Fahrenheit 451
by Ray Bradbury · first published 1953
24% recommend72% neutral4% critical
Why HN recommends it
Approachable dystopian novel about censorship and a society that burns books to avoid disagreement; recommended as school reading and a gateway to dystopian fiction, praised for its prose and current relevance.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Fahrenheit 451 is a 1953 dystopian novel by American writer Ray Bradbury. Often regarded as one of his best works, the novel presents a future American society where books are outlawed and "firemen" burn any that are found. The book's tagline explains the title as "'the temperature at which book paper catches fire, and burns": the autoignition temperature of paper. The lead character, Guy Montag, is a fireman who becomes disillusioned with his role of censoring literature and destroying knowledge, eventually quitting his job and committing himself to the preservation of literary and cultural w
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Books book culling reminds me of: 1984 Canticle for Leibowitz Fahrenheit 451 The Name of the Rose
on “Librarians in Florida went rogue to save 2,300 books from an algorithm” ↗…tend to think of SF as children's books, not serious (if you compare it to "classic" litterature). We need more works like Bradbury's, that are in themselves brilliant litterature (look at the prose in Fahrenheit 451!) as well as SF.
on “Philip K. Dick on Blade Runner” ↗At the bottom of the page, "Thanks also to Ray Bradbury." It appears they deliberately chose 451 in homage to the great Fahrenheit 451 (or more specifically, to the dystopian future presented in the book).[1] [1] http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120725/06093819827/truth-...
on “A New HTTP Status Code to Report Legal Obstacles” ↗I liked the way Ray Bradbury writes about this in Fahrenheit 451. When you read books, you have time to think about it, re-read it and question it. Whereas while watching video, things move so fast that the decision is made up for you.
on “Reading in the Age of Constant Distraction” ↗Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (shame on you if you don't know it) and Shogun, by James Clavell
on “Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.” ↗I'm kinda shocked that no one in this discussion has mentioned Fahrenheit 451. It's a very close approximation of the of the two realties depicted in the comic strip. Definitely worth picking and it's beautifully vivid and short, about a novella in length.
on “Aldous Huxley was right, not George Orwell” ↗I can think of a handful of books that have had a major impact on me. Off the top of my head: Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury The Game - Neil Strauss The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand Four Steps to the Epiphany - Steve Blank Business @ The Speed of Thought - Bill Gates The Art of the…
on “What is the book that has completely changed your way of thinking?” ↗A good article on the importance of fiction from a scientifically validated point of view: http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2012/04/28/why-fiction-good... Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury L'Etranger - Albert Camus Frankenstein - Mary Shelley Metamorphosis - Ovid Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood The Picadilly Papers - Charles Dickens Permutation City - Greg Egan Fiction…
on “How You Know” ↗…https://www.amazon.com/dp/1545565678/ – Autobiography – Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393316041/ Recollections of Eugene Wigner https://www.amazon.com/dp/0738208868/ – Fiction – Fahrenheit 451 https://www.amazon.com/dp/030747531X/ Dune https://www.amazon.com/dp/0441172717/
on “Ask HN: What books have made the biggest impact on your mental models?” ↗Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. This novel depicts a dystopian world in which books are burned by firemen, and critical thinking is strongly discouraged. In this world, individuals rush through their lives and have no time to stop…
on “Ask HN: What's Your Favorite Novel?” ↗1. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand 1. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury And, sorry, but I have 3 "number 1 fav" books: 1. 1984 by George Orwell
on “Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.” ↗Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell Brave New World - Aldous Huxley Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand Foundation Trilogy -Isaac Asimov The Game: Penetrating The Secret Society of Pickup Artists - Neil Strauss The Law - Frédéric Bastiat Thus Spoke Zarathustra…
on “Ask HN: what non technical books changed your life ?” ↗…one of: * Brave New World - Aldous Huxley * 1984 - George Orwell * To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee * Catch 22 - Joe Heller * Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut * Of Mice and Men - Steinbeck * Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury * The Call of Ctulhu - H.P. Lovecraft * Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card Some of those I actually read in school and loved (but wish I read earlier), others I didn't. I think any of those…
on “If you could give a book to your younger self, what would it be?” ↗…Lengyel The Gulag Archipelago - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (must read) The Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank -------------------- Fiction (particularly dystopian) 1984, Brave New World, Animal Farm, Fahrenheit 451 (crime/action) Child 44, The Secret Speech, Agent 6 - Tom Rob Smith -------------------- Economics Capital in the Twenty-First Century - Thomas Piketty Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the…
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite books? I'm bored” ↗Some iconic science fiction books that can stand alone: Asimov: The Gods Themselves Clarke: Childhood's End, Rendezvous with Rama Herbert: Dune, Whipping Star Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451 Bester: The Demolished Man, The Stars My Destination (also called "Tiger, Tiger") Niven: Ringworld Niven and Pournelle: The Mote in God's Eye, Footfall Gibson: Neuromancer Stephenson:…
on “Beginnings of Science Fiction” ↗