I just got off of the phone to ask Ray who does his hair and he laughed. He then told me that he was just informed earlier today that he has won a Pulitzer Prize for his body of works and that there should be some notice of this in the papers soon.

Since I just spoke with Ray I wanted to pass this great news on!

Wow! How exciting is that??? I can't wait to get confirmation and read the write-up. Very Exciting!!!!

Found a short announcement:

"Monday, April 16, 2007
Pulitzer Surprise
Ray Bradbury adds another award to his collection this year, as the Pulitzer Prize Committee have just given him a Special Citation. The official press release declares:

"SPECIAL CITATIONS
A Special Citation to Ray Bradbury for his distinguished, prolific and deeply influential
career as an unmatched author of science fiction and fantasy."

Very, very cool!

Back to edit. Just got off the phone with Ray and told him how very excited I am about this. He said he was surprised and also very excited. We talked for a couple minutes and I ended telling him his fans are very, very excited about this, and he said "Well, God bless you all". What more can you say?

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How absolutely FANTASTIC for Mr. Bradbury to receive this well-deserved recognition and ultimate literary honor! Three loud cheers to Mr. B and to Douglas and Tom, Montag and Clarisse, The Illustrated Man, Will and Jim, Uncle Einar, Grandpa Spaulding, Colonel Freeleigh, The White Whale, All those Pioneers to Mars (and, of course, the ancient Martians), Crumley and Constance, Ancient Creatures from space and ocean depths and pre-historic jungles, and ...

Thanks so much to The American Icon, The Master of Metaphor, The Storyteller Extraordinaire! Your Myriad of Characters - Tales - Metaphors - Images - Allusions - Laughs - Tears - Fears - Futures - Pasts - Warnings - Truths - Gifts - and Kindnesses, that you have unceasingly shared with so many generations of readers, in every corner of the World, have fulfilled Mr. Electrico's prediction. Live Forever!!

A Pulitzer! It just doesn't get any better than that.

(Thanks for the call, Biplane!!)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fjp451,

Huzzah! Hurray for Papa Ray!

Here is part of an AP story that appeared today regarding Ray's Pulitzer Prize;


Science fiction, another art form long ignored by the Pulitzers, was recognized as "Fahrenheit 451" author Ray Bradbury, 87, was cited for "his distinguished, prolific and deeply influential career."

Great for Mr. Bradbury, his family, and us--his adoring fans. But the cynic in me can't help but wonder how a genre which has always prided itself on being literature's bastard son will be affected by this. It's like when they started knighting rockstars a few years back and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards freaked out.

At any rate, not to pee in the punch, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fell-OH!!!
Which nobody can deny.

================================================

I don't think it will hurt anything. I think it just gives better visibility to the Sci-fi/fantasy genres. Bradbury has always said sci-fi is the cutting-edge literature of the day. This award doesn't change that, it just finally recognizes it.

All I have to say is this:

It's about time...

Congratulations, Ray!

On a tacky commercial note, I believe the Pulitzer also comes with a generous cash prize. (Not that Ray actually NEEDS the money, but it's nice...)

I can only think of one word - Validation. Those of us who knew of Ray and his work in the early years can now proudly point and say - see, I told you so. Ray has been on the shelf with the great authors for some time now, but this award is the final validation of his unique contribution to American literature.

I think most Bradbury fans go through the same emotions of wonderment, excitement, and joy at finding someone who can move a reader in many ways with carefully crafted words on a page, to the point that you would rather re-read Bradbury than someone new, because the experience has been so moving and has touched your heart in places you may not easily expose to the world. To all my English teachers who thought I was reading the prose version of Mad Magazine in the fifties I say - take that!

Long overdue. I'm so happy about this, no one could deserve it more. Congrats to Ray!

Congratulations, Mr. Bradbury. You are still a trailblazer!

Better late than never!!

CONGRATULATIONS, MR. BRADBURY!!!

And Congratulations, Pulitzer Prize Committee, for finally showing your good sense!

quote:

Originally posted by Robert M Blevins:
On a tacky commercial note, I believe the Pulitzer also comes with a generous cash prize...

If you look at the Press Release on Puliter.org, you will see that the regular Prizes come with a cash prize (tens of thousands of dollars typically), but there is no mention of any cash for Ray's "Special" citation.

What an honor: to record the hopes and dreams of a planet in writing, and at long last, to be recognized for such a noble task!

Thanks, and congratulations, Mr. Bradbury!

CELEBRATE!!!

GIVE A BIG THANKS OUT TO ANNE HARDIN!

TAKE CARE
PATRICK