippi river.
And you thought nothing ever happens at the Grand Hotel.

Meph--I love high fantasy, historical fiction, horror in small doses, and I especially love Victorian mysteries, such as those by Anne Perry, who by the way, served time for murder. (I love studying my favorite authors.) I like many other genres, but those are my favorites.



[This message has been edited by lmskipper (edited 05-08-2003).]

Mephistopheles,
As far as other science fiction goes, some stuff hits my taste, some doesn't. I've found I like Orson Scott Card quite a bit, along with some Robert Heinlein, Philip Dick, and Brian Aldiss. Kind of like WritingReptile said- the stuff that's on the cerebral side more than the speculative. Other non-scifi writers- that's a lot to name here- what pops up is Emerson, Frederico Garcia Lorca, John Irving, Richard Matheson, Wallace Stevens, Stephen King, Roald Dahl, Edward Gorey (as both a writer and illustrator), Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Heller, and I'm going to stop here even though I'll think of more as soon as I press button that activates this rapidly approaching period.

Also-
same instrument, different music, different style of playing, and usually different way of learning music (aural rather than written).
Snotty people in tuxes, eh? (Dan glances over at his own, slightly threadbare tux...) Maybe, but those are violinists. Us cellists are of a different breed.

And watch out for that Colonial quake- sounds like a humdinger.


Dan

Well, given the last few days, I'd take a California earthquake (I was in the Sylmar, Whittier and World Series earthquakes), over these danged tornadoes any time, any place. These poor people in the states above us. Oklahoma City just had another big one tonight.

As far as Science Fiction, Some authors I like are:

Ray Bradbury
Harlan Ellison
Theodore Sturgeon
Isaac Asimov
Larry Niven
Brian Aldiss
Arthur C. Clarke
Frank Herbert
Robert Silverberg
Philip K. Dick
Thomas R. Donaldson (Thomas Covenant Series)
Ursula K. LeGuin
Clifford D.Simak
Robert E. Howard
Gordon R. Dickson
Roger Zelazny
J.R.R. Tolkien

It's late, so this is not exhaustive. I went from Bradbury to science fiction to philosophy to literature. Bradbury opened me up to literature, ideas, philosophy, literature, speculative fiction, poetry, etc., etc., etc.


[This message has been edited by Mr. Dark (edited 05-09-2003).]

Much Of The Theodore Sturgeon Short Stories Are Comparable To Bradbury's. Sturgeon's Subject Matter And Style Have A Sharper Edge, Sorta New Wave At Times, A Beatnik Bradbury If You Will. They Share An Undaunting Sense Of Optimism. Sturgeons Characters Are Richer, They May Remind You Of People You've Known Or Would Like To Know. His Stories Almost Always Have A Happy Ending And The Reader Can't Help But Walk Away Feeling Enriched, Just Like Bradbury.
I Recommend Sturgeon Is Alive And Well.

Not one of these people ever played for the Yankees. This thread is a total tease.

Mr. Dark-

I'm sure you meant Stephen R. Donaldson.

An ongoing, probably never-to-be-settled argument with Bradbury is his assertion that "writers shouldn't go to college." He had only a high school education with a course in the short story and one in poetry--the rest was self-taught at the library. BUT look at the "school" he was in with the Science Fiction California Writers' Club or whatever its exact name. All those great minds to interact with, bounce ideas off of, read and critique. Speaking as a person raised in a rural area with no such resources, college was INVALUABLE to me and I would HATE to see ANYONE waste an opportunity to go just because Bradbury or someone with similar ideas said so! This may be the best if not only opportunity for some people to interact with like-minded people. Living in a large urban area from the age of 14 on, I think Bradbury has WAY underestimated the benefits of such contact to those in less gifted areas. When I was in my third or fourth year at college, someone told me Bradbury was corresponding with some kid he knew and urged the kid to quit high school because he was wasting his time. I was horrified! First he's down on a college education, and now he's urging high school dropouts! I asked, "What did he say to do instead?" and the person answered, "Go straight into college, of course." Of course, I don't know if this student planned to pursue writing or if so what kind, but I was greatly relieved. Being not brilliant enough to drop out of high school and go straight to college, I did it the slow way and have never regretted it. As far as Bradbury's education, let's call him a fiddler who was self-taught to play the violin, so his music strikes different notes than that taught by the stuffed-shirt snots, which may have been the point he was trying to make with the anti-college remarks. He certainly has no problem with colleges in principle, judging by the number of them at which he has spoken!

Stephen R. Donaldson . . . right! I loved his "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever" trilogy. Absolutely loved it.

I wouldn't trade my college education, either. Bradbury's reading has been broad and eclectric -- equivalant to a lot of college work, superior to some. It worked for him.

When I was younger, and knew everything, I was not going to go to college. My dad's argument was that I was too smart NOT to go to college. He said I would never stop learning whether I went to college or not. That wasn't the issue. But what he feared I was going to miss was the breadth of knowledge that other ideas would bring to me and the opportunity to be in the presence of people who were experts in their fields (for me, philosophy and literature). He was right. I gained a lot from my reading, but I also gained a lot by exchanges with other students (especially in graduate school) and with professors who went above and beyond pure scholarship.

I considered not going to college due to Bradbury's remark, and it was also my dad who talked me into it. He said I'd meet people and come into contact with influences I'd otherwise miss. He was certainly right, and did everything possible to advance my education, for which I can't thank him enough! College was worth it for access to the library alone, not to mention the professors and students! For anyone thinking of going, if one school does not agree with you, switch schools, but don't give up on getting an education you have the opportunity to acquire! The other person I have really to thank is my best friend and roommate. I was seriously nervous about living away from home and had not this person I'd known since fourth grade gone with me I might not have been able to go through with it. It was something I was simply "meant" to do!

Since this Posting Cabinet looks pretty darn good for filing 'papers' of undetermined headings, I will file this brief comment...

Mr. Dark:
Looks like ...once you approach 30 more topic replies, you will have reached that dreaded doorstep of # 666. How in the world are you going to handle it?

However, more pressing, and timely, is a word of.... 'Happy Anniversary Mr. Dark'. One Year at these Posts on May 11th.

And for all others having passed the year, an equal , tho belated, Happy Anniversary to you, too... (Good grief but it's going by fast...)



[This message has been edited by Nard Kordell (edited 05-10-2003).]

Thanks, Nard. I didn't notice I'd passed 600 postings. Hopefully, some of them have been useful to people.

A layoff from the now infamous Nortel Networks gave me the freedom to go back to my roots at many levels -- one of my favorite post-layoff activities was to take time to refresh my relationship with Bradbury. This board has been great and has motivated me to do a great deal of re-reading, study, re-thinking, etc. I've been able to do a book review on a biography of Bradbury a few months back, and participate with some totally great people on these message boards -- other people whose lives have been touched by Ray.

I'm hoping this board is active and around long enough for me to reach a post of 1,000. Then we should find a middle location (not during tornado season) and have a bunch of the "seasoned" veterans meet for dinner somewhere. Or, maybe we could all meet out in LA and take Ray out to dinner to thank him.

My thanks to those of you who have enriched my live by your insights into Ray's work and for your support through my hospital bout and sickness (I am grateful for the off-line emails I received from many of you!), and just in providing a great forum and meeting place for Bradbury lovers.

hey, thanks a lot guys. I greatly appreciate the input, sorry i havent resonded sooner. I do think it's interesting that Bradbury would advocate dropping out, or saying writers shouldnt go to college. Usually the ones we hold in such high esteem (especially writers) are more inclined to the (generaly accepted) "greater good" of schooling and then doing someting meaningful, though in retrospect this could just be the writers conforming to social mold. (2)i was curious about the fiddle cause i done bought one off e-bay (dont do the e-bay kids... it'll mess you up). And yeah, i live in the bay area so i geuss its the lesser of two evils fall in the ocean or get blown to OZ... but no quick decisions.
And i also like alot of the writers you listed, im more for sci-fi and philosophy and anything between the two. I have to recomend a great new book called
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel -truly one of the best stories i have ever read.
But i think my favorite series are the Dune chronicles, by frank Hurbert. Dune (and the others) are the greatst cross of philosophical speculation and metaphysical meanderings and great story i have come across. i dont have the time to name all the other autors i like but those are two great novels.
~Meph