Wish I Hadn't Cliff Noted This in High School

I'm ashamed to say that during High School I made the grave mistake of using cliff notes to get through reading Fahrenheit 451. I did that for most books in High School and College and am just now going back and reading the for the first time. Like Orwell's 1984, Fahrenheit 451 is as relevant if not even more so in today's culture.

The first thing that struck me about Fahrenheit 451 is that it's actually a pretty straightforward and easy ready. Unlike many books that are "assigned reading" Fahrenheit 451 has a straightforward premise. It's set in a world where firefighters instead of putting out fires, start fires by burning books, and anyone associated with them.

What rang true most of all was towards the middle of the novel there's a scene in which the main character, Guy Montag is interacting with his wife and her two friends. It's a scene in which he reads a couple verses of poetry and the reactions of each of the characters was so distinct and so different that it took me off guard. The way in which Bradbury is able to convey the dichotomy between wanting to be happy and avoiding reality is something I wrestle with. Do I ignore the injustice in the world for my own happiness or do I fully embrace the fact that there are horrors taking place all around me?

And that's what I loved most of all about Fahrenheit 451, it made me contemplate my own life. I didn't find the story to be overly satisfying, especially the ending, but the questions it raises are profound. And its because of that, that I'm disappointed I hadn't read it earlier and urge anyone who likes my cliff noted my way through it to go back and enjoy this marvelous novel.

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Don't ask for guarantees

“Don't ask for guarantees. And 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 heading for shore.”
― Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

I read this in Jr. High. What a waste. I wasn't ready for Bradbury. I mean I liked Bradbury. I read a bunch of his short story collections and even dabbled with his books. But I failed at that young age to appreciate Bradbury's language. I was reading for plot. I missed the words, the texture, the depth of his words. There is a reason this is a classic and will continue to be a classic. It is damn good. It is important. It is still relevant and still sucks the wind right out of me. Save 100 books from my burning house. This might not be one of the hundred, but only because it is burned into my brain and I won't ever forget it.

144 people found this helpful

Narrator awful!

The narrator was “too” enthusiastic. He was very predictable. I hated it when he read too fast and then too slow just to make things ‘more’ interesting. And the way he softened his voice was ughhhh so annoying.

13 people found this helpful

A Parable For Our Times

This book is a must-read for our times. The characters imprison themselves willingly in feel-good entertainment bubbles and resent and destroy anything that challenges them to stretch beyond their comfort zone. My favorite quote was, roughly, that we expect flowers to grow on flowers instead of good soil and rain... This book is good soil and rain for a curious stretching mind.

35 people found this helpful

I'm Burnin', I'm Burnin' for You

When I see a new release on audio of a classic book read by a great actor or actress, I'm in. Sometimes it doesn't work. Here, Tim Robbins' rhapsody perfectly pitches this futuro de fuego novel that for most of us was required reading in school. The boy I was surely did not appreciate Ray Bradbury's talent for telling fantastic stories or his prose or the value and experience of *Fahrenheit 451.*

This book, with Tim Robbin's narration, lit up my literary fervor with a tale of how life would be without books, and has ignited my interest in Ray Bradbury's other books.

More valuable than the credit spent, this enthralling audiobook is a reminder of the value of literature and, more than that, an infernal blast!

118 people found this helpful

Can Tim Robbins read me all of my books?

I never read Fahrenheit 451 in school like most people, so this was my first time. The story was tragic, inspiring, and thought-provoking. And in a way, terrifying, like most dystopian future novels tend to be when we notice the similarities to present day society.

Tim Robbins was amazing. He shouts when he needs to, he gets excited, he gets flustered and embarrassed. So far Robbins has been the best to listen to.

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Narrator ruined it for me

I could not get past the first chapter, Tim Robbins voice ruined it for me.

6 people found this helpful

Tim Robbins Why?

What disappointed you about Fahrenheit 451?

Fahrenheit 451 the book is one of the best books in american literature. A lot of the power of the book is the dystopian world Ray Bradbury made for the story to live in. A world while full of normalcy is twisted to evil by it's fear of ideas and lack of books. The problem with Tim Robbins narration of this book is that he does all voices except our hero fireman with cartoonish flare. Good-bye all normal world with an odd twist. What we have is a world with one normal person and a bunch of cartoon characters. All the subtly or the dystopian world Ray Bradbury wrote into the book is destroyed with over the top bugs bunny acting. It's also abrasive to listen to such harsh fake voices for hours. It's a shame. I've really enjoyed the other classic read by major actors avertible on Audible.com

What other book might you compare Fahrenheit 451 to and why?

All of Ray Bradbury's books are amazing in their own way

How could the performance have been better?

The problem with Tim Robbins narration of this book is that he does all voices except our hero fireman with cartoonish flare. Good-bye all normal world with an odd twist. What we have is a world with one normal person and a bunch of cartoon characters. All the subtly or the dystopian world Ray Bradbury wrote into the book is destroyed with over the top bugs bunny acting.

What character would you cut from Fahrenheit 451?

None

6 people found this helpful

Robbins dreadful

Robbins was dreadful, especially his character voices. was he even taking his job seriously? even without Robbins I don't think I'd have cared much for Bradbury's writing. More use of the word "like" than a teenage girl. characters not believable. world poorly built (especially on the heels of reading "1984" and "the Handmaid's Tale" just prior to this.

5 people found this helpful

Classic (short) and trippy

This book has its moments where it starts blabbering like a trippy radio station. Why is it so short? It felt shorter than a short story. there is not much of character development. The story moves on really fast. The onus is more on the idea of destroying knowledge and making humans happy with brain dead entertainment. Story with the idea would have been better.

I expected narration to be top notch but Tim Robbins cannot do woman noises very well. It all came out whiny and annoying. Maybe their characters were suppose to be but he added something extra to it.

10 people found this helpful