Ray Bradbury will speak at the Escondido Public Library on November 19 at 5:30 p.m.

The full press release appears after the jump.

[Thanks to John King Tarpinian for the link.]

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jo Ann Greenberg

DATE: October 15, 2009 PHONE: 760-839-4601

Literary Legend, Ray Bradbury, To Visit the Escondido Public Library

Renowned science fiction author, Ray Bradbury, will speak and sign books in the Turrentine Room at the Escondido Public Library, 239 S. Kalmia St, Escondido, Thursday, November 19 at 5:30 p.m.

Through the years, Ray Bradbury has won many awards including the O’Henry Memorial Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award, the Aviation-Space Writer’s Association Award, the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Gandalf Award. His reputation as a writer of courage and vision was established with the publication of The Martian Chronicles in 1950, which describes the first attempts of Earth people to conquer and colonize Mars, and the unintended consequences. Next came The Illustrated Man and then, in 1953, Fahrenheit 451, which many consider to be Bradbury’s masterpiece, a scathing indictment of censorship set in a future world where the written word is forbidden.

Several of his books and short stories have been adapted for the screen and television. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and Icarus Montgolfier Wright, which was nominated for an Academy Award, are among his film productions. Several of his short stories were presented on Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone. He adapted sixty-five of his stories for television’s Ray Bradbury Theater. Beyond his literary contributions, Bradbury also provided the concept and script for the United States Pavilion at the 1964 New York World’s Fair and contributed to Disney’s Spaceship Earth at EPCOT and the Orbitron at the Disneyland parks in Paris and Anaheim. As a creative consultant, he helped create trend-setting shopping/entertainment plazas, including the Horton Plaza in San Diego.

Mr. Bradbury frequently speaks at libraries across the state. “Libraries raised me,” Mr. Bradbury said in an interview with one public library. “I don’t believe in colleges and universities. I believe in libraries because most students don’t have any money. When I graduated from high school, it was during the Depression and we had no money. I couldn’t go to college, so I went to the library three days a week for 10 years.”

Mr. Bradbury will be signing his never-before-published book of 22 short stories, We¹ll Always Have Paris. The book will be available for purchase at the event. Proceeds from the book sales will benefit the library.

This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Escondido Public Library. Reservations are not required, but early arrival is recommended to ensure parking and seating. For further information, contact the Escondido Public Library at 760.839.4601 or http://www.escondido.org/library.