This page contains affiliate links which means, if you click on the link and purchase the item, The Book War may receive a commission at no cost to you, which will then be used to maintain this blog.
(4 / 5)
Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury
Not sure how I got this far in life without having read this book! It’s on so many high school and college reading lists, but somehow it never crossed my path before now! This kind of SciFi dystopian literature is not my favorite genre, but I do love reading ‘classics’ and this one certainly qualifies, plus, it’s on a ton of ‘banned books’ lists so that’s an added bonus!
In so many ways this book echoes the world in which we currently find ourselves, where books are being banned and knowledge (truth) is a frightening thing that many people are willing to ignore in favor of their own personal narratives. This way of life is easier, simpler, and much less confrontational…until it isn’t. Like the world Ray Bradbury created in Fahrenheit 451, we live for ‘fun’ and rarely consider the consequences and costs to ourselves and others. So long as we can do, say, and believe whatever we desire we are ‘happy’ and have little use for truth and/or knowledge beyond our own small existence.
Bradbury’s cautionary tale reveals the dangers of people being unable and willing to think for themselves because it’s too much of a hassle and we may not like what we learn. Self reflection both as individuals and as a society is necessary if we ever hope to make a better world, burying our heads in the sand (so to speak) will never change anything nor provide true happiness to anyone.
-Haddi
#thebookwar #bookstagram #bookblog #booklover #bookrecommendations #bibliophile #bookreview #bannedbooks
