Fahrenheit 451

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Summary: It's gettting hot in here!!
Review: If you have ever heard the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover", you'll notice how Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is a perfect example of that. Since I was assigned this book to read, I didn't get that enthusiastic with it at first, especially with that title. I thought it was going to be a book were I had to struggle to keep myself awake to read it. After reading the first 4 or 5 pages though, I was proven totally wrong. I became engulfed in this book and couldn't stop reading it. The story felt so real that I could picture it happening in our society without a doubt in my head.
I enjoyed reading about how Guy Montag's character unfolded throughout the story and how he realized that just because something was the law didn't mean that it was exactly right. It is good how he followed his beliefs and didn't let anyone tell him that he was wrong. A downside to this book though is that my favorite character, Clarisse, was run over by a car. I believe that Bradbury just added that part to just take her away. I believe if Clarisse would have lived, she would have been at Montag's side and the overall story could have been so much better.
Also, I believe that Bradbury could have changed the ending a little. That was the least exciting point of the book. The jets flying by overhead and the city being destroyed was very exciting, but after that, the overall excitement of the book just died off. I am not going to be stereotypical and say that all of Bradbury's books have a dull ending (because I haven't read any other one), but I will say that he should have fixed this one up a little.
All in all, Bradbury has written a good book. Not perfect, but good. I think that this is a book that few should be without reading because it can actually knock some sense into them to not be fools and stand up for what they believe in. The book portrays a world that could possibly be our own in a few years. The fate of this world though, will rest upon our own hands.

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Summary: Simplicity! A book that lets the readers connect the dots
Review: First of all I just wan't to say that I became interested for a rather odd reason. I read an article that said much of the band Radiohead's artwork was inspired by this book; as well as some of their little scribbles and a Tee- Shirt.
Now I have always respected Radiohead as smart dudes, and have found the image of book burnings full of symbolism. Thus, I gave it a read, and low and behold what do I find? A beast of a book.
All the other reviews pretty much get it right, but I didnt like how one reviewer slammed the idea of how easily the main character was converted. After all, the people who did so read books did they not? How could he debate with so little knowledge. Also look at people in our world who are converted from other religions. It usually doesnt take much. Some things just FEEL right after you hear it out loud.
All in all, I do not consider this science fiction, but more of a political or social commentary.

Interesting, Thought provoking, and entertaining; while maintaining a beatiful simplicity that lets the reader think and imagine.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Classic
Review: This book was required reading when I was fifteen, and it's easy to see why. It's a great book about the evils of censorship, something I am strongly against. Ironically, some schools I read tried to censor some parts of the book because the characters mildly swear. Isn't that defeating the purpose of the book? I believe every high school student should read this (uncensored, of course) and understand it. I won't go into details about the plot (there are plenty of other reviews which will do that), but I will say this is one book you don't want to miss.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting novel!
Review: Fahrenheit 451 is an excellent novel that I highly suggest to those who like well-written, thoughtful books. The plot and the story in general are extremely interesting- not only due to the actual events, but due to Fahrenheit 451's frightening connection to our lives. The futuristic, dystopian setting where the government has censored all forms of high art and learning, and where humans have 'dumbed down' to an unbelievable degree, gives way to a story where humankind fights with itself to regain a civilized society.Fahrenheit 451 is no doubt a critisism of our society and a scary prediction of may be ahead. Don't miss this wonderful novel!

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Summary: Fun, fast reading which raises deep, thoughtful questions.
Review: One of the best books I have ever read. Bradbury's prose is direct but beautiful, full of sylistic twists that enhance the reading experience greatly. The story moves quickly, and the brisk pacing is expertly handled, never leaving the reader minutely bored. At under 200 pages, the length is perfect for the story, yet delivers its haunting message about censorship, superficiality, and the dumbing down of America with force without ever becoming preachy. Truly a magnificent accomplishment and should be required reading for everyone!

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Summary: Not My Favorite Bradbury Book.....
Review: I was extremely disappointed in this book for a number of reasons: Enter the protagonist, Guy Montag. Montag has been a firefighter for 10 years and has always loved his job...as a fireman of the future, he sets fires to houses instead of putting them out. The reader learns from the back cover that Montag has never questioned his duties & has always loved the thrill of a midnight run. However, a mere three or four pages into the book, Montag meets a free thinking seventeen year old girl who makes him realize that he has wasted the last ten years of his life. The reader never gets the sense that Montag was ever really serious about his job...we have to assume he was simply because the back cover says so. So, in a matter of about four days, this seventeen year old girl (Clarisse) has managed to turn ten years of Montag's beliefs upside down. This might not be so unrealistic if Montag & Clarisse had become involved in a meaningful exchange of ideas but, as it stands, their longest conversation lasted only two minutes. A bit too far fetched for me. Then one day Clarisse disappears & we never hear from her again. We get an "explaination" from Montag's wife, but it is just a theory...we never really know for sure what happened to her, leaving the reader to constantly wonder about her. No satisfactory answers are ever given. Nonetheless, she apparently had a profound impact on Montag because she fuels him throughout the rest of the novel. It's just a little hard for me to believe that 8 minutes of one-sided conversations from a 17 year old could change 10 years of beliefs.

The book never gets any better. Montag goes on to meet an old English professor who just happens to share Clarisse's beliefs. What happens between them is, in my opinion, just as unbelievable as what happened between Montag & Clarisse. I realize this is "science fiction" and a lot of it is supposed to be far-fetched, but very little of this book could actually be considered science fiction...perhaps the robotic dogs, wall to wall television and those little green ear bullets are science fiction, but not too much more. I found the characters to be more unrealistic than any of the fancy, technological advances of the future.

But, I will say this about the book: I couldn't wait to finish it...not because it was an exciting page turner, but because it is a short book and I knew I would be through with it fairly quickly, even though the temptation to just stop reading it was there.

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Summary: Makes You Appreciate Books Even More
Review: What would society be like if books were banned and burned? Eventually people would lose the ability to think for themselves and they would lose control of their own lives. I'm passive and a coward for the most part, but this book is a true call to arms to protect books at all costs if there is ever a movement to ban and burn. I liked Bradbury's style, this book was a pleasure to read and will be a treasure to share with others. After reading this, don't forget the lessons within. Books are vital, but as an avid reader you know that already. The key is to share the message with others. Happy reading....

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Summary: A Unique Outlook on the Future of Censorship
Review: Many writers have been called ahead of their time. Raymond Bradbury is a prime example of this. His novel, Fahrenheit 451, is far and away the most original book this reviewer has ever read, not to mention one of the best written.

Bradbury has a unique style which allows the reader to picture the story in their mind in the style of a David Fincher movie. Chuck Palahnuk, author of Fight Club, shares this same quality.

The most striking aspect of Fahrenheit 451 is by far its plot: firefighters who burn houses, rather than put out the fires. (...) the novel itself becomes hard to put down. As the reader follows the movements and thoughts of Guy Montag, rogue firefighter who dares to read books, making him a hypocrite. Montag's progression from book burner to advocater of reading, to fugitive on the run from a world who decides that he has learned too much is as strange as it is heroic.

Bradbury's unique take on the future is common only with the views of George Orwell, author of 1984. In both of these novels, the government decides that it has had enough of the uniqueness that makes America so great, so "Big Brother" must eliminate. Despite this similarity, Fahrenheit manages to distance itself with the use of censorship. Censorship as it is is out of control in the United States, and Bradbury's tale is hopefully not prophetic. Overall, few books are as captivating and original as Ray Bradbury's beautiful Fahrenheit 451.

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Summary: Dystopic premonitions
Review: If you are looking for mindless entertainment you might find Farenheit 451 a difficult or boring read, but if you are seeking a book that will make you think, or stimulate your own philosophical ponderings, then you are right on target.

Like Huxley and Orwell, Bradbury expresses his concerns regarding the human condition through the dialouges of his characters. The language might seems a bit dry, but one must consider the time and environment in which it was written.

This book is truely a classic, so grow yourself and those around you; Read this book and then share it with someone willing to discuss it with you. Or you can just watch TV!;)

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Summary: What is the ignition temperature of paper?
Review: A truly excellent book that spans the generations since it's 1953 debut. This book is along the same lines as Brave New World and 1984 in the sense that it creates a futuristic society (not unlike our own in many ways) in which control has shifted toward an entity other than the will of the people. A certain amount of propaganda and coersion, mainly propogated through television, has transformed the populace into a sick and backwards culture without substance. All the wonderful knowledge found in literature has been abandoned, and burned, while the people have become so unaware that they don't even know that the ashes they are choking on are the ashes of books that used to live on their shelves. Essentially, the ashes of value, and morality. One of the things I liked best about the book was that it highlights the control people have over their life in reguards to books. You always have the power of choice, whether it be in the subject matter of what you read, or the choice of chosing not to read at all. You can put down a book whenever you wish, but in contrast, the television has control over what you see, and what your exposed to. So, kill your TV, and read this book. It is a great story reminiscent of some of our past, and possibly of things to come. It is also very well written.