Groon:

Dr. Asimov died from heart and kindey failure--complications of AIDS. He contracted the disease from a contaminated blood transfusion. The scandal was the FALSE rumour that his wife wanted to keep this quiet. The shame of it was the fact that his DOCTORS, for some unknown reason, persuaded him to keep it a secret. His wife, Dr. Janet Jeppson Asimov, had nothing to do with hiding the details of his death.

Yestermorrow:

The only complaint I would have on C.S. Lewis with my limited reading of him I would say that he wrote like a professor. Unlike Bradbury I get from him the idea that he was the scholar's scholar and he probably was, but it is not pleasant reading, at least for me. His writing, from what little I've read, is condescending to me for some reason as if he is trying to discuss Shakepeare with a maggot.

and dandelion:

I think Ellison let Jefty write that one for him.


[This message has been edited by Ought Not (edited 01-24-2004).]

I made an attempt to read all of Lewis's fiction and some of his non-fiction. For the most part I liked it but it didn't grab me in the way or to the extent that Bradbury did.

Ought Not, Ellison said Jeffty was one of his half dozen best stories ever. I assume (at least by fame) that two others would be "Repent Harlequin said the Ticktockman" and "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream." Anyone know the other three? Dare I ask? I will read them, really I will...but if I don't like them, after those six, THAT'S IT! I give things a fair chance but I am no glutton for punishment, far from it.

Well, I have not read much of his non-fiction, but as for the Space Trilogy, it is amazing. Sure, it doesn't capture you in the same way as Bradbury, but he shows you things in a whole new way, and I must say that I am very much drawn in. He does sound a little like a professor, but I'm guessing that has something to do with the fact that he is, well, a Professor. I wouldnt say he sounds condescending, just intelligent and wise. But it is definitely not boring, it is in fact quite engaging. Inevitably, this will vary with different people, but I sure enjoy his writing.

I did have to look up a lot of words while reading Lewis. Now, you wouldn't expect Ray to sound like a professor, never having gone past high school, but...I used one of those ten-dollar words in a conversation with him and he sure knows what they all mean! He just tends to express himself a bit differently.

dandelion:

I've only read Jeffty is Five and it was an ok story. It was in a fantasy collection called A Treasury of Modern Fantasy which is pretty good. It has Robert Bloch's "That Hell-Bound Train", John Collier's "Man Overboard", Lovecraft's frightening "The Rats in the Walls", and of course Mr. Bradbury's "The Black Ferris".

I disagree with Ellison's froth-mouthed politics and his overall attitude about things from the many articles and interviews I've read on him. I really can't see how Bradbury ever got along with him. That said, I can separate a writer's work from his personal ideas and plan to read more. And I have to say although a writer's politics does excite some critics it ruins the writer if they feel the need to interject it into their stories.

"I have a desire that nothing on earth can satisfy. I am made for another world."

C.S. Lewis


'Turn me away from wanting any other plan than Yours. Revive my heart toward You.'

Psalm 119:37

Ought Not, some of Ray's choices of friends and enemies have long baffled me. The workings of a mind which could consider Rod Serling (who, unless I've really missed something, by all accounts was a pretty nice guy, whose shows I LOVE no matter WHO says WHAT) was too terrible to associate with but be friends with Harlan Ellison boggles the mind. My only guess is that Bradbury values original thought perhaps above many...many other qualities, which may explain his views in these cases.

I only knew Harlan ellison back in the 1970's...when he was full of power and pizazz. Actually, I found him a likeable fellow, but that was because I was only brushing past him in a hurry myself.

Perhaps this was the relationship with Ray. Unless I am missing something, I don't believe there was any serious projects they worked on...and if there was something close to that, there were few.

Lots of those relationships are stones skipping on water....

As far as I know, there was no serious association with Bradbury and Ellison. I read an interview with Ellison (20 years old or more; things may have transpired since) in which he said he'd met Ray, as far as really sitting down with him, twice. He's also come up and talked with him, at least to say hi or whatnot, in public, "usually with a blonde on each arm," as a close associate of Ray's once remarked. That guy wasn't too impressed with Ellison but I guess Ray has, at least, no reason to dislike him.

Wasn't Ellison in some type of reading or writing group with Bradbury? I could be wrong on this but I thought I read it somewhere. As to Rod Serling, I keep missing the show on PBS about him. I hear it is really good. I've been catching Night Gallery on the Mystery Channel.

Reviews from Serling's fans were mixed, but mostly very good: http://www.thetzsite.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1990
I caught the show near the beginning, but after it had started, so was unable to tape it. I thought it was really great.

Has anyone here heard of/read/formed an opinion on Philip Pullman? I haven't read him but heard he's the anti-C. S. Lewis, and that Christian groups have warned against kids reading him.

Somewhere in the vast recesses of this site is a link to a Q&A panel session with Harlan Ellison and Ray Bradbury. An odd pairing, I thought, but their conversation is evidence enough that their relationship is more than passing or casual. I could be wrong, though. From all other evidence, it's clear that Mr. Bradbury is practically incapable of being rude to anyone approaching him for friendship. Not a bad thing.

I caught the PBS special on Rod Serling. It was excellent! I came away wondering why such a rub between RB and RS. I know there was an early dispute about authenticity of shows and (maybe) borrowed plots. But over the decades, and until today, the distance seems to have remained the same.

You come away from the documentary viewing RS was a driven man, individual in thought and strong in his art, and then (inevitably?) caught up in the Hollywood stuff he so despised. His mark on fantasy and tv is unquestionable, however. RB, of course, still thinks very lowly of most current small screen dribble. Can you blame him?

[This message has been edited by fjpalumbo (edited 01-26-2004).]

I haven't seen Ray's correspondence with Serling, but it must have been particularly rancorous. Ray wouldn't go into detail with the author of the "Twilight Zone" book. I'll try to learn whether it's mentioned in either of the biographies on Serling, and as for the RB biography, we'll know soon! I guess once in awhile someone really ticks him off. David Frost would be one example. He seems to actually hold more emnity for people who were just idiots in his opinion, than for those who were actually mean to him, such as John Huston, but extremely creative in their own right. (Again, wonder how Serling could have strayed into the area of being either idiotic or mean, as he doesn't strike me as either.) As for borrowed plots, Ray used to get really steamed over them. Now, he lets them go, sometimes failing to acknowledge them even when pointed out.