Ray Bradbury was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet born in 1920 in Illinois. He is best known for works like "The Martian Chronicles" and "Fahrenheit 451" that blend science fiction with social commentary. Bradbury had a passion for writing from a young age and became a prolific author despite little formal education beyond high school. He married his wife Maggie in 1947 and had a 57-year marriage until her death in 2003. Bradbury received many honors over his long career and left a lasting influence through both his literary works and conceptual contributions to projects like the 1964 World's Fair.