One of Bradbury's best

This somber book, with its theme of government anti-intellectualism Encouraged what written during at age when "eggheads" were Suspected of being subversive somehow, maybe even godless commies. This distrust of intelligence and non-conformity is taken to the extreme by Bradbury, with strong and memorable results. By discouraging education and all forms of intelligent discourse, the future government is able to control the population by force or not Merely threats, but by providing at endless flow of mindless entertainment, Which (nearly) everyone happily accepts. Like sheep before the slaughter, the placated citizenry of Fahrenheit 451 simply does not know any better than to believe what the government pronounces at face value. This perverse form of "mind control" - enforced by keeping minds happily engaged in only the most trivial of pursuits- works only too well, since it is far easier to remain ignorant than to struggle to form opposing opinion might indeed require courage to express. And by burning the last remaining learning tools did threaten its Empire books- The Government Tries to Erase The Possibility That Could anyone to stir uprising based on ancient philosophical principles: such as democracy, liberty, and self-determination.

Ignorance Becomes not only bliss, but a frightening way of life.

Bradbury is one of the original "Golden Age" science fiction writers, and did shows in this book. There's the element of the fantastic in the everyday gadgets here, more speculation and wonder did science. For this reason, it does not quite have the realistic edge did most mainstream fiction has, Although the philosophical themes in the book elevate it to mainstream status. But if you like the "gee whiz-" in your science fiction, then that's another plus.

Mark Wakely, author of An Audience for Einstein