Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Like many others, I first read this book in 8th grade as a school assignment. I have reread it many times as well as watched the movie many times. I love the irony that this book is often listed on the lists for banned or challenged books. The story revolves around a man who is secretly hiding and reading books during a futuristic time in which books are considered evil and are therefore are illegal. Firemen do not put out fires but rather set them to burn books. A secret underground society of hobos memorize various classics to keep literature alive. I shiver to think that such cowardly ideas in regards to our freedoms are very much bantered about in our times. Why are so many afraid of words?


I also found intriguing the "modern" conveniences so like those in my favorite cartoon - The Jetsons. I think it is time to reread this one and compare these conveniences to those we have today...

Banned and challenged books...

Today I came across Delete Censorship.org, a website dedicated to our First Amendment right of freedom of the press and the implied freedom thereof of the right to read. Don't be shocked, but four of the five books on my Favorites List are listed among those books which have been most challenged or banned. Two such lists can be found at the above named website. On one hand I feel a bit subversive for having read not only those four books but many others on the list. On the other hand I feel proud that my open-mindedness has led me to be a well-rounded well-read individual.