Consider this a kind of writing group...

BOOK OF THE DAY:

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Amazon: 4.2

Goodreads: 3.95

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is poetic. The title, Fahrenheit 451 symbolizes the temperature at which paper burns. This minor detail holds the premise of this dystopian novel.

Guy Montag is a fireman in a world where literature is in danger of extinction. Television is glorified and books are the source of all unhappiness and chaos. Traditionally speaking firemen usually banish fire, but in Montag’s society, firemen start fires to burn books. Every printed book, as well as the house in which they are concealed in, must be obliterated.  Escorted by helicopters, and equipped with deadly hypodermic, The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department takes their job lethally serious.  They are ready to hunt down any individual who defies the rules to conserve and read books.

Back at home, Montag has a standard life. He has a wife named, Mildred, who is obsessed with television. He retreated home with a clear mind and never questions his actions. One day he meets an interesting young neighbor, Clarisse. She becomes responsible for introducing him to a time, where books were vital: the past and the future. She teaches him the significance of ideas in books, as opposed to the senseless act of watching television. This is where Bradbury shines. His commentary on the censorship of literature is straightforward but unique. In Montag’s world trivial information is accepted, whereas knowledge and ideas are an evil. Fire Captain Beatty explains it best:

“Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs…. Don’t give them slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy.”

Ultimately Montag questions his actions and profession when his wife puts herself in danger and Clarisse mysteriously disappears. He does the unthinkable: he begins to hide books.

The beauty of Bradbury’s prose is found within the questions he indirectly raises: Why is literature important? is it of any danger? How does it influence our minds?

Some may say that Fahrenheit 451 is outdated, but the truth is that uttering such statement is narrow-minded. Fahrenheit 451 is less about how technology is infiltrating our lives, but more about Western society’s blind faith in the media and government. The symbolism in this book is pure and grandiose. Reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984, Bradbury created a world where the mind is caged. No original ideas are consumed or fed; society is dormant and submissive. Ray Bradbury’s vision is prophetic and poetically satirical as well as melancholic.

If you are a lover of literature, this book will puncture your heart. It is not far from the truth, which can be distressing at moments. Unlike other dystopian societies in literature, Bradbury’s novel has become a historical act; it is one of the truer book in science fiction and life.

Read excerpts from the book here!

“we work at the same library and we have the same job but our shifts are always opposite so I’ve never seen you in real life, all I know about you are legends from the other staff members and there’s NO WAY you’re that cool (I won’t believe that you’re also a volunteer firefighter until you benchpress me), but you do always do the shelving for that one section that I hate so I guess you’re a little cool” AU

“hey I saw that you were requesting that a BUNCH of books about puppies be pulled for you and I maybe waited around until you came in to pick them all up bc it’s vital that I know what kind of puppy you have” AU

“who the FUCK lets their toddler reshelve picture books? do you realize your kid can’t read and that none of these books are in the right spots?? and you’re making my job way harder??? put the books back yourself, you inconsider- okay you’re really hot but I’m still PISSED” AU

“you keep requesting really weird books and I’m super curious about why you have so many obscure interests, I SWEAR I’m going to find you and ask you about this someday, goddammit, stop coming in to pick them up when I’m not working” AU

“you always get to the good study room with the computer before I do and I need to know how you’re doing this because I’m frustrated as fuck and it’s literally!! every!! time!!  I got here at 9 am and you were still here before me, what the hell!!” AU

“you keep scheduling the conference room for some kind of club meeting and you and all your friends are really cute….yes I might have called in all my favors with the other librarians to be the one to help you run your tech stuff (because you have a LOT of questions) but hopefully you’ll never find out” AU

“my club is suddenly meeting a lot more frequently because we found out the public library will let us use their conference room…..AND the librarian is really cute, so what’s the harm if I ask them a million questions about the projector?  it’s not like I’m actually wasting time because we’re making up for it by meeting so much” AU

“I MAY HAVE PUNCHED SOMEONE IN THE LIBRARY AND NOW I’M ON THE BAN AND BAR LIST BUT I REALLY NEED THIS BOOK AND I WILL DO ANYTHING TO GET IT, CAN YOU PLEASE HELP” AU

“okay SOMEONE keeps bringing "dates” back into the nonfiction section and fooling around by the economics books and I know I can’t prove anything but I’m POSITIVE that’s it’s you and that’s why I’m shouting at you in the grocery store" AU

“you’re checking out and you have 5 erotica books and 1 cookbook and I have to scan them without saying anything because there are children here but. dude. you look really embarrassed, what’s the deal?” AU

“hey, I need a new library card.  yes, I understand that this is the fourth one you’ve given me this year, I’m sorry, I swear it won’t happen again- yeah I KNOW that’s what I said last time but this time for sure, I promise!” AU

“someone keeps rearranging the books and I finally realized they’re forming sentences with the titles so I’m trying to keep an eye on who the culprit is because I’m curious as hell and the messages sound flirty so I want to help you woo whoever it is that you’re wooing” AU

“you’re the children’s librarian and my kid is actually in love with you, I swear, they never shut up about you when we’re at home so I don’t know why they hide when we actually come to see you, please believe me because otherwise I can’t actually explain why I know so many things about you despite never having spoken before” AU

“I had to go get the books from the book drop in the rain and you SPRINTED across the parking lot to hold an umbrella for me, you gallant motherfucker” AU

“we’re always working in the back together, doing inventory or mending books or going through donations and we have like a MILLION inside jokes bc you’re the only other person at work I see regularly and???  oh my god?????  how have I known you for so long and not realized that you dress like a hot hardcore punk when you’re off the clock???” AU

“it’s my dream to get stay in a library overnight but no matter where I hide before closing you keep finding me and kicking me out??  I need to seriously up my game because you’re like a hide and seek master, what the hell” AU

“why the HELL are you always lurking somewhere when we’re trying to close?  I just want to go home and you’re making everyone stay until we can get you out, goddammit, how did you even fit into that cabinet?!?!?  get the fuck down!!” AU

“you caught me reading the picture books when I was supposed to be working and I swear I’ll do anything if you keep this quiet, I have a reputation to maintain, also my supervisor will yell at me if they catch me doing this again” AU

“You’re on the bus seat across from me and I keep trying to subtly check you out, but you keep looking up from your book and catching me” AU

“I was gushing about this one amazing piece in a little art gallery until one of the employees pointed you out as the artist, and shit, you’re really cute” AU

“You have clearly never been on public transportation before and I’m the person you grab onto every time the Metro makes an unexpected lurch” AU

“You’re a guide at this museum/monument/etc., and I’ve asked you for directions probably five times but I keep getting turned around, it’s a big museum, okay???” AU

“I complained about the food in this restaurant, but then you came out and introduced yourself as the chef and asked how you could do better, and I’m starting to feel bad because you’re adorable” AU

“You keep showing up to the pool where I lifeguard ten minutes before it closes, and you’re not even a very good swimmer” AU

“We sat together on the plane on the way to this city/vacation destination/etc., and you were the most annoying seat neighbor ever, but now that we’re here we keep running into each other everywhere” AU

“You don’t play Pokemon GO, but your business is a PokeStop, and you’re getting a little bit concerned about me coming in here every five minutes” AU

“This bookstore closed several minutes ago, but you and I are in a shouting match over a rare edition of a book and we will not be ejected from the store” AU

“I went to this nightclub and you were the bartender and hey you’re supposed to tell them your troubles and internal struggles right??”

“I just accidentally told you about your surprise birthday party and now I’m trying to convince you that it was just a joke but you don’t believe me like ffs”

“We went to a restaurant to celebrate our friendship or something alone but the waiter put a romantic candle on the table and now we’re pretending we’re on a date but I really hope you take me home tonight.”

 "You say you’re a daredevil but someone just dared you to make out with me and you get really quiet all of a sudden and all red and oh god do you like me.“

"We’re having an arm wrestle and you’re secretly letting me win but little do you know I could beat your ass any day.”

“See when you said you wanted a sex on the beach I genuinely thought that was an invitation this is awkward lets just pretend I didn’t make a move on you.”

“I tripped and fell in my ass and oh fuck you’re recording it you little piece of shit”

“I keep calling you an egg. You don’t know why and it’s confusing you. Tbh it’s meaningless and I just like seeing that adorable little smile on your face.”

“Pls can we get a dog.”

“Let’s do something crazy and go buy a fucking blender.”

“I haven’t seen you for a while so I made you a mixtape of all our favourite songs but I accidentally gave you the CD with my screamo songs and I can’t imagine the look on your face.”

To all the boys I’ve love before by @jennyhan is defiantly one of my favorite contemporary reads this summer! This book was fun, entertaining, and adorable.

What were some of your favorite summer reads!?

“I’ve had to come back here three times now because you keep giving me the wrong disc” AU (bonus if it’s on purpose)

“You keep prank calling the store and I swear to god if you do it one more time I’m gonna give you a taste of your own medicine” AU 

 "I keep prank calling the store because you sound really cute when you’re flustered trying to answer how much money I’d get for 20 brand new copies of this game" AU