By: Ray Bradbury Publisher: Del Rey Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Label: Del Rey Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 208 Publication Date: August 12, 1987 Release Date: August 12, 1987
Product Description: Nowadays firemen start fires. Fireman Guy Montag loves to rush to a fire and watch books burn up. Then he met a seventeen-year old girl who told him of a past when people were not afraid, and a professor who told him of a future where people could think. And Guy Montag knew what he had to do....
Amazon.com: In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury's classic, frightening vision of the future, firemen don't put out fires--they start them in order to burn books. Bradbury's vividly painted society holds up the appearance of happiness as the highest goal--a place where trivial information is good, and knowledge and ideas are bad. Fire Captain Beatty explains it this way, "Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs.... Don't give them slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy."
Guy Montag is a book-burning fireman undergoing a crisis of faith. His wife spends all day with her television "family," imploring Montag to work harder so that they can afford a fourth TV wall. Their dull, empty life sharply contrasts with that of his next-door neighbor Clarisse, a young girl thrilled by the ideas in books, and more interested in what she can see in the world around her than in the mindless chatter of the tube. When Clarisse disappears mysteriously, Montag is moved to make some changes, and starts hiding books in his home. Eventually, his wife turns him in, and he must answer the call to burn his secret cache of books. After fleeing to avoid arrest, Montag winds up joining an outlaw band of scholars who keep the contents of books in their heads, waiting for the time society will once again need the wisdom of literature.
Bradbury--the author of more than 500 short stories, novels, plays, and poems, including The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man--is the winner of many awards, including the Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America. Readers ages 13 to 93 will be swept up in the harrowing suspense of Fahrenheit 451, and no doubt will join the hordes of Bradbury fans worldwide. --Neil Roseman
Although slow start it was great! I had to read this book over the summer (I'm going into 10th grade). At first it took me a while to get into it. Soon enough I couldn't put it down. It was a great book. I would recommend it to everyone.
Good, reminded me of another book I was very much looking forward to reading this book, a good friend has been recommending it for some time. I must say that it took me a little longer than I thought it would to read. The language for me was little hard to follow at times. Some of it was so chopped up that I would have to go back and reread the page over to try and understand the message of that page.
I thought that the themes themselves were very prevalent to our day. I am finding that more and more that children are unwilling to read and want to play video games or go on the internet. The idea of how books are slowing being eradicated is spot on in current events. I really liked the message of how knowledge will set you free, and the good, and bad that can come from it. (As the snake said to eve, you will be like a God.) I also liked his idea of the TV walls and how it clouds the mind with loud noises and bright colors. I found that to be very interesting, especially with the outburst of 42" TVs and all the crave for the latest gadgets. I find it very ironic that Amazon is out with their new product Kindle. No offense to them but I do not support that item.
One thing that I did notice was that as I was reading it reminded me a lot of "The Giver" by Louis Lowery. I know that The Giver was written afterword but I actually liked that book more that his. I also understand that it was more meant for children, but think that the ideas presented in her book, almost paralleling Bradbury's book, were very well written and thought out. I also thought that her book was simply just a little more easy to read.
Either way, this still was an excellent book, with a lot of different issues that I think have a love of prevalence in our current status. If you liked Bradbury's book, I would greatly recommend The Giver.
Great book for teenagers
I purchased this book for my teenaged son to do an English class book report. He was impressed by the way the author was able to imagine the future considering this was written in 1953. I do not recommend for under the high school level.
Important Book Still True In The World Today I read Bradbury's book on two different levels. The first being the themes of communism and censorship. The other level being the tone in which he writes which reflects the primal instinct that we as individuals have that allow us to function in society and stay alive. Also, how he writes (he is a literary genius), one can decipher how the thought process works in a fight or flight situation. The book is fantastic. I found nothing boring about it. There is action always going on to where you look forward to turning the page. A must read for anyone with intelligence.
Powerful Book Having not have read it in high school, this year I felt compelled to read it because of a sudden interest in Ray Bradbury.I regret having waited so long to read.Bradbury introduces themes that are more relevant today than ever before.My recommendation is to buy or borrow and read this book ASAP.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
