Read Banned Books: Fahrenheit 451

Read Banned Books

Read the books "the man" says are dangerous. Be a rebel! Read banned books! Think dangerous thoughts!

Previous entries in this series:

• Between the World and Me

• A Wrinkle in Time

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Fahrenheit 451

Oh, the irony of banning a book about banning books. Setting a book aflame is the ultimate form of banning, ain't it? Make all those dangerous thoughts "the man" doesn't want you contemplating go up in smoke. You see, that's what the book banners understand. Thoughts, ideas, the real hard questions that lead to critical free thinking are best expressed and disseminated through books. That's why they always come for the books first, because a well-read populace questions authority, and that's anathema to an authoritarian regime. They come for the books before the late-night comics whose wheelhouse is poking fun at the powerful. They come for our books because they are afraid that reading might make us think.

If you aren't familiar with Bradbury's classic, it's about a dystopian future where Firemen burn books instead of putting out fires. People sit at home and watch TV instead of interacting with each other. This leads to widespread dissatisfaction, but people are addicted to their technology. Sound eerily familiar? Of course, the Firemen are quick to be deployed if a dangerous book is found in the wild. Can't have people think, can we? Free thinkers might not be docile.

Fahrenheit 451 has been banned many times over the years for vulgar language and being anti-religious. Most recently, it was censored in August 2025 by the Elizabeth School District in Colorado. It was put on the list of books students needed to request parental permission to read. This is totally mind-blowing! The vulgar language and sexual content contained in the book is far tamer than what you find on streaming or network television. I believe the call for banning due to an anti-religion sentiment comes from a scene where the Bible is burned. Really? It's a story about burning books! In my view, the real reason Fahrenheit 451 has faced censorship over the years is that it embodies a rebellious spirit that challenges authority, which is something authoritarians can't accept.