Fahrenheit 451: A 'Review'

Near the original Emerald Queen Casino, Tideflats area, Tacoma, WA by Shelley McElhiney*

How does one review a classic? A 'banned' book? A controversial book, even now, more than 50 years after its first publication? I don't think you can or maybe shouldn't, but it should be discussed & thought about, so here are some random thoughts & answers to a few questions:

• What was the book about? The book is about burning books (Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which books burn), but more than that it is about destroying independent thought, about the pursuit of happiness through ignorance, about allowing technology to take over our thoughts & lives, something that Bradbury wrote often about, one of his favorite topics. It starts as the story of a fireman, not the kind of fireman we see today, who puts out fires & saves buildings & libraries, but the kind of fireman who starts fires, destroying 'dangerous' books & subversive literature, saving the public from old knowledge that might make them sad & unhappy, unable to carry on with their mundane lives, in the face of wars that they know little to nothing about, saving them from the knowledge that they are wasting their lives on meaningless frivolity & mundane tasks
• Did you like or dislike it? I loved it, which is up from my original feelings. I originally read this as a child & I liked it, but there were depths that were lost on me, not because I couldn't read the words, the text & even some into the subtext, but because I hadn't experienced enough to read into the depths & richness of the novel.
• Who was your favorite character? Most were interesting, who should I pick? Clarisse, the catalyst that changed Montag's perceptions, his reality? Faber, the old man who helps Montag after he realizes that the world is not what it once seemed? Montag, the main character, whom I disliked immensley, at the beginning, but who moves toward redemption, in the end.
• What was your favorite part? What was your least favorite? My favorite part is not a part at all, but the subtle progression of the themes, throughout the novel. Least favorite, maybe the scene where Montag reads bits of poetry to the women who have gathered with his wife, for an evening. The women represent the worst of the society that has formed, lead by the 'pictures' of their 'families' that stream through their homes, on an almost constant basis, pictures that take the place of reality & thought. What bothers me, is that the women in the novel & this scene in particular, seem to be more reliant on their 'families.' This probably has more than a little to do with the era in which the book was written, where few women worked outside the home.
• Have you read any other books by this author? Many
• Would you read any others because of this book? I have & probably would again,
• Were there any situations or characters in the book that you identified with? How? I identify with Clarisse in that she can't help thinking outside the box. This is where creativity & inventiveness live. The box is often synonymous with stagnation & oppression. In the book, her way, her families way leads to both freedom & danger.
• Did you like the book from the beginning or did it take you a while to get into it? At first, it was difficult to get into, Montag's character was not likable & the reality he lives in is frightening
• Would you change anything about the book? No, I don't think would. 
• Would you ask the author a question if you could? What would you ask? I'm not sure what I would ask Bradbury, such a prolific & interesting writer.
• Would you recommend this book to other readers? Yes, definitely!
• What surprised you the most about the book? The depths of the storyline & characters
• What is the significance of the title? Would you have given the book a different title? If yes, what is your title? Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which books burn & fire plays a huge role in the novel, I couldn't think of a more perfect title. First published in Galaxy Science Fiction, in a shorter version, under the title "The Fireman," I think the change to "Fahrenheit 451" is a far more provocative title. 

Have you read "Fahrenheit 451?" Was it recently? Did you re-read it later? How have your perceptions changed? SAM

*Original photo by Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved

And Now for Something Completely Different...

And now for something completely different: a book review, at least I don't think I've done one before...

Bookmarks by shellseye Etsy

"Ex Libris" by Anne Fadiman
Farrar, Straus and Giroux 1998
This is a book is most often described/catagorized as a book about books but, from my point of view anyway, is more of a book about & for book lovers: All (well, maybe not all...most? many? probably not 'all') of our strangge habits & beliefs about books; a quirky tribe brought together in our love of books, but divided in the practices & rituals of our particular 'religion.' Some of us believe that books should remain pristeen, even if read: no beent spines, no folded corners while others believe that books should be well loved, devoured page by page, annotated & remembered & this divide is only the tip of the iceberg. Fadiman introduces to many book lover rituals, in the habits of her friends, family & even more than one historical figure.
Since this is a work or really many works of non fiction, tied together by a mutual love & reading of books & of tthe people who write them, I can't say that there is a favorite character here. I find theem all fascinating & real, eaach with his or her own quirks & rrationalized idiosyncracies. If I had to choose from among them, I'd maybe say the author, herself as she relates the tales of those around her. Personally, I enjoyed reading these tales, both amused by the quirks & sometimes appalled by the odd rituals presented here.
I found the book difficult to get into, at first, filled with obscure & sometimes antiquated terms, some (but not all) of which the meaning could be guessed through context. I often re-read books & if I re-read this one, I'll try it with some sort of dictionary by my side, to capture more of these elusive terms. This could only serve to add meaning to an already interesting sociological exploration.
The book is divided into small chapters or essays & so I can't really say that I have a favorite or least favorite part, each part being separate, but pretty much equal. The only thing that might be changed about the book, would be the addition of a glossary of terms in the back. This might end up as too much of a distraction, so maybe it should be left as is, a choice for the reader, to have references or not.
I have not read any other books by this author, but I may now, having read this one. She seems to have a lifetimes worth of annecdotes & stories to tell. I would definitely recommend this book to others interested in books, reading & even sociology.
I'm not sure why, since the title reaally does say alot about the book, but I was surprised by how little of the book was about books, but instead was more about people; how within a sub culture (lovers of books) with so many similarities, how different people really are & what an interesting thing that can be. Maybe if the book had been called "Ex Libris: Observations of a Common Reader" instead of "Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader" I would have been less surprised, but then, again I would have been less interested in reading it. It would have sounded less human & more clinical. Maybe, the author's title is best, after all.
I hope I've given you an idea of the book, without revealing too much & that maybe you'll read it, if you haven't already...SAM