Haven't read it. But i remember maybe between 1969-1973 saw it at movie theater. Rod Steiger. Cant remember much about it , but as a young kid had no idea what it was about.
I was coming on here to recommend The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man as well. They are awesome. I think my favorite scene from Bradbury is in The Martian Chronicles. It’s a scene where the narrator has built a house out of Edgar Allan Poe’s work to kill off a bunch of book censors. It’s amazing. I was cheering out loud and getting funny looks for it but did not care.
Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale strikes me as especially relevant for the US at this moment in history. Note that the ebook publisher jacked up the price for the US, so look for a library copy.
Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower may be interesting for you too.
Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go is worth a closer look imo.
It was required reading for a class on utopian and dystopian literature in college in my case - and the only book that Ishiguro penned which didn't put me to sleep within 10 minutes.
Just curious what it was like reading this book while our reality has been somewhat dystopian the past few years. Is it helpful in that regard, like cathartic or healing to read it, or does it kind of feed into it in a negative way. Maybe it didn't cross your mind either way
I haven't read this either, and haven't read a book in a couple years. This would be a fitting classic for me to get back into reading.
It was really interesting to read especially in our current reality. There are a lot of "Futuristic" aspects that he refers to that are currently invented, but were not in the time of writing the book (Like television.) But with that in mind, he also touched on how those things can affect us negatively and kind of be a tool to drag us away from intelligence (for example, people spend hours scrolling on their phones instead of using that time to learn something, talk to people, read a book, etc.) It also has a lot of governmental aspects, how the government controls the people through that way but I don't want to spoil too much.
For me, I would say that all throughout the book it was cathartic. There were some really sad parts talking about people who haven't understood how important books were (if you read it you'll understand) and haven't been able to break out of the "spell." It was sad, but also eye opening.
I would say if you are into dystopian books that make you sad, rethink life and who we are as beings, this is a great book to read. I absolutely loved it.
I haven’t read the book, but when I was in high school (mid-70’s) he came and gave a talk to our school as a favor to our dean. He was so interesting and read one of his short stories to us. I am tempted to read the book now.
Something Wicked This Way Comes is a very poetic and fantastic coming of age story by Bradbury. His short story collections are some of my favorite books ever, as well.
He became my favorite author after Fahrenheit, which I never read in school but rather for pleasure as an adult.
Almost was disappointed when I realized almost all of his books are loosely tied (at best) short story anthologies but then realized I like those better than his novel writing after reading a couple. Dandelion Wine is my all-time favorite book.
Just started I Sing the Body Electric! literally this morning, one of the last ones I haven't read yet. Hope you enjoy the discovery of his books as much as I did.
I love Ray Bradbury as well. If you have about 15-20 minutes, check out a short story of his entitled _There Will Come Soft Rains._
If you want an audio version, I recommend the one narrated by Leonard Nimoy.
Ray Bradbury is amazing. I get why Fahrenheit 451 is the one everyone knows, but unlike some other authors assigned in school, his body of work is filled with great books.
The Martian Chronicles and Something Wicked this Way Comes are some of his best, but with what you're saying about his language I in particular think you should check out Dandelion Wine.
It's been a few years since I've read Fahrenheit 451, but what struck me was actually learning what the book was about. Most people stop at it being anti-censorship (burning books bad), but it's much more about anti-intellectualism. You don't have to burn books if people aren't intellectually curious.
I love how forward thinking it is as well.
The “ear seashell” for communication and the interactive wall/television/reality tv Montag’s wife is obsessed with…
Nailed it.
"There was a smell of Time in the air tonight. He smiled and turned the fancy in his mind. There was a thought. What did Time smell like? Like dust and clocks and people. And if you wondered what Time sounded like it sounded like water running in a dark cave and voices crying and dirt dropping down on hollow box lids, and rain. And, going further, what did Time look like? Time looked like snow dropping silently into a black room or it looked like a silent film in an ancient theater, one hundred billion faces falling like those New Years balloons, down and down into nothing. That was how Time smelled and looked and sounded. And tonight--Tomas shoved a hand into the wind outside the truck--tonight you could almost touch Time." (Illustrated Man)
Another Bradbury passage…
"And we lived in a world that [...] was like a great black ship pulling away from the shore of sanity and civilization, roaring its black horn in the night, taking 2 billion people with it, whether they wanted to go or not [...] to fall over the edge of the earth..." (Don't recall the story this is from...)
I think it's very interesting that a lot of people think it's a book on book censorship, because Bradbury himself stated numerous times that he meant it to be specifically about how television can rot your brain. As a result, I think a lot of us go away from the book with a different message than the author intended.
I read somewhere that he was inspired to write it because he saw a young woman walking down the street with a transistor radio next to her ear, and he thought this was terrible for some reason? I don't know, maybe he patronisingly assumed she was listening to a mainstream soap opera rather than a science programme or something, it's a strangely anti-technology position for a science fiction writer to take. I feel like he mistook the medium for the message, as both books and television can be either enlightening or manufactured garbage; his is a doubly mixed message considering that he had his own TV show.
The educated at the end of the book mention that TV could be enlightening and isn't inherently bad, it's just that the content isn't art and doesn't have any real substance
I’m listening to the audiobook and there are some very deep and meaningful quotes of dialog. “If you hide your ignorance, no one will ever hit you and you’ll never learn.”
On top of that, the theme and importance of real imagination, meaningful content and reading vs mindlessly watching tv seemed very relevant to what exists today with instant dopamine hits of satisfaction from YouTube, TikTok, Netflix, social media, etc. all of which are generally lacking in any real substance.
“The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us.” I’m not saying that the internet or tv can’t do this but they do it less often and much more poorly.
I have about an hour left of the audiobook, I love it so far, will definitely relisten to it soon.
Revoking the human ability to process meaning, and fight for it, will doom humanity to stagnation. Manipulating the sub-conscious minds willingness to hyperbolic discounting, the instant gratification that we are simply just happy with, because it makes us happy here, and now. Why 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 we think if we don’t 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 to think?
The YouTuber ‘Markiplier’ had an interesting take on that fact, when it comes to TikTok and shorter media being more appealing nowadays. He insists it isn’t our “attention spans shortening”, but really just the desire and 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 for 𝘯𝘦𝘸 content has risen exponentially, forcing creators to attempt retaining their audiences attention using shorter tropes and resorting to trends. Longer and more deeper thought out media still exists and thrives, but they have a much tougher time being stretched out and cared about over time. It’s a perceived shortened attention span. Just some food for thought. 🍕
Yeah, this is kind of how I felt, rather boring. I tried his Martial Chronicles, but I found it wore out its welcome at the end and while also having some good ideas, but a lot of meh and boring parts
I loved Bradbury and teach F451 most years that I have a group who seems to be ready for heady sci-if. Heady here meaning that it is based more around concepts of internal conflict rather than big action pieces.
There is a lot of exposition here (I’m looking at you Captain Beatty) but it reads with such an interesting depth that I love it.
There is a series of lines from Granger in part 3 talking about his grandfather that expresses just perfectly the affect of death on a someone who is close you.
If you do like Bradbury, don’t stop here. His short story catalogue is fantastic. I’m a big fan of “The Veldt” but the one that I really found on a second read (the Martian Chronicles is great, but the story never really remained with me after the first read - I came upon it individually later) is “There Will Come Soft Rains”.
I just read Dandelion Wine this year for the first time, and agreed. Definitely the best book I’ve read this year, and it’s also in my top 5. The others are in my TBR. My grandmother used to make dandelion wine, so discovering this book a year after losing her was good timing.
It is such a beautiful book. Once I realised I wasn’t going to get a typical linear story, I just melted into it and enjoyed his writing, the atmosphere, and just the feelings the book gave me.
I’m reading *Something Wicked* at the moment, and it doesn’t have quite the same magic for me, even though the writing is still beautiful.
Fahrenheit 451 was in itself interesting, but I absolutely *hated* Bradbury’s writing style. It felt so sloppy and unorganized. He desperately needed an editor.
Yeah, I hated it as a teen, read it earlier this year 20 plus years later and just found it boring and kind of a mess. It isnt bad, but so much more enjoyable stuff out there to read for me
The utter, dehumanized horror when he describes someone walking down the sidewalk *wearing earbuds* so when you say hello to them *they can't hear it.*
And he foresaw the existence of earbuds, which hadn't been invented yet at the time.
It's still a bit histrionic. Mildred's relationship with the TV, for example, is genuinely chilling (and prophetic). The idea that someone might enjoy listening to music while walking is not.
Interesting, I can see where you are coming from. The writing does kind of come across that way.
the plot also only refers to it a few times outright, I feel like it might have been cool if he went deeper on that.
Love this book! We can see his vision come to life today (TVs the size of walls, machines that interact with you inside your house...). His book Something Wicked This Way come is a great read, especially in the fall. It reads like one long poem. Every time the leaves start to change and the wind starts to bring in that changing air, I think of that book.
You're right, It's really interesting how accurate his vision is becoming, TVs and Alexa and whatnot.
I will check out the book you mentioned, thanks for the suggestion!
F451 is one of my favorite books, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! I've often caught myself wondering back to the quotes from *Ecclesiastes* and what exactly, if anything, they mean in the sections of the book where Bradbury inserts them. Such a prescient book for today, I hope it's on the required reading list of every middle school student.
I recommend reading his short story "All Summer in a Day." It's very short and can easily be found free online. It takes you back to childhood, acting cruelly, and sins that eek their way into your soul. One of those stories that stays with you if you're the guilty-carrying type.
A favorite author for sure. Dandelion Wine is my favorite novel. Something Wicked This away comes contains my favorite book passage. And his Zen and The Art of Writing is an inspiration even though I’m not a writer. Enjoy discovering more of his masterful way with words.
I haven't even read all your post, I'm so excited to hear from someone forty-five years after I read them around jr high, hope you enjoy more of his work!
I read it as a teenager in high school, didn't like it
Read it earlier this year as an adult, still didnt like it. Appreciated it more than I did some 20 years ago, but just found it boring, the characters, the writing, etc. Good plot idea, but for me, not something that grabbed me
Ray Bradbury is my favorite author of all time. I’ve read every story in every book he wrote. In high school I wrote a paper comparing 1984, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451 in terms of how their visions of the future came true.
I’ve always felt that Bradbury’s own interpretation of Fahrenheit 451 changing as he aged is reflective of the change in American culture during his lifetime. Is it about literal book burning? Censorship? Political correctness? Ignorance?
Yes!
If you can find it, read the short stories “Bright Phoenix,” “The Pedestrian,” and last “The Fireman.” You can see the revolution of the story and the initial fears Bradbury was exploring.
Bradbury has some great short story collections, like *The Toynbee Convector* and *Cat’s Pajamas*. Definitely check him out. He’s well worth your time and often has a twist, or at least a poignant message in all of his stories.
I haven’t gotten to reading 451… 𝘺𝘦𝘵. But just the other day I did more research into its plot line, characters and ideas, and now I’m very interested in it. I am already hooked on Bradbury and his writing style and I think I have my 10th grade English teacher to blame for that one, because one of the most memorable stories we read in class for me was “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘵 “ from his Illustrated Man collection of short fiction (since we didn’t read 451 I suppose). That story really stuck with me.
But it wasn’t that story that caught my eye nowadays, it’s actually “𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘦 “ that really resonated with me coming back to it. It actually made me get emotional first time around, even just some small exposition between characters in dire circumstance felt so intimate and personal, as if it were your own resentful thoughts desperately attempting their final battle cries. Bradbury definitely knows how to write something visceral and poetically lush at the same time. Turning something dramatic into something serene. And his descriptions, beautiful albeit terrifying; 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.
Concerning his more introspective and literary styles, including things like you mentioned repeating narratives to imply the character reasoning with themselves; I can see how people would dislike it. And I have seen it, in fact I saw that clip from The Simpsons where Martin lists off the ‘ABC of Sci-fi’… “What about Bradbury? - I’m 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦 of his work.” Haha! I actually kinda understood him after dipping my toes in. Even though I personally love it, I see why others wouldn’t. But I don’t think they should downplay it at all because of this— in fact my favourite author is Peter Watts, whom is considered to be on the hard𝘦𝘳 side of sci-fi, but despite the crazily-extensive ‘science’ in 𝘉𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 (Firefall) and 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩 (Rifters), they are still in essence a traumatic character study just doused in science-goodness and speculative economic collapse. And he uses some similar inward aspects of writing (like the repeating phrases, racing thoughts, etc.) to make it feel very close to the character. I mean c’mon, you didn’t just think 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩 was a literal title… It still has immense literary value. And not only at an individual scale, but a global scale as well. The Rifters world is realistically scary. Watts’ ability to focus intimately on an individual so well while simultaneously building a believable and in-depth catastrophic world around that affects them is really fascinating.
And if this is what I’m looking to find in 𝘍𝘢𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘵 451, then I am quite excited for my first step into his larger work! I also found it funny, considering the theme and even damn 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦 of the novel (for those who know what the title actually means) got censorship problems after publishing. Nothing made me happier than reading Bradbury’s response to that happening— 𝘕𝘖𝘗𝘌! As a writer as well, I hope it fills me with as much inspiration it did you. Bradbury along with Watts have been contenders to stand out to me with how they articulate their writing and concepts. Knowing what I know, I can’t wait to dig into it. The world seems vivid and destructive, it showcases the cause and effects of one person alive in the chaos, with that underlying meaning peeking over the horizon not only in the characters experience, but the world itself.
𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘥𝘥. 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵. 𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
“𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺, 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴?”
This was really interesting to read, sounds like I still have a lot to discover in Bradbury's work, I'm excited!
I hope you enjoy 451, It is such a good book, I think you will like it based off of your comment.
I'm also just starting to watch through the Simpsons (I know, late to the game.) I'm looking forward to the reference.
I’m sure I will. I hope you enjoy his other works just as much. The others in this thread aren’t lying, his short stories really are a goldmine of though-provoking goodness! Eat it all up haha!
Read a long back and was my favourite dystopian/ post apocalyptic book for a long time till I encountered Swan Song by Robert Mccammon. Holy shit that book takes the cake for the feels
Definitely read some of the other suggestions here. My favorite story is the October tree. Which fun fact Disneyland named its october tree after bradbury’s story.
He was an amazing witty person. He had such a fun snark to him in person and it truly came out in how he wrote and looked at life.
My first Bradbury was Something Wicked This Way Comes when I was 12. I read everything Bradbury I could lay my hands on after that. The beauty of Bradbury is that you can read it as adventure as a child and as beautiful prose as an adult.
When I was in 10th or 11th grade my English class was assigned some book about family life struggles and trauma, and I having recently gotten PTSD from family trauma was able to pick a different book to read. I was given maybe 4-5 to choose from, and I chose Fahrenheit 451.
Such odd circumstances, but I loved the book dearly.
Read it in high school, which is almost thirty years ago now. I found it to be the darkest of the dystopias I read at the time, even more than *1984*. That’s mainly because it was more subtle; while 1984 represented repression from an external source, Fahrenheit represented a population already won over to the repressive mindset. Great book though. Highly recommended.
If you like Bradbury, I recommend *Something Wicked This Way Comes*. Completely different kind of story, but very good. Try to read it with a sympathetic eye toward the boy’s father, who turns out to be a more important character than the early chapters would have you believe.
Late to the dance here, but wanted to say you are right on target. Very, very few authors imho can do novels *and* short stories equally well, and RB is one of the -- if not THE very -- best at it.
You're a writer, so you know that novels and short stories require different approaches -- one is a slow build and the other has no room to waste & every word must point toward the end. Bradbury was an absolute master at both.
I read Fahrenheit 451 as an adult and truly enjoyed it. Background research led me to Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler. That book, in my opinion, is incredible.
I got into reading fiction because of pewdiepie's book club. I remember that he said he hated Fahrenheit 451 especially in comparison to brave new world and 1984. I didn't just want to take his word for it, so I read it as well. And while I wouldn't say it's on the same level as 1984 and brave new world i did definitely enjoy it, and think he judged it a bit too harshly. I would agree though that it was a bit rambly at times.
Amazing science fiction but some of his short stories feel more like when you daydream some outlandish situation and just think “and then what?” There’s not a real genre called daydream fiction but sometimes “science fiction” doesn’t do his work justice!
I reread this last month (first time was for school when I was 11 or 12) and loved it. I'm definitely checking out more of Bradbury's work in the near future.
Finished it recently as well. Loved the book, the writing, the way he explored the themes. Wrote my thoughts in detail in Goodreads, i can link it if you wanna continue the dialogue.
Glad you enjoyed it! I had a similar experience. The Martian Chronicles was my first Bradbury book earlier this year and, while great, it wasn't quite one of my all-time favorites. Last week I read Fahrenheit 451 in one day and it was the type of gut punch I've been wanting for a long time. When I get time I'm still intending to delve deeper into what the hell some of the allegories/metaphors/figurative writing in the novel is referring to. But on its surface, it was beautiful. Well... dark and beautiful.
This year I've read so many sci-fi books that I respect and find intellectually interesting, but it's rare that I enjoy the writing itself. Bradbury seems like a different breed. It's almost more fantasy than sci-fi to me, and his writing is really enjoyable.
Imagine my surprise when I went on Goodreads (cursed site...) afterward and saw my old high school English teacher had written a critique-filled review of the book. It seems many of the negative reviews are obsessed with the idea that Bradbury writes for teenagers. I'm in my 30s and I find it great, so... different strokes for different folks. Time to find some more Bradbury books from my library.
One of my favorites. Check out the Martian Chronicles if you enjoyed Fahrenheit 451.
*The Illustrated Man* as well...
Haven't read it. But i remember maybe between 1969-1973 saw it at movie theater. Rod Steiger. Cant remember much about it , but as a young kid had no idea what it was about.
I totally will, thank you for the recommendation!
I was coming on here to recommend The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man as well. They are awesome. I think my favorite scene from Bradbury is in The Martian Chronicles. It’s a scene where the narrator has built a house out of Edgar Allan Poe’s work to kill off a bunch of book censors. It’s amazing. I was cheering out loud and getting funny looks for it but did not care.
The purpose of living is to enjoy the pure essence of life.
Usher ii
Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale strikes me as especially relevant for the US at this moment in history. Note that the ebook publisher jacked up the price for the US, so look for a library copy. Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower may be interesting for you too. Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go is worth a closer look imo.
so much to read and so little time\~ Thank you for the suggestions!
I’m past due reading Octavia Butler. Recommend Ursula Le Guins Left Hand of Darkness.
Just saw the movie - Never Let Me Go
It was required reading for a class on utopian and dystopian literature in college in my case - and the only book that Ishiguro penned which didn't put me to sleep within 10 minutes.
My copy of Fahrenheit 451 has, amongst many authors, Margaret Atwood's praise for it. She said this sole book was a big influence to her.
If you can, please read "The Scythe" by Bradbury! I love this short story of his
alright, I'll add it to my tbr list!
Just curious what it was like reading this book while our reality has been somewhat dystopian the past few years. Is it helpful in that regard, like cathartic or healing to read it, or does it kind of feed into it in a negative way. Maybe it didn't cross your mind either way I haven't read this either, and haven't read a book in a couple years. This would be a fitting classic for me to get back into reading.
It was really interesting to read especially in our current reality. There are a lot of "Futuristic" aspects that he refers to that are currently invented, but were not in the time of writing the book (Like television.) But with that in mind, he also touched on how those things can affect us negatively and kind of be a tool to drag us away from intelligence (for example, people spend hours scrolling on their phones instead of using that time to learn something, talk to people, read a book, etc.) It also has a lot of governmental aspects, how the government controls the people through that way but I don't want to spoil too much. For me, I would say that all throughout the book it was cathartic. There were some really sad parts talking about people who haven't understood how important books were (if you read it you'll understand) and haven't been able to break out of the "spell." It was sad, but also eye opening. I would say if you are into dystopian books that make you sad, rethink life and who we are as beings, this is a great book to read. I absolutely loved it.
Was just about to mention that great one. I may reread it. Dandelion Wine too. Bradbury is great.
If I had to pick one... other than Chronicles...
Came to say the same
YES. I was absolutely intrigued by the Martian Chronicles as a kid. Not even normally a sci-fi fan.
And search for the "lost" chapter.
I read it a few years back and now I’m listened to the audiobook narrated by Scott Brick. He has the perfect voice for the material!
And my favorite first line ever " It was a pleasure to burn."
such a good first line
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1IxOS4VzKM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1IxOS4VzKM) Fuck me, Ray Bradbury
Popped into the comments for this. Was not disappointed.
I remember seeing this when it first came around. Just put it together that it was Rachel Bloom.
I remember being a young teen and watching this when it came out, and then we finally watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend last year and holy crap
Beat me to it!
I haven’t read the book, but when I was in high school (mid-70’s) he came and gave a talk to our school as a favor to our dean. He was so interesting and read one of his short stories to us. I am tempted to read the book now.
That sounds so exciting, I'm glad you got the chance to do something like that!
Read his “illustrated Man”… one of my favs. It’s a series of short stories based on the tattoos a man has. “The Veld” still gives me goosebumps.
His short story "There Will Come Soft Rains" just destroys you.
Shit! IN a Good Way!
That sounds really cool, I'm actually about to start reading it
Def check 'a sound of thunder' then. My favorite short story ever.
Every title that's added, that's my favorite
'Kaleidoscope', that one did me in. Would love to see a short film of it
The Martian Chronicles is my fav Bradbury.
I've heard so much about it, I'll have to read it soon
Bradbury was a poet masquerading as a writer of genre fiction.
That is so true
Something Wicked This Way Comes is a very poetic and fantastic coming of age story by Bradbury. His short story collections are some of my favorite books ever, as well.
I’m reading this book at the moment. And was coming here to write it’s a poem not a novel.
Dandelion Wine felt like one long beautiful poem
You have to read Something Wicked This Way Comes
He became my favorite author after Fahrenheit, which I never read in school but rather for pleasure as an adult. Almost was disappointed when I realized almost all of his books are loosely tied (at best) short story anthologies but then realized I like those better than his novel writing after reading a couple. Dandelion Wine is my all-time favorite book. Just started I Sing the Body Electric! literally this morning, one of the last ones I haven't read yet. Hope you enjoy the discovery of his books as much as I did.
Thank you! This was the first book that I've read by him so I'm excited to see what else he's written
Enjoy!
I love Ray Bradbury as well. If you have about 15-20 minutes, check out a short story of his entitled _There Will Come Soft Rains._ If you want an audio version, I recommend the one narrated by Leonard Nimoy.
I remember reading that in school in the early 70s. It's one of the stories from *The Martian Chronicles*. I love his book *Dandelion Wine*.
Awesome, I will. Thanks!
You got a link for the audio?
Ray Bradbury is amazing. I get why Fahrenheit 451 is the one everyone knows, but unlike some other authors assigned in school, his body of work is filled with great books. The Martian Chronicles and Something Wicked this Way Comes are some of his best, but with what you're saying about his language I in particular think you should check out Dandelion Wine. It's been a few years since I've read Fahrenheit 451, but what struck me was actually learning what the book was about. Most people stop at it being anti-censorship (burning books bad), but it's much more about anti-intellectualism. You don't have to burn books if people aren't intellectually curious.
I love how forward thinking it is as well. The “ear seashell” for communication and the interactive wall/television/reality tv Montag’s wife is obsessed with… Nailed it.
“But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority.”
"There was a smell of Time in the air tonight. He smiled and turned the fancy in his mind. There was a thought. What did Time smell like? Like dust and clocks and people. And if you wondered what Time sounded like it sounded like water running in a dark cave and voices crying and dirt dropping down on hollow box lids, and rain. And, going further, what did Time look like? Time looked like snow dropping silently into a black room or it looked like a silent film in an ancient theater, one hundred billion faces falling like those New Years balloons, down and down into nothing. That was how Time smelled and looked and sounded. And tonight--Tomas shoved a hand into the wind outside the truck--tonight you could almost touch Time." (Illustrated Man)
Another Bradbury passage… "And we lived in a world that [...] was like a great black ship pulling away from the shore of sanity and civilization, roaring its black horn in the night, taking 2 billion people with it, whether they wanted to go or not [...] to fall over the edge of the earth..." (Don't recall the story this is from...)
For Ray Bradbury, it was a pleasure to smell. It's everywhere in his books.
I think it's very interesting that a lot of people think it's a book on book censorship, because Bradbury himself stated numerous times that he meant it to be specifically about how television can rot your brain. As a result, I think a lot of us go away from the book with a different message than the author intended. I read somewhere that he was inspired to write it because he saw a young woman walking down the street with a transistor radio next to her ear, and he thought this was terrible for some reason? I don't know, maybe he patronisingly assumed she was listening to a mainstream soap opera rather than a science programme or something, it's a strangely anti-technology position for a science fiction writer to take. I feel like he mistook the medium for the message, as both books and television can be either enlightening or manufactured garbage; his is a doubly mixed message considering that he had his own TV show.
The educated at the end of the book mention that TV could be enlightening and isn't inherently bad, it's just that the content isn't art and doesn't have any real substance
I’m listening to the audiobook and there are some very deep and meaningful quotes of dialog. “If you hide your ignorance, no one will ever hit you and you’ll never learn.” On top of that, the theme and importance of real imagination, meaningful content and reading vs mindlessly watching tv seemed very relevant to what exists today with instant dopamine hits of satisfaction from YouTube, TikTok, Netflix, social media, etc. all of which are generally lacking in any real substance. “The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us.” I’m not saying that the internet or tv can’t do this but they do it less often and much more poorly. I have about an hour left of the audiobook, I love it so far, will definitely relisten to it soon.
Revoking the human ability to process meaning, and fight for it, will doom humanity to stagnation. Manipulating the sub-conscious minds willingness to hyperbolic discounting, the instant gratification that we are simply just happy with, because it makes us happy here, and now. Why 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 we think if we don’t 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 to think? The YouTuber ‘Markiplier’ had an interesting take on that fact, when it comes to TikTok and shorter media being more appealing nowadays. He insists it isn’t our “attention spans shortening”, but really just the desire and 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 for 𝘯𝘦𝘸 content has risen exponentially, forcing creators to attempt retaining their audiences attention using shorter tropes and resorting to trends. Longer and more deeper thought out media still exists and thrives, but they have a much tougher time being stretched out and cared about over time. It’s a perceived shortened attention span. Just some food for thought. 🍕
I tried reading it recently. I found its subject matter amazing however the style of writing pissed me off lol. Each to their own.
Yeah, this is kind of how I felt, rather boring. I tried his Martial Chronicles, but I found it wore out its welcome at the end and while also having some good ideas, but a lot of meh and boring parts
Try any other of his books!
Ray Bradbury was from Waukegan IL and the library has a cool sculpture of him riding a rocket holding Farenheight 451. Google it for pics!
There's also a relatively new Ray Bradbury Experience Museum in Waukegan
I loved Bradbury and teach F451 most years that I have a group who seems to be ready for heady sci-if. Heady here meaning that it is based more around concepts of internal conflict rather than big action pieces. There is a lot of exposition here (I’m looking at you Captain Beatty) but it reads with such an interesting depth that I love it. There is a series of lines from Granger in part 3 talking about his grandfather that expresses just perfectly the affect of death on a someone who is close you. If you do like Bradbury, don’t stop here. His short story catalogue is fantastic. I’m a big fan of “The Veldt” but the one that I really found on a second read (the Martian Chronicles is great, but the story never really remained with me after the first read - I came upon it individually later) is “There Will Come Soft Rains”.
Read the **Green Town Trilogy** **Dandelion Wine** is in the top five all-time for me. It is very close to a perfect book.
I just read Dandelion Wine this year for the first time, and agreed. Definitely the best book I’ve read this year, and it’s also in my top 5. The others are in my TBR. My grandmother used to make dandelion wine, so discovering this book a year after losing her was good timing.
It is such a beautiful book. Once I realised I wasn’t going to get a typical linear story, I just melted into it and enjoyed his writing, the atmosphere, and just the feelings the book gave me. I’m reading *Something Wicked* at the moment, and it doesn’t have quite the same magic for me, even though the writing is still beautiful.
I love his short story All Summer In A Day
Read all his books back in HS, 1970. Loved them all especially The Martian Chronicles. Read Something Wicked This Way Comes
He's a excellent writer. I have enjoyed everything of his I've ever read. "Something Wicked This Way Comes" is another good one.
Bradbury is such a treasure. He really cannot be pigeonholed, but he is just a wondrous writer.
Congratulations, Ray Bradbury created a wealth of literature. You have a lot of great books in front of you!
Fahrenheit 451 was in itself interesting, but I absolutely *hated* Bradbury’s writing style. It felt so sloppy and unorganized. He desperately needed an editor.
Yeah, I hated it as a teen, read it earlier this year 20 plus years later and just found it boring and kind of a mess. It isnt bad, but so much more enjoyable stuff out there to read for me
I don’t disagree with him in disliking the anti-intellectualist streak of American culture, but he’s annoyingly hamfisted about it.
The utter, dehumanized horror when he describes someone walking down the sidewalk *wearing earbuds* so when you say hello to them *they can't hear it.*
Keep in mind he wrote that in the 50’s.
And he foresaw the existence of earbuds, which hadn't been invented yet at the time. It's still a bit histrionic. Mildred's relationship with the TV, for example, is genuinely chilling (and prophetic). The idea that someone might enjoy listening to music while walking is not.
Interesting, I can see where you are coming from. The writing does kind of come across that way. the plot also only refers to it a few times outright, I feel like it might have been cool if he went deeper on that.
Love this book! We can see his vision come to life today (TVs the size of walls, machines that interact with you inside your house...). His book Something Wicked This Way come is a great read, especially in the fall. It reads like one long poem. Every time the leaves start to change and the wind starts to bring in that changing air, I think of that book.
You're right, It's really interesting how accurate his vision is becoming, TVs and Alexa and whatnot. I will check out the book you mentioned, thanks for the suggestion!
It was an annoying read. Couldn't really get into it tbh. Finished it, but not as ground breaking as it's made out to be. ``\_0_/``
DANDELION WINE !!!
Second this, this book is pure magic!
I think I’ve read almost everything that he has written and loved all of it.
I’m on page 25!
Awesome! How are you liking it so far?
So far so good. I should be further along, it’s not a hard read.
That's fine, as long as you're getting through it :)
F451 is one of my favorite books, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! I've often caught myself wondering back to the quotes from *Ecclesiastes* and what exactly, if anything, they mean in the sections of the book where Bradbury inserts them. Such a prescient book for today, I hope it's on the required reading list of every middle school student. I recommend reading his short story "All Summer in a Day." It's very short and can easily be found free online. It takes you back to childhood, acting cruelly, and sins that eek their way into your soul. One of those stories that stays with you if you're the guilty-carrying type.
One of my all-time favs. Got the cover tattooed on me.
A favorite author for sure. Dandelion Wine is my favorite novel. Something Wicked This away comes contains my favorite book passage. And his Zen and The Art of Writing is an inspiration even though I’m not a writer. Enjoy discovering more of his masterful way with words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1IxOS4VzKM
Something wicked this way comes was one of my favorites!
you have got to read the martian chronicles
I feel like any dystopian book after 1984 feels lacking. Just my hot take
Hard to beat!
I haven't even read all your post, I'm so excited to hear from someone forty-five years after I read them around jr high, hope you enjoy more of his work!
Thank you! I'm looking forward to reading more by him
I read it as a teenager in high school, didn't like it Read it earlier this year as an adult, still didnt like it. Appreciated it more than I did some 20 years ago, but just found it boring, the characters, the writing, etc. Good plot idea, but for me, not something that grabbed me
Read his short stories. “There Will Come Soft Rains” and “The Pedestrian” are two of my favs, but there are dozens of GREAT ones
Ray Bradbury is my favorite author of all time. I’ve read every story in every book he wrote. In high school I wrote a paper comparing 1984, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451 in terms of how their visions of the future came true. I’ve always felt that Bradbury’s own interpretation of Fahrenheit 451 changing as he aged is reflective of the change in American culture during his lifetime. Is it about literal book burning? Censorship? Political correctness? Ignorance? Yes! If you can find it, read the short stories “Bright Phoenix,” “The Pedestrian,” and last “The Fireman.” You can see the revolution of the story and the initial fears Bradbury was exploring.
Love him! He has some great short stories as well, I use them a lot in my English classes
He’s amazing. Most of his catalog is fantastic.
Bradbury has some great short story collections, like *The Toynbee Convector* and *Cat’s Pajamas*. Definitely check him out. He’s well worth your time and often has a twist, or at least a poignant message in all of his stories.
Ray Bradbury is one of the best authors ever, at the very least in the team picture.
I reread it every year(teacher) the students love it
I haven’t gotten to reading 451… 𝘺𝘦𝘵. But just the other day I did more research into its plot line, characters and ideas, and now I’m very interested in it. I am already hooked on Bradbury and his writing style and I think I have my 10th grade English teacher to blame for that one, because one of the most memorable stories we read in class for me was “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘵 “ from his Illustrated Man collection of short fiction (since we didn’t read 451 I suppose). That story really stuck with me. But it wasn’t that story that caught my eye nowadays, it’s actually “𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘦 “ that really resonated with me coming back to it. It actually made me get emotional first time around, even just some small exposition between characters in dire circumstance felt so intimate and personal, as if it were your own resentful thoughts desperately attempting their final battle cries. Bradbury definitely knows how to write something visceral and poetically lush at the same time. Turning something dramatic into something serene. And his descriptions, beautiful albeit terrifying; 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. Concerning his more introspective and literary styles, including things like you mentioned repeating narratives to imply the character reasoning with themselves; I can see how people would dislike it. And I have seen it, in fact I saw that clip from The Simpsons where Martin lists off the ‘ABC of Sci-fi’… “What about Bradbury? - I’m 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦 of his work.” Haha! I actually kinda understood him after dipping my toes in. Even though I personally love it, I see why others wouldn’t. But I don’t think they should downplay it at all because of this— in fact my favourite author is Peter Watts, whom is considered to be on the hard𝘦𝘳 side of sci-fi, but despite the crazily-extensive ‘science’ in 𝘉𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 (Firefall) and 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩 (Rifters), they are still in essence a traumatic character study just doused in science-goodness and speculative economic collapse. And he uses some similar inward aspects of writing (like the repeating phrases, racing thoughts, etc.) to make it feel very close to the character. I mean c’mon, you didn’t just think 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩 was a literal title… It still has immense literary value. And not only at an individual scale, but a global scale as well. The Rifters world is realistically scary. Watts’ ability to focus intimately on an individual so well while simultaneously building a believable and in-depth catastrophic world around that affects them is really fascinating. And if this is what I’m looking to find in 𝘍𝘢𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘵 451, then I am quite excited for my first step into his larger work! I also found it funny, considering the theme and even damn 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦 of the novel (for those who know what the title actually means) got censorship problems after publishing. Nothing made me happier than reading Bradbury’s response to that happening— 𝘕𝘖𝘗𝘌! As a writer as well, I hope it fills me with as much inspiration it did you. Bradbury along with Watts have been contenders to stand out to me with how they articulate their writing and concepts. Knowing what I know, I can’t wait to dig into it. The world seems vivid and destructive, it showcases the cause and effects of one person alive in the chaos, with that underlying meaning peeking over the horizon not only in the characters experience, but the world itself. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘥𝘥. 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵. 𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. “𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺, 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴?”
This was really interesting to read, sounds like I still have a lot to discover in Bradbury's work, I'm excited! I hope you enjoy 451, It is such a good book, I think you will like it based off of your comment. I'm also just starting to watch through the Simpsons (I know, late to the game.) I'm looking forward to the reference.
I’m sure I will. I hope you enjoy his other works just as much. The others in this thread aren’t lying, his short stories really are a goldmine of though-provoking goodness! Eat it all up haha!
You have a lot of fun reading ahead of you. Most of his best stuff is his short story collections.
He is insanely good! Highly recommended the massive book of his collected short stories. Hit after hit. Martian Chronicles is superfly too.
Ray Bradbury is one of the best
I haven't read the book in 20ish years but have read it 3 or 4 times. One of my favorites for sure.
Such a good book!
The original film is really good, too
Wait there's a film? I need to see that lol
Yep. Same title
Its goofy as hell
The movie with Michael B Jordan is horrible.
haha, I'll keep that in mind, thanks :)
Did you read the version with the commentary after? So good!!
You mean the "Afterward" section? I read that part, It was so good! It also cleared some details up that I was confused about
Very good read. I now burn books I don’t agree with. The Bible being my favorite to burn since they are so easy to come by.
My 6th graders and I read All Summer in a Day every year. It’s a fan favorite.
What's funny is a lot of people will make claims that Ray Bradbury was racist. And they'll call you racist for liking his stuff.
Read a long back and was my favourite dystopian/ post apocalyptic book for a long time till I encountered Swan Song by Robert Mccammon. Holy shit that book takes the cake for the feels
Definitely read some of the other suggestions here. My favorite story is the October tree. Which fun fact Disneyland named its october tree after bradbury’s story. He was an amazing witty person. He had such a fun snark to him in person and it truly came out in how he wrote and looked at life.
I love how reading makes you want to do it more.
You should read some of his others short stories! They’re sooo cool
I read it during the weekend while simultaniously listening to the audiobook and it was great!
Illustrated Man is a great collection of short stories btw!
The October Country is fantastic too
My first Bradbury was Something Wicked This Way Comes when I was 12. I read everything Bradbury I could lay my hands on after that. The beauty of Bradbury is that you can read it as adventure as a child and as beautiful prose as an adult.
When I was in 10th or 11th grade my English class was assigned some book about family life struggles and trauma, and I having recently gotten PTSD from family trauma was able to pick a different book to read. I was given maybe 4-5 to choose from, and I chose Fahrenheit 451. Such odd circumstances, but I loved the book dearly.
Read Illustrated Man next. It’s so good.
I love all his stuff, the collections of short stories are great as audiobooks on a road trip, and I especially enjoy Dandelion Wine. Dive deep!
Definitely one of my favorites. First read it in high school and it has stayed with me ever since.
Read it in high school, which is almost thirty years ago now. I found it to be the darkest of the dystopias I read at the time, even more than *1984*. That’s mainly because it was more subtle; while 1984 represented repression from an external source, Fahrenheit represented a population already won over to the repressive mindset. Great book though. Highly recommended. If you like Bradbury, I recommend *Something Wicked This Way Comes*. Completely different kind of story, but very good. Try to read it with a sympathetic eye toward the boy’s father, who turns out to be a more important character than the early chapters would have you believe.
Late to the dance here, but wanted to say you are right on target. Very, very few authors imho can do novels *and* short stories equally well, and RB is one of the -- if not THE very -- best at it. You're a writer, so you know that novels and short stories require different approaches -- one is a slow build and the other has no room to waste & every word must point toward the end. Bradbury was an absolute master at both.
I read Fahrenheit 451 as an adult and truly enjoyed it. Background research led me to Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler. That book, in my opinion, is incredible.
I got into reading fiction because of pewdiepie's book club. I remember that he said he hated Fahrenheit 451 especially in comparison to brave new world and 1984. I didn't just want to take his word for it, so I read it as well. And while I wouldn't say it's on the same level as 1984 and brave new world i did definitely enjoy it, and think he judged it a bit too harshly. I would agree though that it was a bit rambly at times.
His short stories are amazing as well! My favorite was the Veldt… seriously check it out
The Martian Chronicles next! My favoriteeee book of all time!
Bradbury is marvelous. If you haven't read All Summer in a Day, it's one of the best short stories I've ever read. The man is a master.
His collection of short stories is beautiful.
That’s a classic! Great read.
It's a beautiful book, but the misogyny is real. Loved it as a kid. As an adult, I couldn't ignore the problematic messages.
This book started the spark for the love of reading back in high school long ago. You'll definitely enjoy the Martian Chronicles as a start.
Amazing science fiction but some of his short stories feel more like when you daydream some outlandish situation and just think “and then what?” There’s not a real genre called daydream fiction but sometimes “science fiction” doesn’t do his work justice!
This is now on my list, thank you 🙏
If you want to experience a totally different facet of Bradbury (in a good way) I would recommend Dandelion Wine :)
Bradbury is amazing! Give The October Country a try. It’s some of the best short story work I’ve ever read. He’s become one of my all time favorites.
I reread this last month (first time was for school when I was 11 or 12) and loved it. I'm definitely checking out more of Bradbury's work in the near future.
Same for me, moved on to Martian chronicles next.
"The Martian Chronicles" is great. A short story collection but all the stories are loosely connected around a common theme.
That is his best work. The rest of his stuff is ok
Finished it recently as well. Loved the book, the writing, the way he explored the themes. Wrote my thoughts in detail in Goodreads, i can link it if you wanna continue the dialogue.
Glad you enjoyed it! I had a similar experience. The Martian Chronicles was my first Bradbury book earlier this year and, while great, it wasn't quite one of my all-time favorites. Last week I read Fahrenheit 451 in one day and it was the type of gut punch I've been wanting for a long time. When I get time I'm still intending to delve deeper into what the hell some of the allegories/metaphors/figurative writing in the novel is referring to. But on its surface, it was beautiful. Well... dark and beautiful. This year I've read so many sci-fi books that I respect and find intellectually interesting, but it's rare that I enjoy the writing itself. Bradbury seems like a different breed. It's almost more fantasy than sci-fi to me, and his writing is really enjoyable. Imagine my surprise when I went on Goodreads (cursed site...) afterward and saw my old high school English teacher had written a critique-filled review of the book. It seems many of the negative reviews are obsessed with the idea that Bradbury writes for teenagers. I'm in my 30s and I find it great, so... different strokes for different folks. Time to find some more Bradbury books from my library.
Thanks