It was a pleasure to burn.
Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury postulated that the pages of books ignite and burn at 451 degrees Fahrenheit and accordingly decided to name his wildly popular and shockingly insightful futuristic tale after this assertion.
Fahrenheit 451 offers a dystopian world where books are banned and destroyed whenever discovered; literal Hell for all of us bibliophiles. 😳 ‘Firemen’ with hoses spewing kerosene are responsible for finding and incinerating any trace of the evil objects that cause one to think and become unhappy.
This 1953 sci-fi tale that started as cautionary has morphed to prophetic in modern times, and I suspect this has something to do with it, ironically, being banned by some school boards, although I am sure you would not catch them admitting it.
As dark as the messaging is, with satire as the medium, the tone is light and easy to ingest by a wider audience. Themes dealing with censorship, governmental control, (what was then advanced) technology, and an apathetic citizenry will have you double-checking its release date, as Bradbury appears to be detailing the farce that is our current day.
Join me next week for a MEme Quotes Collection in honour of what many consider Ray Bradbury’s finest work.
Take a look at this short Ted Ed animated video to learn more about Fahrenheit 451.
This is a bookmark that I made for The Library Book, but I think it also works here.
What are some banned books that you think are important to keep in our libraries?
Are there any books that you believe should be banned?
Peachy Books 