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Fahrenheit 451 (Flamingo Modern Classics):…
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Fahrenheit 451 (Flamingo Modern Classics): Ray Bradbury (original 1953; edition 1999)

by Ray Bradbury (Author)

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53,60099021 (4.02)2 / 1405
I've always been aware of this book, and always assumed I'd read it in the 1970s, but on this "second" reading, I was surprised to find that I've never read it.
This is an interesting book. It's not polished - it's more an angry outburst than a refined classic. Bradbury is railing against attempts to control what people think - this was written during the McCarthy era in the US; and against the dumbing down of the population by mass media and entertainment.
Well, he may feel that the first onjective was mostly succeesful, but the second one seems to have become a lost cause!
The author's notes make clear that the book was hurriedly written, and the flaws remain. But the power of the book remains - its like a an impressionistic painting rather than a photograph - there are flaws and blurriness, but the overall image is stark and cleaar.
My parting feeling is that I was impressed by the book more than I enjoyed the book. ( )
  mbmackay | Dec 9, 2021 |
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This is a book that tries to show you how important are books in our world and make you read more. Completely fails doing so, because the story is stale and gets boring very fast, same goes for the characters. If this was your first book that you read, I doubt you will want to read more books afterwards. If we take in consideration that this book was written in a short period of time, it's quite good but compared to other dystopias, it's not that good. ( )
  nyshkin | Mar 20, 2024 |
For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a 1953 dystopian novel in which books have been outlawed and are routinely destroyed by “fireman”. Mr. Bradbury is one of the foremost science-fiction authors of the 20th Century.

Guy Montag is a fireman, a job which entails burning outlawed books, as well as the houses they are hidden in. He meets a new neighbor, a teenager named Clarisse McClelan, who opens his mind to new ideas. Guy returns home to find his wife, Mildred, has overdosed on sleeping pills. Between Clarisse’s happiness with simple pleasures, Mildred’s near-death experience, and the illiterate society, Guy starts questioning his own life and whatever he calls “happiness”.

Guy tries to engage his wife and her friends with intellectual conversation by reading a poem. Instead, they turn him in and his own department comes to burn down his house. He escapes, becomes a nomad and meets up with former intellectuals who each memorized books, embracing literature and culture.

After finishing Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and thinking about it a bit, I was surprised to find out how relevant this book is, almost 70 years after it was written.

The book was written when the “Red Scare” was prominent, the Un-American Activities Committee(HUAC) was ruining the lives of American citizens, and the populace was quickly transitioning from radio and books to the glory of television. In the book, “family” is a wall showing TV talk shows, which takes precedence over almost anything else.

These days, social media is “family”, and cell phones are addictive. Critical thinking is abandoned by talking heads with an agenda, propaganda, or stranger commenting on the Internet telling people what to think. Our focus and thoughts have been stolen by technology, instead of television and radio, but the nuance is still there.

The book, by itself, is not a great piece of literature. It’s flat, characters are not fully developed, lots of hyperbole takes over the narrative. However, like many other great stories it has a lot to say in between the lines as a cautionary tale which is still applicable.

The book reminds of that what we take for granted is valuable. Whether it be the physical books, or more importantly the ideas in them. The book raises important questions about the present (1950s or 2020s) and what alternatives we have. Ray Bradbury doesn’t try to predict the future, it extends a troubled aspect allowing us to see it from a different perspective.

The world in which Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 thankfully doesn’t exist, but we can apply the book’s warning today. Much like Brave New World, the story might be boring to a teenager, but becomes more interesting, and totally different as you grew older. ( )
1 vote ZoharLaor | Feb 26, 2024 |
Wow. For such a short story, it packs an awful strong punch.

I started this story as a way to pass the time until my power came back on. This isn’t something you just pick up and put down again. I have a strong feeling when I read this again, I will have a different message than what I read just now.

Insight on life, philosophy, trends, people. What have we become? We may not have tv walls but when was the last time you had a meaningful insightful interaction? Not just talking but a full truthful conversation. The ones where you forget all the things around you, and it is just you and the other person?

This book spoke to me and I to it. Our conversation was not long but it was very impactful. Life is all around us and boundaries are something that our mind makes for ourselves to feel comfortable. ( )
  AbsurdWizard | Feb 20, 2024 |
Scary. Depressing. Has the same weird no-hope-for-the-future vibe as the movie The Dark City. In the beginning, I had the idea that the author conveyed the idea of a book-less society by using weird abstract language, as if the main character missed a large part of normal vocabulary so he had to express his thoughts in a roundabout way -- almost like in 1984 where the ongoing simplification of English prevents people from talking or thinking about unwanted concepts such as freedom of speech, alternative thinking, individualism, etc. ( )
  jd7h | Feb 18, 2024 |
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is an intense dystopian classic, which is rather unbelievable. It brings to you a world where forbidden books are burned. My heart crunched at the mere mention of this—how can someone burn books? And, definitely, I don't want to be a part of this kind of world. The plot is fast and picks up the reader's interest at an instant. Guy Montag is a fireman, and his character develops in the most interesting way. You would not really be able to believe that books have become forbidden drugs in that world. The whole scenario is focused on firemen and their work. Each character has its own voice, which makes this book a classic. But the climax has a major cliffhanger, so be ready to take
it in.

My favorite part of the book is towards the end, when Guy Montag finds his real self in books. Every reader should immerse itself in those beautiful lines. It was definitely a 5-star read and an amazing book. ( )
  Sucharita1986 | Feb 17, 2024 |
En realidad son 2,5 estrellas. Quería encontrarme un libro de ciencia ficción profundo donde se hablara de los límites de la libertad y sus implicaciones, y me he encontrado algo más que una pobre defensa de las palabras. estoy algo decepcionado. me gusta mucho más la película de Truffaut. ( )
  seralv04 | Feb 14, 2024 |
Guy Montag is a fireman. Not like we know firemen. He burns books since houses are now fireproof and it is illegal to own books or even to read them. However, Guy has been stealing books and hiding them in his house. When they go to a house to burn the books hidden there and someone dies, Guy starts to question why they are burning books. What is wrong with books? What happens to him when he reads one? Can he live with the answers? Can he live as a fugitive from society?

This is so timely. Bradbury was writing of a dystopian society, but I see so many parallels with today's headlines. Politicians want certain books banned. School boards are getting into the battle on censoring books. There are publishers who want to make books politically correct before children read them. I find all this so wrong.

Montag may lose everything with his behavior and thoughts, but he has woken up to see what he and society has lost because of the censorship and people not reading. When he meets a neighbor who is a teen, and she talks to him about so many things that no one talks of he realizes how much of living he has missed. With his wife so absorbed into her "wall family" and how hard she tries so hard to be happy, he realizes this is no life for him anymore. He wants her to join him, but she wants the status quo. Seeing their marriage fall apart is sad. Seeing Montag free himself gave me hope that the "everyman" can be the rebel in his own quiet way.

In his own way, Montag wins. He shows that we need some event to wake us up to the status quo and have us start questioning what is happening around us and if it is right. For us who are readers, we can best be like Montag by reading everything--banned books, censored books, politically incorrect books that are products of their times--then have them available in our homes for our children and others. Use them to teach. Use them to learn. Use them to grow. Use them to promote discussion. Do not let the status quo win. ( )
  Sheila1957 | Feb 11, 2024 |
Sometimes, books I rate 5 stars do not deserve it. But this one is fully deserving of every star.

This book has changed the way I look at my bookshelf, and further raised my standards for "good" books. This belongs on my all-time favorites shelf. ( )
  Dances_with_Words | Jan 6, 2024 |
It is clear why this is considered a classic. It is timeless. A story about a society devoid of thinking and education should always be frightening. Looking at society, it is not hard to see humanity go down this path. But at the same time, I found the ending optimistic in a way, as there will always be book people on the railroad tracks, ready to help us rise like the Phoenix, with a better future from the ashes. The technology and some of the actions (citywide televised manhunt) were likely farfetched sci fi at the time of writing, but now it doesn't really feel futuristic at all, it seems more and more plausible as time passes ( )
  Crystal199 | Jan 3, 2024 |
Glad I finally reread this so I can watch the HBO miniseries, definitely a powerful classic everyone should read. ( )
  hellokirsti | Jan 3, 2024 |
Audiobook, Overdrive version. This is a book full of interesting ideas but sadly lacking in worldbuilding, believable characters, or logic. The plot holes are big enough to drive a firetruck through. I enjoyed Stephen Hoye's narrative stylings. The Shatner-worthy melodrama seemed to suit the prose well, with the constant exclamations of "God!", "My God!", and "Oh God!". ( )
  Doodlebug34 | Jan 1, 2024 |
Tagged on my hugo-winners shelf because technically, it won the 1954 Retro Hugo in 2004!
Read for The Biere Library: Storytime Book Club's pick for Aug/September 2022, Back to School.

Somehow, I'd never read this previously in schooling, and I haven't seen any adaptation of it. Through cultural osmosis I knew broadly that it was about book burning, but not the finer details of plot or character. Bradbury writes a fine short novel that packs a punch in its brevity, and it feels prescient/evergreen (especially with the uptick in parents calling for books to be removed from not just schools but libraries in 2022, though arguably there's a similar tension in the air to McCarthyism). I disagree with the implied premise that the left is as bad when it comes to calling for removal because for all the supposed bluster on "cancel culture", statistically there's been an uptick in censorship calls against the existence of queer voices and anything pertaining to race (definitely curious about an updated version of the stats at the bottom because I'm sure 2010-2019 changes significantly from the previous decades), and criticism isn't the same as pulling from publicly accessible shelves. (notably, freedom of speech does NOT mean freedom from criticism).

The seashells in Mildred's ears could easily be AirPods and customized interactive fiction like "the Family" seems just around the corner, as is the lead up to the removal of books (digests of works to read so you could keep up, brief and briefer summaries for shrinking attention spans... say like a 90 second video clip, hmmm?) The mechanical hound is exquisitely described, reading now as a mix of retro tech, futuristic yet with tangible, near biological features on metal spider legs.

I do wish we learned more about Clarisse and the McClellans, but like Montag that's something we don't consider until they're gone. ( )
  Daumari | Dec 28, 2023 |
This book gets a lot of hype, and I suppose it does deserve much of its praise. While not my favorite Bradbury novel, this book makes a good case for the value of literature of all sorts, including non-print media. In this story the world of the future has become one of very little analysis and no history. For the people of this world life is about having fun, now, with no thought for the past or the future and no concerns that would require individuals to think about their place in their own families, let alone in society. Virtual people and virtual reality technology have replaced real family and friends, and instead of real, meaningful conversation, people follow printed scripts to play roles in canned dramas where they can pretend emotions and connections with imaginary people who never go offscript. Real friends, all socialized to these same entertainments, are not much different from their virtual counterparts. And, books, which hold all sorts of ideas that don't fit the accepted scripts, are a flammable scapegoat that allows society to demonstrate solidarity against challenging ideas.
( )
  JBarringer | Dec 15, 2023 |
not as clever as I thought it was when I read it in 9th grade. Ray Bradbury is a pretty good spec fic writer, but this book is much more mood, and sentiment, than any real political heft like 1984 has. ( )
  ParenthesisEnjoyer | Dec 11, 2023 |
I didn't really enjoy this as much as I did the first time I read it. I think it's because the first time I read it, the technology had come but the censorship hadn't. Now we are seeing the censorship, the bad-guy government, the people telling on their neighbors, the all-seeing eye, so it's not novel anymore---it's depressing.

The "family in the walls"---definitely Facebook. All the stuff about losing the front porch to keep people from talking and thinking and dreaming and slowing down---that has figuratively and literally happened.

My Grandma Betty said, "they can take everything from you but they can't take your thoughts." True that---but they'll sure try to warp them.

Even the great philosopher Bradbury, himself, didn't see true censorship coming. In the afterword to this book (which is just as interesting, if not more, than the book itself) said he didn't think we'd ever see censorship in America because we were too diverse---there were too many "groups". Yes, but when we're not allowed to celebrate our differences, censorship becomes much easier.

I came away bummed. It's Christmas time. I need some happy. ( )
  classyhomemaker | Dec 11, 2023 |
I suppose I don't like "literature." I read for pleasure but this was picked out for our Book Palaver so I didn't have much choice.

There's not much to the story, but I will say I was blown away by Bradbury's prescience. In the early 1950s he describes safe zones, cancel culture, reality TV, a to a degree social media. Pretty impressive.

If you didn't already know, 451 F is the temperature at which books burn and this book is about a future dystopia where firemen burn rather than save. Their targets are homes where there are books as they've been banned. As I said, the story's a little on the thin side, but I gotta give praise to Bradbury's ability to see into the future. ( )
  Jarratt | Dec 10, 2023 |
I read this for the first time June the year 2022 itself. The irony of listening to the audiobook with AirPods did not go unnoticed. ( )
  HSwarm | Dec 2, 2023 |
There was something about this book that stopped me really loving it. I think I don't quite get along with Bradbury's style of writing (perhaps I need to slow down a bit more, but as I wasn't enjoying it so much I wanted to push on through). There were some great ideas in here too, but maybe a touch simplistic. ( )
  thisisstephenbetts | Nov 25, 2023 |
Despite being a fan of sci-fi, this is my first Ray Bradbury novel... and in reading it I was quickly put under a spell. The language is lovely and adorned, but not pretentious. I read this via the audiobook, narrated by Tim Robbins, who did a wonderful job. I'll need to read it again at some point to pick up on some of the nuance, but what I was left feeling was an overwhelming sense that this is not too far askew from reality. This is a state we could find ourselves in. This is fiction, but it only feels two steps to the right of non-fiction. Fahrenheit 451 is an important book, about the perils of relinquishing control and losing sight of reality... and no matter what, I'll keep it stored in my memory as such. ( )
  nakedspine | Nov 16, 2023 |
Guy Montag (fireman), Mildred Montag (his wife}, Clarisse McClellan (the girl next door who opens Guy's eyes), Beatty (Guy's supervisor), Faber (Guy's illicit friend who talks in his ear), Mrs. Clara Phelps, Mrs. John Bowles (Mildred's friends), Stoneman, Black, and Granger. Guy is a disgruntled fireman after he is raids an old woman's house to burn her books. She refuses to leave and ends up striking the match that burns her books, her house, and her books. Guy has also taken one of her books to add to his hidden collection at home. ( )
  baughga | Nov 7, 2023 |
I will be working through all of Bradbury's books but I started with my favorite. This book may even be scarier today than when I read it as a kid. ( )
  cdaley | Nov 2, 2023 |
Suffers unfairly from its main conceits having been recycled many times over in later works; tv, movies. Shares some with Brave New World and 1984 in terms of world building and prescience, but falls way short of either.
Audio edition note: great performance by Tim Robbins. ( )
  A.Godhelm | Oct 20, 2023 |
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a cautionary tale that seems more relevant in the extreme politics of today that ever before. We already have intolerance and distrust of intellectuals, the banning of books that don’t fall in line with a certain way of thinking and the conviction of many that their traditional values should be applied to everyone.

The ritual of burning of books and fine art that is described in this book is meant to be disturbing and the author’s powerful prose gives Montag’s story the tension and darkness that is required. Fahrenheit 451 was like my own worst nightmare coming to life but Bradbury was wise enough to leave his readers a slight sense of hope as Montag finds and joins in with a small group of resisters at the end of the book.

In Bradbury’s own words, “I don’t want to be a Democrat or a Republican or a Communist or a Fascist, just an all-American. I want to be myself, find out what I think, then get it out in the open and then intellectualize about it.” So whether we are looking back at Senator Joseph McCarthy or on to today’s Donald Trump, we need to stand up to the brow-beating and scarifying, speak out on our own truths and listen to others. ( )
  DeltaQueen50 | Oct 15, 2023 |
I am very glad I read the prior book of Bradbury stories A Pleasure to Burn before re-reading Fahrenheit 451. The two long novellas Long After Midnight and The Fireman were similar versions of the core of the novel to be, but the other stories had their place too, whether it was thoughts on things in a future society or realizing that the protagonist in 'The Pedestrian' was the uncle of the family next door to the Fireman Guy Montag's house. The free thinking neighbor girl Clarisse was presented slightly differently in each version but her essence and importance was clear.

Bradbury made some changes to the stories putting together Fahrenheit 451. Name changes, clarifications where I had noticed something wasn't completely clear. There were a few bits that I thought were slightly better in the earlier versions (the hound in the Firehouse comes to mind among others). Each version of the story is very good. This is generally considered a book about censorship, but I don't agree with that. It is more about a society being brainwashed by television and radio advertising and being fed pablum. People can still read but they gave up on knowledge and books. The english professor who had only one or two students show up for class 40 years before and then the school was closed. Burning the books becomes a real oddity when looked at in the context of the book as a whole. War is always coming and then it becomes meaningless that the fireman was burning books. The war burns everything.

The first words of this novel are classic: It was a pleasure to burn. I'm glad to revisit it after more than 50 years. ( )
  RBeffa | Oct 8, 2023 |
(3.5 / 5)

I read this book as a sophomore in high school, 22 years ago. I remember it being one of the easier-to-read classics of my 3 years of Honors English. All I really remembered about it, though, is the basic premise of book burning, the parlor screens, and a vague creepy idea of the Mechanical Hound. After reading it again now, I'm actually surprised that I remember it as a "simple" read, due to the writing style and a plethora of metaphors, but it does probably make a difference when you're pushed to analyze it after reading each third. I didn't dissect it for symbolism and analyze every paragraph like I did other classics, though, and I still have the short papers I wrote for assignments about it. It was fun to read those again after reading the book.

As an adult, I see the book differently than I did back then. For one thing, I have come to realize that the book is not about the censorship involved in book burning. The fire captain makes it clear that society turned from books long before it became illegal to own them. Rather, the technology that led them to that point seems to be what is being demonized. I suppose it's a call to make sure we don't let it take over our lives.

Though to be honest, I think there's a mixed message here, because despite the explanation the captain gives, it's also clear that the government doesn't want the people thinking for themselves. Wants them distracted while they're about to go to war--why and with whom, we never know. And due again to the writing style, I am not sure I understand what happened at the very end regarding the war.

I would say a strong theme, which is perhaps more relevant today, is the control the government is able to exert over the people. If the majority of society decides it doesn't care about books, then those people just don't read books. Why does that have to lead to books becoming illegal? The government decides that it needs to regulate the people's "fun" and oppose the potential of anyone offending anyone else at all, and apparently the people let it happen. Especially considering how recently Faber was a professor at a liberal arts school, it's amazing how quickly it must have happened.

One thing that I was absolutely correct about in remembering this book was how creepy the Mechanical Hound is. I actually had some unpleasant dreams the night in between the two days it took me to read the book this week, and the Hound was a highlight. (I don't have specific memories of the dreams, but a general understanding that they were related to the book.) It's seriously disturbing.

In the end, for me, at least, this book doesn't hold up as the classic it's hailed as. It's not a bad story, but I don't know that it's worth studying or holding up as a warning. Between this and Ender's Game, maybe I'm just not a fan of classic sci-fi. ( )
1 vote Kristi_D | Sep 22, 2023 |
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