Fahrenheit 451 Post 1: About the Author

Ray Bradbury (1920-2012)

According to The New York Times, Ray Bradbury was a “master of science fiction”. The New York Times writer, Gerald Jonas, couldn’t be more wrong.

"I don't write science fiction. Science fiction is a depiction of the real. Fantasy is a depiction of the unreal."

– Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury

Literary technicalities aside, Bradbury was a phenomenal writer who changed the world. He lived to be 91 years old and died peacefully this past summer on June 5th. 

Ninety-one years ago, Swedish immigrant Ester Moberg Bradbury brought Ray into the world. He would later go on to win the Pulitzer prize in 2004. Many famous people seem to know what they're going to do with their life from a very young age. Mozart began playing music in public at age 6. Shirley Temple starred in her first movie at age 3. Ray Bradbury decided he wanted to be an author at age 12 (somewhat old when put in perspective). However, Johnny Depp didn’t begin acting until his early 20’s.

Ray Bradbury didn’t just write books. He wrote short stories, and he wrote for theatre, cinema, and television. 

His most famous book, Fahrenheit 451, was published in 1953. It was later made into a movie in 1966.