Don't Burn Books

I heard an interesting bit of news the other day, ironically Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451 has now been released in e-book format. Why is this ironic? Because Bradbury's story was about a future world where books had been banned in the U.S and firefighters job was to burn them. Hence the title Fahrenheit 451: the temperature in which books burn.

I read this book in high school and loved it. I was already a science fiction fan, so a story that took place in the future was appealing to me. I always enjoyed science fiction because the stories always made me think. The authors create a unique world and use their imagination to teach a lesson to the readers. Sometimes its easier to learn a lesson when its location isn't so close to home.

*Slight spoiler if you haven't read the book*

It's been a while since I read it, but what I do remember was that the main character was a firefighter, but in this future his job was to burn books. If anyone was found with books in their house the books were torched and the person arrested. It was decided by a small group of people that it was up to them to preserve the written world by memorizing a book each.

*Ok, it's safe to read again*

So naturally Bradbury was upset when the offer came to renew his contract and update it to include e-book rights. I can understand why he would be reluctant to agree to this. To him the very thing he was frightened of is coming true, his book, (about the destruction of books) is now being put into an electronic format. It is no longer a physical thing but an invisible file. He is afraid that the written word is being lost. Yet at the same time I think he made the right decision in allowing his book to be put into this format. After all, he wants the written word to be preserved, and despite his aversion to technology, it is where the world his headed. If he wants his story to be read and continue to pass on his message, he needs to move with the times and make it available in a format that will reach the highest readership.

It is a shame that he is so against the thought of an e-book, but it is the story that is important and not the method in which it is delivered to the readers.