President Obama Releases Statement About the Death of Ray Bradbury

Posted on June 6, 2012

It's not often that a sitting president issues a statement about the death of an author. President Obama just released this statement about the death of Ray Bradbury:

For many Americans, the news of Ray Bradbury's death immediately brought to mind images from his work, imprinted in our minds, often from a young age. His gift for storytelling reshaped our culture and expanded our world. But Ray also understood that our imaginations could be used as a tool for better understanding, a vehicle for change, and an expression of our most cherished values. There is no doubt that Ray will continue to inspire many more generations with his writing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

Bradbury was no stranger to the White House. In 2004 President George W. Bush awarded him the National Medal of Arts in honor of his lifetime of contributions to American literature. The White House said he was awarded the honor "For his incomparable contributions to American fiction as one of its great storytellers who, through his explorations of science and space, has illuminated the human condition." The White House also called him "the greatest living American writer of science fiction."