The late Ray Bradbury’s house of over fifty years is being torn down. It was purchased in June 2013 for $1.8 million, and the demolition permit was issued December 30th. Apparently the “starchitect” who bought the property wasn’t a fan. It’s a real pity that the house couldn’t have been turned into a museum instead. Bradbury was, after all, one of the giants of the genre.

I imagine Bradbury would be dismayed but unsurprised by this turn of events. It seems that old culture being destroyed by an inferior modern substitute was a theme he liked to revisit—most prominently in Fahrenheit 451, but also later in life when he complained that the Internet and e-books were “distracting” and “meaningless,” and wanted no association with them.

On the bright side, I learned via this article of the existence of the IUPUI Center for Ray Bradbury Studies right here in Indianapolis, which received donations of a number of Bradbury’s manuscripts and other effects and is going to recreate his home office. Sooner or later, I suspect a pilgrimage may be in order.

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