Fahrenheit 451 by Ray BradburyGenre: Science Fiction
Publication Date: First published 1953 this edition published by Del Ray in 2003
Recommended Age Group: Ages 14 and up
Summary: Guy Montag is a fireman that starts fires rather than putting them out. They burn books. This all started because it apparently makes people more comfortable to have an equal society. They don’t like to feel stupid because they haven’t read something or don’t know as much as someone else. So, to keep the peace, the firemen are there to find those people with book and to burn the books. In the end Montag has some books of his own and tries to figure out what is so good about them. He is discovered and after killing his fire Captain he is forced to run and go into hiding. While in hiding he meets a bunch of other people that have decided to keep there love for books alive by memorizing different ones and together they make a substantial library.
Personal Notes: Amazing book with obvious ties to todays world. Fabulous for discussion groups of any kind. Bradbury took an interesting approach here by twisting some of the fundamentals in our society and putting them in a different light. For instance the firefighters that burn books rather than put out fires. The tv becoming an all consuming source of entertainment with reality shows on every channel. He was writing way before his time and saw our society today. The earpieces made me think of ipods and everyone's obsession with noise. It seems like people can't just sit in a quiet room anymore, something always needs to be happening around them. A good book to make you think and to help reevaluate life and priorities.
No comments:
Post a Comment