Farenheit 451

(Written by Ray Bradbury)

Might as well start by blogging my favourite book, I suppose. If you don't know what it's about, look it up on wikipedia - i can't be bothered with a plot summery.

I read Farenheit 451 for the 4th time last weekend, and it's probably one of the only books that improves with each reading. It's unashamadly flawed in a way that I wish more books would be. At times Ray Bradbury's writing style is a long way from perfect, and Bradbury's personal predudices and beliefs come through very strongly, in a way that can grate at times. Besides that, it's obvious that little effort was made to plan or refine the novel into one cohesive story.

But all this is almost appropriate for a book that argues at the top of its lungs against any sort of PC restraint or attempt at perfection. And it ignores the fact that Bradbury is a genius.

Farenheit 451 may be short, disjointed and difficult to read, but it's incredibly dense. The sheer weight of ideas and metaphors inside means that i've discovered new things and taken a different perspective each time I've read it. Asides from being endlessly quotable, it would be possible to chose literally hundreds of themes to write about from it. Among others, I could talk about how Bradbury argues against censorship, about how he discusses the incresasing tendancy of society towards instant stimulation and the arguments for and against immediacy (as in a light comic or movie) versus quality (a book or more complex film), about how he interprets the "Ignorance is Bliss" debate - should we aim for thought and introspection if it brings sadness or confusion? Or is it best to simply live, just existing and falling into the pattern society creates? I could talk about how he discusses the value of books and literature and what they bring to our lives, about how technology and media can become alienating and how the pace of this 'immediate', unthinking lifestyle can cause people to drift apart, about the need we all have for some sense of connection, and the need we have to reach past our jaded attitudes, experience new things and still feel that sense of wonder. About the need for life rather than just unthinking existence.

But all that would take too long - i've written enough already. Go read it. Just be ready for a novel that dares not to be a story, that dares not to give you what you want or expect. It's all about the ideas.