"I hate that Americans are taught to fear some books and some ideas as though they were diseases." ~Kurt Vonnegut
Okay, so it's a little rude to quote one fantastic author for another's book review, but Vonnegut is on to something here. And that quote is perfect for Bradbury's story.
"Fahrenheit 451" centers around Guy Montag, a firefighter who's life is about to change, perhaps for the better. He, however, isn't a firefighter like we know. Instead, he sets fires. To books, of all things.
Then along comes Clarisse; a girl with a brain in a world where they are even harder to come by than they seem now. She cleverly shows Guy that there is more to life than the robotic, shiny, electronic lifestyle he's come to accept.
The only problem is that he doesn't just burn books. Books are illegal. And when he witnesses a woman burn with her books, he starts realizing the sole reason books are illegal; because people fear them. And he's going to see just what people are so afraid of, even if it means losing everything he's ever known.
I'm kind of shocked that I hadn't read this sooner. I felt melancholy the entire way through it. Not in the sense of sadness, but in the sense of this man is missing out on something so completely wonderful -- new adventures and people and places far away from his metallic life --and it took a girl to show him what he was longing for all along.
I can't imagine a life without books. I grew up with a love of reading and even now, that love is still as fierce as ever. I currently own almost 630 books. Yeah. That's a lot. And I thought about them being burned much like those in "Fahrenheit 451" and I couldn't begin to imagine. Paper burns quickly. Books are gone within seconds of being lit on fire. My 630 books would be ashes in the blink of an eye.
If you aren't a fan of reading, this is one book you need to read. It will give you a whole new outlook on books, whether you love them with every stardust that makes you up or you could live without them (shame on you). "Fahrenheit 451" will set you on fire and won't put it out anytime soon.
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