A Martian Holocaust

By |2015-01-06T14:36:45-06:00April 25th, 2014|Categories: Books, Bradley J. Birzer, Ray Bradbury|

Shortly after he published The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury met one of his great heroes, Aldous Huxley. The author of Brave New World had not only read the younger man’s book, he had found it profound. “You know what you are, young man,” Huxley asked. When the 30-year-old Bradbury admitted he did not, Huxley replied: [...]

Ray and Russell: Imagination against Idiocy

By |2016-06-22T12:46:50-05:00March 17th, 2014|Categories: Bradley J. Birzer, Communism, Conservatism, Ray Bradbury, Russell Kirk|

Only a week or so before Henry Regnery published Russell Kirk’s first masterpiece, The Conservative Mind, Mr. Ray Bradbury, science fiction novelist, screenplay writer, and all-around wit, wrote and published a fascinating and insightful article, “The Day After Tomorrow.” Whether or not my ideas on censorship via the fire department will be old hat by [...]

Why Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles Is a Great Book

By |2014-04-27T10:09:06-05:00February 3rd, 2013|Categories: Books, Great Books, Literature, Mortimer Adler, Ray Bradbury, Robert M. Woods|

On numerous occasions, Mortimer Adler wrote about the criteria that were used to determine which books of all the books written in the West would be placed within The Great Books of the Western World.  Contrary to confusion and many misstatements I've read over the years, Adler says it was essentially three criteria and they [...]

Ray Bradbury: A Bright Life That Burned Right

By |2018-09-28T00:31:42-05:00November 2nd, 2012|Categories: Christian Humanism, Christianity, Literature, Ray Bradbury, Robert M. Woods|

On all lists of the best science fiction and fantasy writers of the twentieth century, Ray Bradbury is always present, and usually at the top. However, popular acclaim does not always translate into high literary craft. The discerning reader should carefully look at the full body of Bradbury’s writings to determine if all, or even [...]

Why Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked IS a Great Book

By |2018-10-23T12:22:15-05:00June 26th, 2012|Categories: Books, Great Books, Ray Bradbury, Robert M. Woods|

On numerous occasions, Mortimer Adler wrote about the criteria that was used to determine which books of all the books written in the West would be placed within The Great Books of the Western World. Contrary to confusion and many misstatements I’ve read over the years, Adler says it was essentially three criteria and they [...]

Ray Bradbury R.I.P.

By |2013-12-30T15:41:24-06:00June 10th, 2012|Categories: Books, Literature, Ray Bradbury, Robert M. Woods|

I begin my lectures and presentations about Ray Bradbury with a confession. The confession is simple and one of which I express a deep sense of loss and a degree of shame. I did not start reading Ray Bradbury until a few years ago. I did not read him because I judged a book by [...]

The World of Ray Bradbury

By |2018-10-16T20:25:03-05:00June 6th, 2012|Categories: Books, Literature, Moral Imagination, RAK, Ray Bradbury, Russell Kirk|

To commence as a writer for the pulp-magazines is no advantage; nor is writing film scripts in Hollywood, decade after decade, generally to be recommended for those who would be men of letters. Such was Ray Bradbury’s background. He had the advantage, however, of never attending college—which salutary neglect preserved him from many winds of [...]

“The Gift”

By |2023-12-11T22:37:58-06:00December 24th, 2011|Categories: Christmas, Culture, Ray Bradbury|

Tomorrow would be Christmas, and even while the three of them rode to the rocket port the mother and father were worried. It was the boy’s first flight into space, his very first time in a rocket, and they wanted everything to be perfect. So when, at the customs table, they were forced to leave [...]

Go to Top