Science Fiction Writer Ray Bradbury Dies -- PICTURES

By Kenneth Chamberlain

Updated: June 6, 2012 | 4:18 p.m.
June 6, 2012 | 3:25 p.m.

Author Ray Bradbury, who wrote some of the classics in science-fiction literature, died on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

"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," President Obama said in a statement.

"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."

Many of Bradbury's works reflected the national and international political situations of the times in which were written, such as The Martian Chronicles, which dealt partly with nuclear war and still resonate in the 21st century.

Below are some photos from the career of Bradbury, one of 2012's notable deaths.

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Ray Bradbury sits in front of a photo of Mars, presented to him during an 83rd birthday party in his honor on Aug. 23, 2003, at The Planetary Society in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Stefano Paltera)

Bradbury is shown in his Beverly Hills office in February 1986 surrounded by an unlimited supply of toys and treasures. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac)

This Jan. 29, 1997, file photo shows author Ray Bradbury at a signing for his book Quicker Than The Eye in Cupertino, Calif. (AP Photo/Steve Castillo)

This Dec. 8, 1966, photo shows Bradbury looking at a picture that was part of a school project to illustrate characters in one of his dramas in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Steve Castillo)

Bradbury smiles in his office in 1982. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)

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