Fahrenheit 451

Summary:

The terrifyingly prophetic novel of a post-literate future.

Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books.

The classic dystopian novel of a post-literate future, Fahrenheit 451 stands alongside Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World as a prophetic account of Western civilization’s enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity.

Bradbury’s powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which, decades on from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)

Review:

It appears that I have read this before, but didn’t finish it.  The last third of the book was a total surprise for me!  I’m honestly not sure how that could have happened.  Anyway, this is a book – like “1984” that makes you question the direction our society is going.  It is heartbreaking to realize that many people do not read at all anymore, but do find time to keep up with all the latest shows.  Posting this on a book review site is, of course, preaching to the choir and I realize that.  This book, however, is one that everyone should give a shot as it’s something that will remind you of what is really important in life and where books may fit in it.

So to any of you reading this – cheers to reading, thinking about reading or wanting to read more.  Go ahead – turn off the TV and pick up something you’ve been putting off for too long.  And get to this book at some point.

Warning: Contains violence

Rating: 4 stars!

Who should read it? Everyone.  No question about it.