Ray Bradbury’s internationally acclaimed novel Fahrenheit 451 is a masterwork of twentieth-century literature set in a bleak, dystopian future. Ray Bradbury’s internationally acclaimed novel Fahrenheit 451 is a masterwork of twentieth-century literature set in a bleak, dystopian future. Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, … literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden.
Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television.
When Mildred attempts suicide and Clarisse suddenly disappears, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known. He starts hiding books in his home, and when his pilfering is discovered, the fireman has to run for his life.more
A must read.
good, not as good as 1984 tho
A classic everyone should read. I didn’t like the very end but it’s still an excellent book. This could happen today. The fake news and disinformation is a variant of this story.
A favorite of mine from way back. This is the only book whose movie I liked equally as well as the book – the old movie with Julie Christie, not the new one that I just found out existed and have not yet seen. The story tells of a scary future that could come about when too much control is given over what is published and too much time is spent in front of government controlled news and entertainment.
This book is a classic for a reason. A fireman whose duty it is to burn books is moved to stop doing his duty when he discovers the wonder and power of books. Lots of implications for us today.
Although this book was written in the 1950’s, it accurately describes our society today. Definitely a great read!
sad state of the world to come when fear guides our thought and the our minds and imagination is quelled for no good reason
MUST READ
A warning to all of us as we become more glued to visual pablum media
A book worthy of being read time and again.
541 Fahrenheit by Ray Bradbury (1953)
It had been written that this book stands alongside such books as “1984” (1949) and “The Brave New World” (1932).
I could not disagree more with that statement. In my opinion this book doesn’t compare to those novels even slightly in the significant impact felt upon completion of novel.
“It was a pleasure to burn.”
A world where firemen create fires instead of putting out fires.
Burning books and leaving ruins of history behind.
When a woman wanted to burn with her books, Montag becomes uncomfortable with his job as fireman.
He begins to take books home and marvels at the contents. Ultimately, it’s The Bible, that survives the carnage to his own home after his deception is uncovered. He thought he could make a copy before he was discovered. Montag eventually goes on the run to escape when it’s discovered he’s been hiding books. I appreciate the authors desire to illustrate the importance of books or rather knowledge. The story initially gained my interest with this dystopian world but finally became a bore to me and just plain disjointed. The ending was rather disappointing for me.
Still a great read as it was the first time I read it 40 some years ago. I highly recommend it
A possible future that I personally would never want to see happen! As a true bibliophile – burning books is anethma to me. The loss of ideas is horrific! It’s dooming the human race to keep making the same mistakes over and over and over… Any one that likes to read – needs to read this book, and think just how ‘far away’ this book could happen. Ponder on censorship. Think about the pleasure and joy books can bring. Ray Bradbury has a scary imagination that’s sooo plausible.It makes you think – and this is a good thing. 😉
a classic for a reason unfortunately all to much in danger of becoming reality someday
This is a great book. I highly recommend it to any one who likes science fiction. Ray Bradbury has written some great novels. This is one of them.
A classic. Bradbury at his best!
This was a short book, so it didn’t take me long. The story is about a fireman but in his world he doesn’t put out fires – he starts them. His job is to find people who still have books in their homes and burn the books, and the homes, to the ground. He never questions it. His wife spends all day watching TV (which in the book they call their “family”). There comes a time when he starts to question everything and starts hiding books in his own home. He is caught eventually, and has to make a run for it.
This is a dystopian future book, but written in the 50’s, so to me it seems more like the present. There was a definite theme that applies to today. Many kids would prefer TV to books. Even many adults. Do I think we will get to a place where we as a nation feel we don’t need books any more and will arrest people who own them? Let’s hope not. But the underlying message rang true.
It was an enjoyable book. It had a bit of an odd ending, but for a fast read, I found it just fine. I would recommend trying it – it is an old classic.
A terrific read, though sometimes dated as can happen with even the best SF. One of the few books I’ve read multiple times and enjoyed more with each reading.
I read this book years ago in school like most people and decided to revisit it as filler for a bit, especially because the book is so short.
I was surprised to find a book I had cherished for so long didn’t live up to the memories I had as a child.
I found the characters lacking in development, and the story structure to be off.
The First Act is very long – which is sometimes necessary when you have to set up a whole new world. So, I’ll give that a pass.
The Second Act, however, really drags, and this is where I had the most problems. I felt Bradbury’s transitions were off in this book. I found myself circling back to understand why we suddenly went from talking about one thing to something entirely different and back again. It was chaotic and messy.
The Third Act is short. Too short. The build-up in the climax is great. That chase scene with the hound is everything I remember and more. But it ends so quickly, too quickly.
I highly recommend physically reading this book vs listening to it as an audiobook. I did NOT care for the audiobook, mostly because of those transitions I talked about. It was much easier to keep track of things when reading vs listening.
I also recommend this book to everyone. It really should be a staple that everyone reads at least once, whether you love it or hate it.
I read this book years ago in school like most people and decided to revisit it as filler for a bit, especially because the book is so short.
I was surprised to find a book I had cherished for so long didn’t live up to the memories I had as a child.
I found the characters lacking in development, and the story structure to be off.
The First Act is very long – which is sometimes necessary when you have to set up a whole new world. So, I’ll give that a pass.
The Second Act, however, really drags, and this is where I had the most problems. I felt Bradbury’s transitions were off in this book. I found myself circling back to understand why we suddenly went from talking about one thing to something entirely different and back again. It was chaotic and messy.
The Third Act is short. Too short. The build-up in the climax is great. That chase scene with the hound is everything I remember and more. But it ends so quickly, too quickly.
I highly recommend physically reading this book vs listening to it as an audiobook. I did NOT care for the audiobook, mostly because of those transitions I talked about. It was much easier to keep track of things when reading vs listening.
I also recommend this book to everyone. It really should be a staple that everyone reads at least once, whether you love it or hate it.