Fahrenheit 451

By: Ray Bradbury

Narrated by: Tim Robbins

Length: 5 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's Summary

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

Ray Bradbury's internationally acclaimed novel Fahrenheit 451 is a masterwork of 20th-century literature set in a bleak, dystopian future, narrated here by Academy Award-winning actor Tim Robbins.

Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television "family". But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television. When Mildred attempts suicide and Clarisse suddenly disappears, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known. He starts hiding books in his home, and when his pilfering is discovered, the fireman has to run for his life.

©1951 Ray Bradbury (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Bradbury's iconic novel about the dangers of complacency and the value of curiosity gains a solid new voice with this audio performance. Tim Robbins puts his acting prowess to use here, creating superb dialogue and striding confidently through powerful speeches that celebrate books and warn against the lure of technology. Protagonist Montag burns with all the earnestness of a man eager for change; Faber's aged scholar simmers with cautious hope; Mildred's vacuous presence echoes emptily. Robbins provides the theatrical with the expected confidence, but he also makes good use of quiet in this production. He makes Bradbury's words even more powerful by remembering to pause at opportune moments to let them sink in." (AudioFile)

I'm Burnin', I'm Burnin' for You

When I see a new release on audio of a classic book read by a great actor or actress, I'm in. Sometimes it doesn't work. Here, Tim Robbins' rhapsody perfectly pitches this futuro de fuego novel that for most of us was required reading in school. The boy I was surely did not appreciate Ray Bradbury's talent for telling fantastic stories or his prose or the value and experience of *Fahrenheit 451.*

This book, with Tim Robbin's narration, lit up my literary fervor with a tale of how life would be without books, and has ignited my interest in Ray Bradbury's other books.

More valuable than the credit spent, this enthralling audiobook is a reminder of the value of literature and, more than that, an infernal blast!

69 of 78 people found this review helpful

Don't ask for guarantees

“Don't ask for guarantees. And don't look to be saved in any one thing, person, machine, or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were heading for shore.”
― Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

I read this in Jr. High. What a waste. I wasn't ready for Bradbury. I mean I liked Bradbury. I read a bunch of his short story collections and even dabbled with his books. But I failed at that young age to appreciate Bradbury's language. I was reading for plot. I missed the words, the texture, the depth of his words. There is a reason this is a classic and will continue to be a classic. It is damn good. It is important. It is still relevant and still sucks the wind right out of me. Save 100 books from my burning house. This might not be one of the hundred, but only because it is burned into my brain and I won't ever forget it.

24 of 27 people found this review helpful

IF SOMEONE GIVES YOU RULED PAPER,

WRITE THE OTHER WAY.
I have lost count of how many times I have read or listen to this book. This time was the most pleasant and I felt I got the most out of it. Robbins is my kind of narrator. Some might think him too dramatic, but I appreciated the feeling he put into the reading. The book is divided into three parts, with the first part being the best.

THE MIND DRINKS LESS AND LESS
For a book written in the 40's it is amazing all the things Bradbury predicted. He predicted the death of newspapers, he predicted sitcoms, the word intellectual becoming a swear word, ear buds and people listening to something all day, Reality TV, and schools becoming more about sports then about academics. He also predicted that lots of people would be more likely to vote for the most handsome candidate, but that may have already been in practice during the 40's I don't know. He goes on about how we will need to be entertained at all times. This made me laugh, as just the other day I put coffee in the microwave, set it for 35 seconds and then worried about how I was going to fill the next 35 seconds. Some of these may be controversial, but in my mind he hit the nail on the head.

YOU THINK TOO MUCH
Part two was really good and part three was good. I thought in part three he got too poetic and dramatic, but Bradbury has been known to do that from time to time. His worries about over population did not happen and we did not have a bunch of nuclear wars. Books have not disappeared, they have gotten bigger, RE: Sanderson, Gabaldon, Hobbs and George RR.

SEA SHELL RADIO
Tim Robbins was great. When audible first came out with actors as narrators, I was not for it. I felt I was being disloyal to my favorite narrators, such as Dick Hill, Ray Porter, and Will Patton (who is an actor). So far, I have heard Robbins and Hathaway and both were great and made the books they read a pleasurable experience. I guess they aren't just pretty faces.

29 of 34 people found this review helpful

Can Tim Robbins read me all of my books?

I never read Fahrenheit 451 in school like most people, so this was my first time. The story was tragic, inspiring, and thought-provoking. And in a way, terrifying, like most dystopian future novels tend to be when we notice the similarities to present day society.

Tim Robbins was amazing. He shouts when he needs to, he gets excited, he gets flustered and embarrassed. So far Robbins has been the best to listen to.

36 of 45 people found this review helpful

Wish I Hadn't Cliff Noted This in High School

I'm ashamed to say that during High School I made the grave mistake of using cliff notes to get through reading Fahrenheit 451. I did that for most books in High School and College and am just now going back and reading the for the first time. Like Orwell's 1984, Fahrenheit 451 is as relevant if not even more so in today's culture.

The first thing that struck me about Fahrenheit 451 is that it's actually a pretty straightforward and easy ready. Unlike many books that are "assigned reading" Fahrenheit 451 has a straightforward premise. It's set in a world where firefighters instead of putting out fires, start fires by burning books, and anyone associated with them.

What rang true most of all was towards the middle of the novel there's a scene in which the main character, Guy Montag is interacting with his wife and her two friends. It's a scene in which he reads a couple verses of poetry and the reactions of each of the characters was so distinct and so different that it took me off guard. The way in which Bradbury is able to convey the dichotomy between wanting to be happy and avoiding reality is something I wrestle with. Do I ignore the injustice in the world for my own happiness or do I fully embrace the fact that there are horrors taking place all around me?

And that's what I loved most of all about Fahrenheit 451, it made me contemplate my own life. I didn't find the story to be overly satisfying, especially the ending, but the questions it raises are profound. And its because of that, that I'm disappointed I hadn't read it earlier and urge anyone who likes my cliff noted my way through it to go back and enjoy this marvelous novel.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Book changed my life!!

Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury
Location:?

Have you ever read one of those books that while you're reading it, you know it's changing your life and the way you see things?.... This book blew my mind. The simple fact it was written in 1951 and it was so spot on with so many details that are going on right now in our society. Thank God we still have books though :-) but a lot of the other things are going on right now. This was a phenomenal book. I am not the same person. I'm going to read another book by Bradbury called "Dandelion wine" I really like this author and I can definitely see his influence on Stephen King.. If you haven't read it I recommend doing so as soon as possible :-) my only complaint and it's a small one I did not love the narrator. Sometimes the voices were killing me. Mildred the wife sounded like Jocelyn from Bob's burgers. But it was fine and I could deal with it because the story was phenomenal

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

More reality than science fiction, 60 years later

Would you consider the audio edition of Fahrenheit 451 to be better than the print version?

Yes - It renews the current nature of this classic.
This was an amazing experience - Couldn't stop listening

Who was your favorite character and why?

No question - Guy Montag is solid with sensitivity and depth. Clarisse gives the story direction that further rounds out Guy as the lead.

Have you listened to any of Tim Robbins’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Tim Robbin's performance was terrific - beyond any of my expectations! It made this an instant classic all over again. I have not heard any of his others but now he, as a narrator, has my attention.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was riveted unlike anything I expected. As my headline states, How is it possible for a book from the early 50's to be so on target with where we are today? When originally read, it leaned science fiction. Now, it's far more the reality of our current technological times.

Any additional comments?

Brilliant. A Must Listen!

11 of 15 people found this review helpful

Please get another narrator!

I got this audio because I've always wanted to re-read the book. I haven't read it since elementary school. I know it's always different in your head on what voices go with what character, but I could not get over the narrators annoying impersonations. Except for Montag everybody else sounded like a hillbilly redneck. I understand they are firemen so maybe they're a little rough around the edges, but it was always the same. What really was the tipping point for me was the wife's voice. It just sounded like a whiny teenage girl that always ended her sentences in questions. Very similar to the fake voices they use in that movie White Chicks. I audible, but I think I'll stick to the actual book for this one.

8 of 11 people found this review helpful

What Dandelions Mean

I hesitated buying Audible Studio's Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" (1953) because it seemed almost sacrilegious. But I've got three print versions and my kids have an electronic text version. Bradbury - who died in 2012 - had to have licensed at least the first Audible version, and his estate must have authorized this version. If the author said "okay," why shouldn't I listen? As busy as I am, I won't have time to read the text version again until I retire. And, well, Tim Robbins is the narrator.

It's impossible to write a review of "Fahrenheit 451" that hasn't already been written by Cliff Notes, Spark Notes, or some high schooler robbed of the magic of discovering Bradbury independently and forced to read the book. I just hope that the fact it's required reading doesn't obscure Bradbury's absolutely brilliant science fiction storytelling. ATMs? Earbuds? Flat screen TVs? They're all there - more than 60 years ago. But it's more than SciFi to me - it's horror.

Fear is very, very personal - I understand scary spiders, but snakes? Sure, boa constrictors can be a little intimidating, but California King Snakes are just about the cutest things to slither the ground. I've heard not everyone feels that way. For me, "Fahrenheit 451" is one of the most horrifying stories ever. I watched Francois Truffaut's 1966 movie version when I was 11, several years before I read the book. That night was the first time I woke up screaming from a nightmare. The books - burning the books. It was as if my friends were being burned alive.

The reason I keep personalizing the book and the review is that Bradbury's writing is Art, with a capital 'A.' Like all true art, it means different things to different people at different times. As a teenager, I don't think I realized it was dystopian - and I sure missed Fireman Guy Montag's feelings for his wife, Mildred. I got the overt symbolism, but only because a 9th or 10th grade teacher whose name I've forgotten made me learn it for a test.

Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed by Robbins as a narrator for this book. He's a fine Guy Montag, but as Mildred Montag and Clarisse McClellam? Ow. Mildred was biting and shrill, which is appropriate for her character - but it still hurt my ears. Robbins' Clarisse came across as vapid, and that wasn't good for a profound character.

For those of you playing 6 Degrees of Stephen King, this Audible performance is 1 degree. Robbins played Andy Dufrense in Frank Darrabont's 1994 film "The Shawshank Redemption." That was based on King's 1983 novella, "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption," published in the "Different Seasons" collection. Here's a less commonly known connection: King is a huge Bradbury fan, and "Fahrenheit 451" uses the term 'The Running Man' several times. King wrote an okay novella called "The Running Man" (1982) under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. which was made into a better - or maybe just funnier - 1987 movie of the same name starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bradbury's influence on King is far beyond just that subtle tribute. For example, his 2014 "Revival" revives the Bradbury's traveling carnival from "Something Wicked This Way Comes."

The title of this review comes from dandelions Clarisse picked for Montag.

[If this review helped, please press YES. Thanks!]

54 of 78 people found this review helpful

A Parable For Our Times

This book is a must-read for our times. The characters imprison themselves willingly in feel-good entertainment bubbles and resent and destroy anything that challenges them to stretch beyond their comfort zone. My favorite quote was, roughly, that we expect flowers to grow on flowers instead of good soil and rain... This book is good soil and rain for a curious stretching mind.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Fantastic story, worth getting into...

Any additional comments?

The story is a classic, but the narration takes some getting into. The voice acting for the characters is great throughout, but the narration in the early scenes feels a little rushed and, at times, a little clunky. It gets better as you go through the book, and there are some points in which Tim Robbins really captures the frustration and drama of the world in which the protagonist lives. By halfway, the narrating style had me on the edge of my seat, so well worth persevering with if you find it poor at the start. As i say, the story itself is great. A really fantastic tale and a great overall audiobook.

14 of 14 people found this review helpful

Glimpse of the future?

Really thought provoking book. Took a while to get into and finished all too soon. Can't believe it was written in the 50's - must have had a crystal ball.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

Superb

I loved every single word and enjoyed every second listening to this book. This will be one of the very few books I will listen to again.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

grasping till the end

The start was a bit difficult to digest but then I've grown into it and now I simply love it. There are some passages which have a clear resonance with our modern world.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Great thought provoking story

Excellent narration and well worth a listen. A brilliant story and one we hope will not be our reality.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Fahrenheit 451

Compulsive listening. A world without books would be a frightening thought. Knowledge of for everyone.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

loved it !!!

I really loved this book and the narration was amazing. I'd recommend it to anyone. and it's so short it's not a big commitment.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Thanks

Tim Robbins was incredible often hooked me in and the ending was so emotional but full of hope

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Sizzling

The story is set in a twisted future of our world - one where all media is heavily controlled and 'fireman' are there to burn books.

The lead character is conflicted - does he maintain the status quo or challenge it? Is the lesser life currently provided safer or happier? Should he make a stand?

The message behind the story is similar to George Orwell's 1984 but told it's unique way. Tim Robbins delivers a top performance - a little too quick in places but still an excellent listen.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Essential listening

I tried reading this book at school (mainly because it was quite thin) and couldn't get past the first few pages. The same was true when I downloaded the audiobook; the first 15 minutes were quite difficult to appreciate. However, after that I was completely hooked. This is such an important book because, even though we may not be burning books at the moment, we might as well be; far too few people - especially amongst the young - are interested in literature at all. This book frames the whole issue in a thrilling story which grips.

The narrator did an excellent job, really bringing the characters to life, but I deducted him one star for putting extra commas in long sentences which aren't actually there. Don't worry about that, though, download this very important book.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful