Rating: 5 stars+
There's so much to say about this book, and overall it will definitely be going down in history as one of my favorite books of all time. I read a lot of dystopian, and this one stands out for a major reason: the "horrifying" aspects of society (they don't value books, they are addicted to their technology, etc.) are not only things that are so clearly happening now, they have also been caused by the gradual decay of society more than any one totalitarian regime.
Most modern dystopian novels present a dreary future that has been largely brought about by some kind of power play that may or may not exploit the current cultural atmosphere (it's certainly easier to take over when your propaganda plays into how many people already feel.) This book, though, reminds me that the heart of our issues is not some kind of big, bad brother but the nature of humanity itself. This is a classic theme in literature that I don't think is brought up quite enough. We love to blame our problems on other people -- whether it's another person/group or the government. But really, the very core of all humans is selfishness and greed. Our problems are natural and we have to constantly struggle to make things peaceful.
In Fahrenheit 451, the people have largely willingly given up books because it makes them happier. They don't like feeling emotionally or mentally agitated. It's a hedonistic culture, and they are so drowning in their pleasures that they don't care about the world around them or about the fact that are shallow, useless people. This is certainly happening today, although I don't actually believe that books will ever really become this hated. I could be wrong though. My circle is almost entirely composed of people who LOVE books. Authors, readers, editors, etc. That's the one weakness I think of this book is that I honestly can't imagine how a culture could decay so much that they don't want books. YES they stir things inside you, but that's precisely why they are wonderful. They help us understand ourselves and the world better. They may make us sad and upset on one page, but then they will lift us up and make us laugh and nod our heads on the next page. I actually cannot fathom HOW people couldn't see their value. I was very surprised one day when I was talking to a friend about my lifelong goal of owning a bookstore. He said it was a stupid idea and that books are becoming obsolete. It's a tragic thought and truly unbelievable to me personally, but I hope I least don't see that happen in my lifetime.
Anyway, I love not only the story but also the writing style of Bradbury. It's somewhat whimsical and witty, but also full of profound truths. I think Beatty's character was absolutely fascinating although he was the antagonist. His commentary on how the firemen came to be is thought provoking. Bradbury's social commentary is very subtle, which I appreciate, and it transcends labels or party lines. He himself said that he didn't ever wish to identify as a Democrat or Republican, Communist or Socialist.
The version that I read is the 60th Anniversary Edition with an introduction by Neil Gaiman. About a third of the book is additional commentary on the book itself -- a history of how the story came to be and introductions and reviews written by notable people throughout the years. I would recommend this specific version to anyone interested in the book because the extras made the experience only that much better.
There's so much to say about this book! I loved it and think everyone should read it at least once in their lifetime. I also plan to get an audiobook version because the story is simply beautifully told. This is one I will definitely reread (and I rarely reread books actually) I will be adding as many of Bradbury's books to my bookshelf as possible. <3
Purchase the book here.
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