Ray Bradbury Unbound

June 2, 2014
In his previous biography, Becoming Ray Bradbury, Eller covered the early science fiction and fantasy work that Bradbury is known for, up to 1953, when he completed Fahrenheit 451. Now Eller, who teaches English at Indiana University–Purdue, addresses Bradbury’s later projects in film and stage, focusing specifically on their often detrimental impact on his ability to produce new fiction. Through Bradbury’s personal correspondence and years of interviews, Eller captures the joy of creation that new forms allowed Bradbury, such as the intensely visual interpretation of Moby Dick that he wrote for director John Huston. At the same time, Eller reveals the neurosis that often paralyzed Bradbury, particularly when trying to finish new projects. Bradbury’s many rejections seem to outweigh his successes in Hollywood, particularly with adapting his own work, and despite his efforts to free himself from genre fiction, Eller determines that the most enduring of Bradbury’s later works remain “harbored within the islands of creativity where he felt safest.” Despite these struggles, fans who know Bradbury only for his fiction are likely to enjoy this diverse look at his work and creative process. 18 photos.

June 15, 2014
The second volume of the life of the esteemed science-fiction author.Eller (English/Indiana Univ.-Purdue Univ. Indianapolis; Becoming Ray Bradbury, 2011, etc.), director of the Center for Ray Bradbury Studies, bases his authoritative biography on extensive interviews with Bradbury (1920-2012), 60 years of correspondence with his agent, Don Congdon, and additional letters and manuscripts. The result is a thorough documentation of Bradbury's career, beginning with the publication of Fahrenheit 451 (1953). Besides fiction, Bradbury's literary output in the second half of his life included TV and movie screenplays, which gave him new visibility and fame. While he greatly admires his subject, Eller admits that some of the author's later fiction was marked by "sentimental and nostalgia-driven impulses" and "descriptions verging on purple prose." Congdon feared that Bradbury often was "trying too hard to be intellectual and philosophic," perhaps a result of increasing invitations to speak and lecture. Although Bradbury refused to fly, he had become "a lay spokesman for the Space Age." Eller identifies several men who had a large role in shaping Bradbury's career: film director John Huston, art critic and historian Bernard Berenson, and actor Charles Laughton, who became Bradbury's "last true mentor." The mercurial Huston hired Bradbury to write a script for Moby-Dick, a project that took Bradbury and his family on their first trip to Europe, where they lived for eight months. Although working with Huston proved extremely stressful, the project made his talents coveted in Hollywood. While in Italy, Bradbury visited Berenson, who opened up an appreciation of Renaissance art that Bradbury considered life-altering. Berenson's assessment of Bradbury is borne out in Eller's portrait: "simple, easygoing, no inferiority complex, not shy nor on the defensive....Seems to have escaped the pseudoproblems that worry young writers, and make them howl to the moon."Bradbury did howl, though, against "censorship and elitism." This warm, informative biography depicts him as a thoughtful and disciplined writer who helped make science fiction a respected literary genre.

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Starred review from September 1, 2014

In this exhaustive sequel to his 2011 book Becoming Ray Bradbury, Eller (English, director, Ctr. for Ray Bradbury Studies, Indiana Univ.-Purdue Univ. Indianapolis; coauthor, Ray Bradbury: The Life of Fiction) brings his readers full circle. Beginning with Ray Bradbury's (1920-2012) six-month experience (1953-54) in Ireland writing the screenplay for John Huston's film adaptation of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick and ending with his death, Eller illuminates the latter portion of Bradbury's personal life and career. Using numerous sources and richly detailed chapters, Eller examines key points in the author's professional life, such as his blossoming interest in space travel, television, and film, citing experiences including his work on Alfred Hitchcock Presents and efforts to bring The Martin Chronicles to film. The development of Something Wicked This Way Comes, Bradbury's essays on writing, his poetry, and more are discussed as well. Meanwhile, the writer's private affairs are also brought into focus (e.g., his volatile relationship with Huston and his correspondence with mentors and friends such as Bernard Berenson and Charles Laughton). Appropriate photos and notes are included. VERDICT Intimate, conscientious, and triumphant, a truly profound examination of Bradbury's accomplishments and legacy. Highly recommended for all sf lovers and those with an appreciation for nonfiction or literature.--Jennifer Harris, Southern New Hampshire Univ. Lib., Manchester

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