Zen and the Art of Writing.

That's all I need to say (but I'll go on). I just finished it today and although I've read some of the essays and poems before, it just blew me away. Of course Ray does this again and again in his stories, giving inspiration through the emotion and beauty of his words.

Yet it is this book that sets out to capture the passion for writing that is Ray Bradbury himself, as much as such a passion could ever be plucked out of the sky, wings clipped, caged and packaged. I am so glad I decided just to read it. I hope it will continue to inspire me to follow in his footsteps.

Wow.

For many readers who think Mr. Bradbury is primarily a "science fiction" author, Zen in the Art of Writing is a great selection to change a mind or open a door to the treasures of his past sixty years. This is a fine reference for composition classes, also. (Another, book which does the same for those who may need an extra "nudge" is Green Shadows, White Whale.)

An aside: An interesting occurrence last month involving inspiration from RB. I read some selections from Dinosaur Tales and discussed the (magnificent) artwork with my young sons (4,6). Our older boy opened up a notebook a few days later with a T-rex "story and illustrations" for Mr. Bradbury. This was unsolicited on our part, so the sound of the thunder and the idea of growing up to be a dinosaur must have left some powerful impressions.

(Now if "I" could only find some way to inspire them to pick up their "stuff" from their bedroom floor...!?)

There is plenty of value in the book, no doubt. It is something that can be picked up again and again by a writer, and it recharges you (or at least it has done that for me). What was also inspiring about it, is when he mentioned his childhood drive to collect Buck Rogers comic strips, and how ridiculing by other kids caused him to tear up what he owned. He soon regretted it, and went right back to collecting because he realized how much it meant to him. That took strength beyond his years, he realized. In some ways, I could relate, too, because I loved to write as a kid, yet peer pressure caused me to do some stupid things with my writing (like trash some of it). But, like Ray, I went right back to it. It's odd, too, because I once gave a short classroom speech at a local elementary school about writing, and I happened to mention the fact that when I was in sixth grade or so, that I had written 3-4 "novels" by that point. And then I mentioned that I had thrown out some of them, but later regretted it (they weren't that great, but that wasn't the point). When it came to a question and answer session a short time later, numerous kids mentioned that they had been writing on their own, too, and one even mentioned she had written 3 or 4 book-length stories already. I just hope none of them "throw out" any of their stuff and follow Ray's example of "following your passion" so to speak.

The book is incredible. I've read it three times, which is odd because I do not reread much of anything. I skip the poetry, not that it is bad but because I detest it in any form.

And as keeping early writings goes I've kept most that I've had any sort of enjoyment with. If I used a typewriter I would have burned the other unfortunate fellows but I use a less painful form of capital punishment and delete them with a button. I am liberal in that way.