The legendary literary figure, Ray Bradbury was in my town last week. His visit to the Escondido Public Library brought him here to discuss one thing; love. And of course his love of books, which is why he appeared at the library.

As the aging author of “Fahrenheit 451” spoke, he sat in his wheelchair,  a blanket draped over his lap, and his words were slightly slurred . But his message was clear.

He discussed the significance the library had in his life, and while growing up in Los Angeles during the Depression, his family could not afford higher education. So he would spend three days a week at the library, in essence, schooling himself. He credited his influences, including Edgar Allen Poe, H.G. Wells, and John Steinbeck.

I suddenly thought about Don La Fontaine mentioning in an interview his favorite poem,  Edgar Allen Poe’s, “The Raven”, and the value found in the written word. As a voiceover actor, our roadmaps in our scripts are indeed the words.


At a time in California where our higher education systems are approving upwards of a 30% increase in college tuition fees, his  comment hit home (we have a co-ed at Cal State) when he said, “Libraries are more important than school, than colleges or universities, because libraries are free. It’s all about the book.”


Bradbury also went on to say that everything about love. He accomplished more during his career by firing those who didn’t believe in him. Now there is some food for thought.

But the best pearl was when Bradbury said,

“If you love a thing, you do it.”  he stated. “Do what you love, and love what you do. Don’t think about things. Go to the edge of the cliff, jump off and build your wings on the way down.”