After looking at this list you’ll probably want a “medicine for melancholy.” Ray Bradbury’s death being the reason so many people wanted to read these posts, how appropriate that one of his short story collections bears that title.

The spillover from the world’s interest in Ray’s death helped shape this list as the Bradbury tag suddenly became a hot keyword search. Then, someone in Japan tweeted the links to John King Tarpinian’s photos from three recent Bradbury birthday celebrations and it seemed as if people from every village and hamlet in the islands clicked on them, yielding hundreds of hits apiece. 

While Ray’s passing was sad, Jim Young’s demise was shocking, as it followed only a few days after discovery of a malignant brain tumor

Unexpected and alarming, too,  was Stu Shiffman’s stroke. Fans have rallied around with messages of encouragement for him and support for his partner, Andi Shecter.

Here are the Top 10 posts for June 2012 according to Google Analytics:

1. Jim Young (1951-2012)
2. Ray Bradbury’s 90th Birthday Party
3. Ray Bradbury’s 88th Birthday Party
4. Ray Bradbury’s 89th Birthday Party
5. Ray Bradbury (tag)
6. John King Tarpinian (tag)
7. A LASFSian Remembers Ray Bradbury
8. Earn Free Ebooks at Planet Baen
9. DUFF Will Hold Over Funds
10. Stu Shiffman Hospitalized