- Title: Fahrenheit 451
- Author: Ray Bradbury
- Published: 1951
- Publisher: Simon and Schuster
- ISBN: 978-1-4516-7331-9
The Burning of books and burying of scholars (焚書坑儒) is a famous event by the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin dynasty. He ordered burning the books in 213 BCE and buried many Confucian scholars alive. The event’s details are debatable, but we have heard many similar incidents throughout history and from novels.
The power of the book and knowledge is not a new idea. In the era of apocalyptic science fiction, it is not surprising to see a society with strict control of the press, media, and knowledge.
Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” is a pivotal example. Even though the book has been quoted frequently and has been regarded as one of the best SF novels, the writing itself was somewhat disappointing. You should not expect the mastery of storytelling such as the books of George Orwell. What’s remarkable about the book is how the description mirrors the current 21st century after so many years.
Let’s check the interesting Point: “Does paper really burn (auto-ignition) at 451 F (232 C)?“. Bradbury mentioned he got the answer from the fire station. The experiments show that the paper’s self-ignition temperature is 440~480 F depends on the material, volume, and density.
Scriptorium 