Fahrenheit 451

As you're reading this book, it's difficult to remember that it was written in 1951. The technological "predictions" are interesting (bluetooth headphones, reality TV). But I think the most interesting portions are the discussions of the nature of books and media. Toward the end, we get a discussion of people as books (using their innate photographic memories to read/scan books that can later be retrieved from them), but this quotation from Faber around the middle of the book is probably my favorite moment...the texture of books, a texture that can be examined closely, and the rewards of that process of examination.

"Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me, it means texture. This book as pores. It has features. This book can go under the microscope. You'd find life under the glass, streaming past in infinite profusion. The more pores, the more truthfully recorded details of life per square inch you can get on a sheet of paper, the more 'literary' you are. That's my definition, anyway. Telling detail. Fresh detail." (79)

Un livre qui n'est pas sans rappeler 1984 de George Orwell, qui dépeint une société ayant basculé vers le totalitarisme, avec là aussi une police de la pensée et une volonté de supprimer le rêve et la libre pensée des personnes.

Qui n'est pas non plus sans rappeler la politique de certains pays qui se disaient démocratiques il y a encore peu. Assez effrayant dans sa vision quand on pense qu'il a été écrit en 1951.

Un roman assez court, à lire ou à relire absolument. Avant qu'il ne soit lui aussi brûlé.

É uma distopia clássica, li há muito tempo mas lembro de não ter achado tão envolvente quanto as primas mais famosas (1984 e Admirável Mundo Novo). Recomendo o conto "Bright Phoenix" que inspirou o livro (é curtinho e achei melhor que o livro).