Ray Bradbury Forums
favorite books of Ray Bradbury

This topic can be found at:
https://raybradburyboard.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3791083901/m/9271093372

02 December 2002, 08:21 PM
jennymac
favorite books of Ray Bradbury
Would anyone know where I could find information regarding any favorite books of Ray Bradbury (other than his own). I would like to buy a present for someone who really enjoys reading all of Ray Bradbury's books. This person has read them all and I thought it would be a nice gift to give something that maybe Ray Bradbury would recommend. Thanks everyone
02 December 2002, 09:31 PM
Nard Kordell
jennymac:

Here are some Good Titles with Links:

Ray was a very avid fan of the great writer, Eudora Welty, who passed away in 2001. click on: http://www.shs.starkville.k12.ms.us/mswm/MSWritersAndMu...s/writers/Welty.html

He also loved Emily Dickinson, the poet, who died in Amhert, Massuchusetts in 1886, but was never published during her lifetime. click on: http://www.cwru.edu/affil/edis/links.html (Ray even wrote a poem about HER!)

He is a great admirer of Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Catholic Priest and Poet, who lived in the 1800's.
Click on: http://www.deepleaf.com/poetry/pied3.htm
Also, Click on: http://www.linkstoliterature.com/hopkins.htm

Then there are the books of Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Dickens, Herman Melville, and of course, probably very near the top, Edgar Allen Poe. Click on the following for a really nice Robert Louis Stevenson WebSite:
Click on: http://www.sc.edu/library/spcoll/britlit/rls/rls.html

Of course you can always find a book by one of his early "teachers", who guided him along the way of writing when he was starting out. One would be Leigh Brackett (who finished the general story of Star Wars 2 right before she passed away). click on: http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/brackett.htm
Or Leigh Brackett's husband, writer Edmond Hamilton. Click on: http://pulpgen.com/pulp/edmond_hamilton/ (You might have to find their novels in an old bookstore other than newly reprinted.)

Another "teacher" when he was very young, and very influencial on Ray, was writer Henry Kuttner. Click on: http://www.angelfire.com/az/vrooman/kuttner.html

Of couse, the list will manage to be very long...but these are a start...


[This message has been edited by Nard Kordell (edited 12-03-2002).]
03 December 2002, 12:51 AM
Mr. Dark
You also might consider an anthology of Nathaniel Hawthorne's stories. He wrote in a similar "setting" as does Bradbury. He creates a "space" where he can tell a moral within the context of a story that is not necessarily true, but that feels believable. In Hawthorne's introductions he talks a lot about his stories as being "tales" because they take place in a twilight area between fact and fantasy. I think a lot of Bradbury's works have a similar feel to them. I have also seen Bradbury reference Hawthorne as one of our great writers.

He also loved Edgar Allan Poe.

This, in addition to the recommendations above, of course.
03 December 2002, 12:54 AM
dandelion
The Thomas Wolfe Web Site is devoted to the life and writing of the famous author, Thomas Wolfe.
Description: Bibliographic and biographical materials.


Thomas Wolfe Memorial
Description: Information on memorial, tours and author's life.
For this one, try [URL=http://www.wolfememorial.com]www.wolfememorial.com


The Memorial Website is of special interest to fans such as I who agree that Ray's boyhood home and neighborhood need to be preserved for posterity, and if possible, eternity.

Nard, if you know how to make these link addresses turn "blue clicky," you're smarter than I am. With me, it either works by itself or not.

P. S. HA! DID IT!

P. P. S. Er, messed it up. For the first site, see the link Nard provided.

[This message has been edited by dandelion (edited 12-03-2002).]
03 December 2002, 09:48 AM
Nard Kordell
DANDELION:::

If above link doesn't seem to open, try this one. It's the identical link..

Click on: http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/wolfe/wolfe.htm
03 December 2002, 10:51 AM
Greg Miller
He also loves George Bernard Shaw...In fact, he wrote in a 1987 letter that his favorite book is GBS's 'Collected Prefaces.' Great stuff!

-Greg
03 December 2002, 04:00 PM
dandelion
He once said Shaw was his favorite as far as going back to him continually. Surprised no one has mentioned Edgar Rice Burroughs or Jules Verne.
03 December 2002, 05:56 PM
Nard Kordell
How about mentioning Greg Bear?

Ray has described Greg Bear as... "the Very Best Contemporary Science Fiction Writer."
For more on Greg Bear, click on: http://www.gregbear.com

[This message has been edited by Nard Kordell (edited 12-03-2002).]
06 December 2002, 10:54 PM
gary_books
In "Go Not To Graveyards", in "Yestermorrow", Ray expresses his enthusiasm for Sir John Soane's eclectic collection. A while back, in a used book store, I found a book called "Sir John Soane: The Architect As Collector." (ISBN: 0810938278) It's a photo tour through Soanes' "Palace".

There is also a large-format "Mummies of Guanajuato", photos of the real mummies, as described in Ray's story, "The Next In Line."