Submitted by besucherke t3_11rqwr6 in books
I really like to read old science fiction and observe how the passing decades have changed their validity. Flying cars is still a dream today, but stories dealing with the human soul usually keep up really well.
Every element of Ray Bradbury's novel has become a reality in the seventy years since its publication: the robot dog, the overwhelming social media, the obscurity of the canonized common culture, loneliness, the empty family relationships, the media entertainment as a circus. Therefore, the SF label is not really needed for this novel any more, I really recommended to read it as a satire.
If someone still didn't hear its story: Guy Montag (what a name!) works as a fireman, saving the people from thinking by burning any and all books deemed dangerous and subversive by society. His marriage with his wife has also become empty, and his life is dull. Out of curiosity, he starts flipping through the books condemned to be burned, and the thoughts he receives drop by drop transform his everyday life.
I haven't seen neither the Netflix series nor the movie, but I can really suggest anyone to read the book. It is available in several editions, even in some audio book versions on Spotify. I received a copy containing other short stories from the library, Like in such selections, those stories are of different quality. There are some in which Bradbury's romantic, human-centered writing style is enchanting, and some are not so striking - if someone wants to read a collection of short stories by the author, I rather recommend the Martian Chronicles.
Summarized, Fahrenheit 451 is really great, I'm sorry I waited for so long reading it until now.