Rating: 
Summary: More Like 3 1/2, But It's Worth Reading
Review: Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" has some very interesting ideas, but they get bungled in the execution. The book was written in the 1950's and takes place in the unspecified future. Books are now illegal and no one learns to read more than is absolutely necessary. The world is in a constant state of war, but drugs and mindless T.V. programs keep most people pacified.The main character, Guy Montag, is a fireman. But firemen no longer put out fires; they start them to burn books and the houses that harbor them. (Because there is no written history, very few people are aware that this was not always so.) Montag meets an intriguing teenage neighbor, Clarice, who challenges him to think and not conform to society. This leads him to reexamine his life, and his relationship with his dull and placid wife. Montag is also troubled by a conversation with an old man about a year earlier. Though he was sure this man was harboring books, he never turned him in. Finally, Montag steals one of the books he is supposed to burn. He dreams of collecting books and sharing them with everyone willing to listen. What's good in this book are the theoretical ideas: the sheer horror of the society being depicted (it's like a less complex "Brave New World"), and the image of thousands of people memorizing books so they can keep the words alive. Here we see that books are not paper and ink, but living words that start with one person but can touch everybody. This is what makes them so potentially dangerous. Although the book is very involving, and reads quickly, I was dissatisfied with some aspects of the plot. Montag's conversion was much too quick. If that was all it took, why weren't there millions of others like him? He doesn't come across as an unusually bright man. Also, I think the ending of the book is rushed. A minor complaint: The 50th anniversary Ballentine edition is riddled with typos, which should be unacceptable in a commemorative volume.
Rating: 
Summary: Strong message and beautiful to read
Review: I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I had heard people talk of it forever and always put it in my mind as a book to read, but I didn't think that it would necessarily be an enjoyable read. I finally got around to reading it when I heard that Michael Moore's new movie is titled after this book. (Fahrenheit 9/11 The Temperature at Which Freedom Burns)
So about the book... It is not only a good story with a strong message regarding freedom of speech. It is beautifully written and very easy to read. The words flow, and each character is perfect in their contribution to the story. This book is pretty short. I think it is a must read for anyone. I'm not going to say more, because you have to read it for yourself!
Rating:
Summary: Good title, good writer, good book.
Review: First, I'd like to comment on the title. To name a book in which fireman burn books after the temperature at which paper burns is nice. Simple, but ties in nicely. The titles of so many books seem to be so remote from the content of the book(Just a little hang up of mine, sorry). I really appreciate writers who take the time to tie everything together. Anyone can ramble for a few hundred pages and slap a ridiculously vague title on the front. Good writers actually do a little planning and thinking. Bradbruy is a good writer. The plot involves fireman who set fire to books, but to say this book is about fireman burning books is taking things a little too literally. This book is about the importance of ideas and free-thinking. The reviewers who criticize this book for being "far-fetched" or a rip off of other books such as 1984, etc., etc., are being very narrow minded. First of all, to criticize any fiction book for being far-fetched is ridiculous. If you want to read something that isn't far-fetched, read a newspaper. This is fiction. It is entirely made up for the purposes of concretizing ideas or simply for entertainment. As far as the criticism of this book as a poor imitation of other dystopian books, this book adresses completely different themes than those others. This book is concerned mainly with freedom of thought, the other books referred to are concerned primarily with political and sociological issues. This one is much more personal, and in my opinion, much more effective at making it's point precisely because of how "far-fetched" it is. I'm not even a fan of science fiction, but I really enjoyed this book. If you like good fiction and don't mind a story that actually deviates from what you already see every day, you will enjoy it too.
Rating:
Summary: Collective Ignorance.....
Review: How ironic that the reviews for the masterpiece Fahrenheit 451 here on Amazon.com constitute the very collective ignorance Bradbury attempts to warn his readers of. Not a clear comprehensible statement (or thought) to be found!
Bottom line...if you're capable of autonomous, independent, intelligent thought then read this book. When read along with 1984 (G. Orwell) one can recognize undeniable similarities between the fictitious oppressive regimes of these novels and the factual western political regimes of the present.
Oh and civil rights....what's that? That's right we've outlawed such antiquated ideologies: USA PATRIOT ACT, USA CHILD ONLINE PROTECTION ACT, USA P2P PIRACY PREVENTION ACT, USA DIGITAL MILLENIUM COPYRIGHT ACT, USA TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT......................
Rating: 
Summary: An effortless copy of some masterpieces
Review: I read this book after having read 1984 and Brave New World. It's far less complex in terms of language and expressions than those two, which makes its reading easy and fast. But Farenheit's story is clearly "too much" inspired by Orwell's and Huxley's work, with too obvious similarities hard not to be comparable at the same time you go through the book. An example, Farenheit's big televisions on the walls in the houses. Remember Big Brother speaking from wallscreens in 1984?
On the other side, Bradbury let us know that books are synonims of "culture", and "development of thinking", which in my opinion are arbitrary statements. There can also be non educative books as there are non educative tv programmes or popcorn movies.
And the story changes its course abruptly at the end. The characters that didn't die are running madly across the forests, with an ending that is hardly convincing.
My advice would be not to read this book, at least if you've already read those other two...
Rating: 
Summary: Fahrenheit 451- Somewhat a flop
Review: I didn't really care for this book. Fahrenheit 451 is not far-fetched though. I think some of the material mentioned in this book really could happen in the future if we let it. This is a fairly good book overall, but I'm rating it a 2 out of 5 stars because I was just confused. I am a freshmen in high school and my whole Literature Pre-AP class had to read Fahrenheit 451 for an assignment. Now I know what you're probably thinking, well of course it's going to be confusing for a freshmen. But, I beg to differ. This book is written good I suppose, but the story jumps around too much and certain parts come up and it is just plain confusing (i.e. Dentham's Dentifrice). Well that is about all I have to say about this novel. I'm sure if I read it over again I would enjoy it more. But I don't think this book would be much more than 2 or 3 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Disturbing...
Review: One of the signs of a great book, in my opinion, is that it disturbs you - twists with your emotions and never leaves you. More importantly, that it makes you think. Farenheit 451 does this and more. As I read it, it horrified me how much it applies to today's society. People are always offended about one thing, or they want you to delete that. Some people detest reading at all and are content to spend their days watching sitcoms - most of which are not funny and have no point to them whatsoever. These days, people seem to be longing for an easy, brainless, sacchrine happiness and existence. Farenheit 451 shows what happens when those people get their wish. A must-read for anybody of any age - five stars from me! If you like it, and haven't already read other books of this genre (dystopias and such) - may I also recommend 1984 by George Orwell, Anthem by Ayn Rand, and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.
Rating:
Summary: much more relevant than you may think
Review: The real purpose of burning the books is clearly explained by Montag's boss himself. Those books present opinions that might upset different social, racial, etc. groups. Look at our society where polical correctness so oftent replaces the facts, the truth, and just plain common sense. False sense of social stability achieved this way is the same fallacy that is so brilliantly explored in this book. Extremely relevant.
Rating:
Summary: Feeling the Heat
Review: This, I'm sad to say, was the first time I'd taken the time to read a Bradbury novel. I had no idea what I was missing! This book deserves the status of a classic, all right. It has memorable characters, vivid sentences and scenes, and holds a mirror to the errors of society. Though fifty years old, the book is surprisingly modern in its perceptions. The story follows Guy Montag, a fireman. His job is to start fires, rather than put them out. When the station receives calls about homes that harbor books, the Salamander fire engine races out with kerosene hoses to douse the residence and destroy the threatening pages. What is really under attack in Montag's world is thought, intellectualism, connection between people. The effects of TV and useless trivia, the conflict between art and entertainment, are highlighted here in the flames of Montag's burning. When Montag turns the corner, deciding to combat this world gone mad, he faces deep and long-lasting consequences. And the world will never be the same. Bradbury succeeds in writing a very personal, yet very global tale. The heat of this novel still emanates today. Pick up this book--at the risk of feeling the heat!
Rating:
Summary: Fahrenheit 451... Good or Bad?
Review: Hello People,
I thought that Fahrenheit 451 was a good book. I wouldn't say that it was the best book in the world but it was definetly a good book and you should read it. It isn't your average book that you're used to, it's a little diffrent. Bradbury writes really well and you can follow the story, but sometimes he would just say something and you would have no clue what he's talking about. So then you have to go back and read a couple pages just to figure out whats going on. But above all I would say that it is a good book and even though it's a little diffrent, it's good to give diffrent things a try. :)
Peace-out and enjoy the book!!!!!!!!!
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