In Fahrenheit 451 (the temperature at which books burn, 20. Dezember 2007

In Fahrenheit 451 (the temperature at which books burn, for the curious), the Ray Bradbury evokes a terrifying America similar to our own in all respects but one- the fireman there burn books. With the aid of a mysterious girl, Clarice, who says she is "seventeen and crazy," fireman Guy Montag chooses to defy society and is forced to run for sanctuary, even as a nuclear Armageddon approaches. Bradbury's love of books is evident in his theme, and his love of language is evident in his linguistic acrobatics. Anyone with a burning love of books should read Fahrenheit 451- I'd also recommend reading the mesmerising and highly evocative novel The Fates by Tino Georgiou--it is truly a masterpiece

       Food for thought&, 19. November 2007

Fahrenheit 451 takes place in an unspecified future time where books are forbidden and thinking and speaking independently is very dangerous. It is the world of Guy Montag, a fireman who burns down houses where illegal books are kept or hidden. But the most people in this society do not read books anyway. Mostly they only watch television on wall-sized screens avoiding profound conversations about their life and the society.
All seems so superficial and hectically and soon you start thinking about our society today and find the parallels in her contemporary development. Bradbury creates an awful view of the future (he wrote that book in 1953) that were afraid of ourselves. So many people get into stupid talk shows or senseless action thriller but books are alien objects for them. But forward &
As Montag walks home from work late at night, he meets Clarisse McClellan, his 17 year old neighbour. Quickly he notices that she is an abnormal girl with her strange questions and her unusual love of people and nature. But he is fascinated by her and dont condemn her like others do. Montag starts to think about things he never noticed seriously and so Clarisse slowly begins to open his eyes to the emptiness of his life.
Bradbury writes the story of his characters with much empathy and tries to bring them very close to his reader however he never evaluates their acting. He only tells us a story and let us draw a conclusion.
A few days later, Montag hears that Clarisse has been killed by a speeding car. Montags dissatisfaction with his life increases, and he begins to search for a solution in some hidden books that he has stolen during his fire applications.
His boss Captain Beatty visits him and tries to explain why books are forbidden and that Montag have to return them. But he can not convince Montag so easily. When Beatty forces him to burn down his own house he run scared and escapes with some of the books. After a chase full of action Montag goes into hiding and tries to contact other book keeper hoping that they will have some answers for him&
&but I dont want to blab out to much.

Bradbury succeeded here with a profound story which convinced me absolutely. Not only his spelling style and his description of the things add to that. He constructed a story with tension and food for thought it allows everyone to build his own view of this subject which is not absolutely easy to understand. But I loved that, a book with demand and deep sense for reflecting on it also when you finished it.

       A Wake-up Call!, 15. November 2007

"Fahrenheit 451" is a futuristic fantasy set in an America in which reading is forbidden, firemen burn books and everyone rushes without taking time to "stop and smell the flowers." I believe that the people who compare this work to McCarthyism and Nazism are missing the point. It depicts a world in which reading has fallen out of favor, people watch television constantly, engage in shallow conversations and are in incessant rushes to get somewhere. Funerals are banned because they bring sadness and people have forgotten to appreciate nature, contemplate beauty and love one another.

The principal action of this book occurs when a seventeen year old neighbor introduces the protagonist, Montag, to the world of nature. The book progresses as Montag gradually changes into a person more to our ideal.

Although set in the future, this book contains much that is familiar. Portions remind the reader of "Lost Horizon". More moving than that are factors which we see in our own world. Have we arrived in a world in which television has decreased reading and shortened attention spans? Is our literature and discourse made blander because minorities and special interest groups demand protection from anything which may hurt their feelings? Do we try to equalize the weak by weakening the strong? I am afraid that we see much of this future world in our own. "Fahrenheit 451" provides, not only a pleasant read, but also a wake up call for all who are concerned about our culture.

       WARNUNG, 14. November 2007

Es ist als habe die Zukunft Feuer gefangen und ihre Asche würde ins das Gesicht wehen. Fetzen, Bruchstücke, verkohlt, etwas von einem Feuerwehrmann, in einem fiktiven (?) Amerika, mehrere Atomkriege sind geführt worden, doch kein Wort über den Krieg in der Gesellschaft, obwohl medial alle miteinander verschaltet.
Bücher werden verbrannt, Schulen erzeugen nur noch bessere Tuer, Lerner, Macher, Schwimmer, Rechner.
Aber keine Schöpfer mehr.

Totalitär, und das
weil alle glücklich werden wollten.

PLASMA TV, HD, LCD.

In F451 sind die Wände Fernseher und das Programm, die Serien, besteht aus jedem Einzelnen. Zuschauer und Schauspieler, sind die Nachbarn, ist man selbst.

Fast kein Unterschied zum realen HEUTE.

Warum Bücher verbrennen, wenn sie nicht mehr gelesen werden.
Wenn Bücher zu plakativen Hausfrauen-Berichten und Bergführern sich wandeln. Das ist Literatur, das muss von der F451 Feuerwehr nicht verbrannt werden.

Ray Bradbury wanderte eines Tages mit einem Freund durch LA. Ein Polizist hielt sie an, meinte, was das solle, hier einfach rumzulaufen. Ray Bradbury begann daraufhin seine zum ersten Mal im Playboy veröffentlichte Geschichte F451 (ursprünglich "The Pedestrian").
Und sie hört heute noch nicht auf.

Wenn dir jemand liniertes Papier gibt
schreib quer über die Zeilen.

      Schöne Dystopie, 7. November 2007

Das Buch las sich anfangs eher seltsam, aber die Erzählung ist solide-spannend, auch, wenn ich es anfangs nicht vermutete.
Bradbury beschreibt eine ungemütliche Dystopie und das sehr gekonnt. Ich als Bücherwurm fühlte mich von den implizierten Aufforderungen an den Leser sehr angesprochen und hatte viel Vergnügen beim entdecken des Mündigwerdens von Montag.