Walking Dead Gifts for You

The premier of AMC's The Walking Dead in just few weeks away, and you better believe, this no lost marketing opportunity! Comics Alliance reports that Robert Kirkman's fan favorite is branching out into novels and plushie toys, so you too can get your zombie on!

Just in time for Halloween/Christmas/Zombie Apocalypse:

Happy Birthday, Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury is one of the writers who served as a foundation to my love of science fiction. I think I read my first Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, around 7th or 8th grade and thought it was so deep, so thought provoking. I don't recall how old I was when I read The Illustrated Man, just that it was a cool concept. Same is true for The Martian Chronicles (though I'm pretty sure I read that one later). I should probably pull all 3 out and read them again with my adult eyes. Even if they don't stand up, reading such classic science fiction at a formative age really helped to make me the geek I am today.

So, thank you, Ray Bradbury, for your amazing contributions to science fiction!
Happy 90th Birthday!!

Published in 1953 during the Cold War and McCarthy Eras, Fahrenheit 451 portrays a frightening vision of the future, firemen don't put out fires--they start them in order to burn books. Bradbury's vividly painted society holds up the appearance of happiness as the highest goal--a place where trivial information is good, and knowledge and ideas are bad. (Amazon)

This classic science fiction anthology by Ray Bradbury brings to life the social and political fears prevalent in post World War II America, when they were first published. The unnamed narrator in the introduction watches the Illustrated Man's tattoos come to life presenting the 19 short stories. (Amazon)

The Passing J.D. Salinger

I was sad to see the news of J.D. Salinger's death. I was a big fan of his books as a young adult (weren't we all?). He might be the first author I tried to read every book I could find. While "Catcher in the Rye" was an obvious one for the teenager in me, I think I really enjoyed "Franny & Zooey" and "Nine Stories." I think I still have copies of all those books, somewhere in storage. It might be time to read them again and see how the hold up as an adult.

Peace out, Mr. Salinger.