“Amid apocalyptic dystopia, “Fahrenheit 451″’s protagonist retains sparks of curiosity, creativity and courage, and these human characteristics are the seeds of hope that can arise, phoenix-like, from civilization’s ashes. Bradbury would have us nurture these characteristics in ourselves, our communities and, most important, our children. In the book, Montag is warned, “Don’t look to be saved in any one thing, person, machine or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were headed for shore.”
Bradbury’s prescience regarding the fire of the human spirit should give us comfort, because his prescience about technology and the dark side of demagoguery was so remarkable.”
~Heid iHammel, NYT 2015
“Fahrenheit 451 is not universally banned, but it is frequently challenged and has been restricted or removed from specific schools and libraries in the U.S. and internationally. Commonly challenged for profanity, vulgarity, and themes involving violence or anti-religious sentiments, the novel is ironically censored for the very topics it explores.” ~ Marshall University
First Edition cover:
