Becoming Ray Bradbury

Contents

Contents Acknowledgments / xi Introduction / 1 Part I. Awakenings / 7 1 From the Nursery to the Library / 9 2 L.A. High and the Science Fiction League / 16 3 Hannes Bok and the Lorelei / 21 4 NYCon 1939 / 26 5 Futuria Fantasia / 33 6 From the Fanzines to the Prozines / 40 7 Early Disappointments: The Science Fiction Pulps / 45 Part II. The Road to Autumn’s House / 51 8 Living in Two Worlds / 53 9 Reading about Writing / 59 10 Early Mentors: Hamilton, Williamson, and Brackett / 64 11 “Chrysalis”: Bradbury and Henry Kuttner / 70 12 A New World of Reading / 75 13 An Emerging Sense of Critical Judgment / 81 14 On the Shoulders of Giants / 87 15 The Road to Autumn’s House / 93 Part III. The Fear of Death Is Death / 97 16 Exploring the Human Mind / 99 17 Exploring the Human Condition / 104 18 With the Blessings of His Mentors / 110 19 New Stories and New Opportunities / 114 20 Life and Death in Mexico / 119 21 Transitions: Bradbury and Don Congdon / 126 22 The Power of Love / 131 23 From Arkham to New York / 135 24 Obsessed with Perfection / 141 25 Dark Carnival / 146 i-xvi_1-328_Elle.indd 9 6/27/11 2:51 PM Part IV. The Tyranny of Words / 151 26 Lifetime Partnerships / 153 27 The Illinois Novel / 160 28 Bradbury and Modernity / 166 29 Modernist Alternatives / 173 30 Finding His Own Way / 179 31 The Anthology Game / 185 32 Paradise Postponed / 192 33 Broadening Horizons / 198 34 The Miracle Year: Winter and Spring / 206 35 The Miracle Year: Summer and Fall / 211 Part V. The Last Night of the World / 219 36 Critical Praise, Private Worries / 221 37 New York, 1951 / 227 38 Controversial Fictions / 232 39 New Worlds: Graphic and Television Adaptations / 240 40 The Wheel of Fortune / 245 41 Joe Mugnaini and The Golden Apples of the Sun / 249 42 Bantam and Ballantine / 257 43 Hollywood at Last / 261 44 Political Controversy / 268 45 Fahrenheit 451 / 275 46 The Last Night of the World / 281 Notes / 289 Index / 305 Illustrations follow pages 96 and 210 i-xvi_1-328_Elle.indd 10 6/27/11 2:51 PM ...