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Ray Bradbury
American author Ray Bradbury wrote a variety of genres: short stories, essays, plays, poems, and books. He was best known for his writings in science fiction and fantasy. Bradbury was, in essence, a short story writer. Most of Bradbury's books are short story collections. His novels are essentially short stories stitched together, and his plays are adapted from short stories. He focused on such themes as the conflict between human life and machine control, the creative individual and group conformity, and the darkness and joy in every human soul.
Ray Bradbury was born on August 22, 1920, in Waukegan, Illinois, to Leonard and Esther Marie Bradbury. His early childhood was positively influenced by his loving extended family. Bradbury's father, a lineman for an electric company, moved the family frequently between Waukegan and Tucson, Arizona, between the years 1926 and 1933. At the age of eleven, Bradbury started writing stories on butcher paper. When he was fourteen, his family moved to Los Angeles, California, and Bradbury enjoyed roller skating through Hollywood in hopes of finding celebrities. He often made friends with talented people who would later have careers in creative fields. Bradbury enjoyed the drama club at Los Angeles High School and had hopes of becoming an actor one day. His writing talents, however, were noticed by two of his teachers who encouraged him to focus on his writing skills. Decades later, those two teachers continued to have a lasting influence on Bradbury.
During his high school years, Bradbury began taking his writing seriously. He was a member of the Poetry Club. He even contributed to fan publications and joined the Los Angeles Science Fiction League. Bradbury completed his formal education in 1938 with his high school graduation. He decided at this point to educate himself. During the day he sold newspapers on the Los Angeles street corners, and during the evenings he was either at the library or at his typewriter.
