Ray Bradbury, From Truman Capote to A.T.M.'s

By Dean Robinson June 6, 2012 6:20 pm June 6, 2012 6:20 pm

Favorite passage from the paper’s obituary today for the science-fiction writer Ray Bradbury, who died yesterday:

His first big success came in 1947 with the short story “Homecoming,” narrated by a boy who feels like an outsider at a family reunion of witches, vampires and werewolves because he lacks supernatural powers. The story, plucked from the pile of unsolicited manuscripts at Mademoiselle by a young editor named Truman Capote, earned Mr. Bradbury an O. Henry Award as one of the best American short stories of the year.

Favorite exchange between Mary Roach and Bradbury in the magazine’s old “Questions for” column back in November 2000:

A few years ago you said: “I don’t understand this whole thing about computers and the superhighway. Who wants to be in touch with all of those people?” Still feel that way?

Sure, why should I be in touch with all these people?

You don’t use e-mail at all?

I don’t have a computer. A computer’s a typewriter. I already have a typewriter.

How about A.T.M.’s?

Why go to a machine when you could go to a human being? Everything we’re doing is inefficient. I called the other day to change an appointment with my hearing-aid people, and it took two minutes, because they had everything on the computer. If they’d had a pad and pencil, you could change it in five seconds.