Binding: Mass Market Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54 EAN: 9780345342966 ISBN: 0345342968 Label: Del Rey Manufacturer: Del Rey Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 208 Publication Date: August 12, 1987 Publisher: Del Rey Release Date: August 12, 1987 Sales Rank: 1268 Studio: Del Rey
Science Fiction Masked In A Glaze Of Poetic Impulse
If ever there is a formula for the perfect novel, 451 has the ingredients. It would be one part science fiction masked in a glaze of poetic impulse, settled on a bed of classic literature soaking up the juices of vast philosophical thought. The burning of books is a horror to any who love the written word and our freedom to dream. It would be our worst nightmare for society to regress to a state of anti-intellectualism so staunch that ideas themselves have become the enemy. Ray Bradbury not only captures our fears in this post nuclear world but also touches upon our often forgotten love for the stories that have captured our hearts. This is a must read for anyone who has ever loved a book.
A dash of cold water, please
Our book club recently decided to make every other book choice a "classic" book which, for one reason or another, none of us has read. Fahrenheit 451 was this month's choice. After plowing through Bradbury's self-aggrandizing Foreward AND Introduction, I was ready to be enthralled. No such luck. This had to be one of the most abysmal books of all time. I suspect there's a bit of The Emperor's New Clothes (a much better read, by the way) going on here. In other words, if you dare to criticize Bradbury, then you must be one of the mindless rubes who hate books and philosophy and creativity and yadda yadda yadda. Fine, whatever. To put it delicately, Fahrenheit 451 stunk like yesterday's diapers. I have nothing but sympathy for the poor students ... Read More
Dated screed
I am frustrated by the sloppiness of Fahrenheit 451. From what I understand, Bradbury sat in a library and wrote it in a few weeks, and it shows. Montag is introduced as a man happy in his job. The meeting with Clarisse blows his mind! But then Bradbury throws in numerous details indicating that his dissatisfaction has been mounting for some time. Although Montag is purportedly of a divided mind, the development of his character is very abrupt and unconvincing. But why develop what is essentially a mouthpiece for your own ranting? Blech. Bradbury's ideas have come to fruition in our time, but, ironically, his own work is not literature at all. I do not understand why this work is lauded as a classic.
Prophetic, but Immature
This was one of my favorite books in high school, and reading it again had a certain charm, but my issue with it can be summed up in a small quote from an interview included in the final pages.
"DEL RAY: In the introduction to the recently published Bradbury: An Illustrated Life", a wonderful book which I have spent hours immersed in--
RAY BRADBURY: Isn't that an incredible book?"
I had the same issue with Brave New World. Even though these science fiction romps are interesting and at times exciting, the authors are so in love with themselves and their prophetic ideas, it hurts; sometimes it even cramps the writing. The ham-fisted emotions of Guy Montag are bizarre and nonsensical to say the least--the other ... Read More
A thrilling combination of 50's pulp sci-fi and reflective commentary
By my count, this'll be the 1,218th review for Fahrenheit 451 on amazon, so what could I possibly say that the other 1,217 haven't?
But for those few who dare dig this deep to read: I loved the book. I've read numerous novels and thrillers for fun, and also dabbled in more serious, non-fiction as well (check my profile if you want), but this one book managed to bridge the two meta-genres. In Ray Bradbury's comments he mentions that he wrote the book on typewriters that charged a dime per hour in a university library, driven there by the distractions of two young daughters in his house; as a result (imho) the work comes fast and furious and makes no apologies for failing to artistically create a subtle and symbolic background.
