TMC: So relevant!

[Priscilla]

Wow I’m about a quarter of the way through and I feel (apart from a couple of things) that this book could have been written today. I suppose that’s why this is considered a classic. I’m reading And The Moon Be Still As Bright and there are topics like pollution, colonization (duh), bigotry, and entitlement that could have been written about things happening today. Really interesting!

[Ruth]

Priscilla wrote: "Wow I’m about a quarter of the way through and I feel (apart from a couple of things) that this book could have been written today. I suppose that’s why this is considered a classic."

Yeah some parts of it - like the discussion about colonisation you mention - feel very fresh and relevant, and I was pleasantly surprised to see negative stuff about the Spanish Conquistadors and the treatment of native Americans.
Other parts - feel less fresh, lbh. In particular, Bradbury's attitudes to women are pretty dated.
Something that never ceases to amaze me is how authors of the past were so good at predicting some trends, and so off the mark at other things. Makes me wonder which SF books of today will seem howlingly outmoded in a few decades' time.

[Priscilla]

God yeah the way he talks about women is just like 🙄

[Trike]

I didn’t like this collection at all when I read it almost 40 years ago, whenever the TV series was made, but I recently read Fahrenheit 451 and was amazed at how prescient Bradbury was.

[Priscilla]

I’ve never read Fahrenheit 451 but I got both books at the same time so I’m hoping to read it soon.

[Rob, Roberator]

I've only read this and Something Wicked This Way Comes. I liked this far better.

Fahrenheit 451 is on my TBR list though.

I probably own a copy too..

*checks virtual owned-and-unread-shelf*

Hmm. If I do own it, I don't have it shelved as such..that's kind of a surprise..

[Buzz]

I agree there are many relevant sociological stories in this collection. Racism, censorship, prejudice…

[Tina]

I love Fahrenheit 451. I recently listened to the Audiobook version and the narration by Tim Robbins was outstanding.

I saw the movie as a kid and the ending is just beautiful.

[Rachel]

I also felt that several of the stories had very contemporary themes and attitudes or brought up topics that are still relevant today. I listened to an audiobook version that had the “new” dates and left out “Way In the Middle Of The Air” (which I did read later via other means). Some things are certainly dated now but overall I really enjoyed this book! I burned through the entire audiobook in a day (checked it out on my library’s app last night - just returned it before writing this post tonight). The last thing I read by Ray Bradbury was Fahrenheit 451 about 20 years ago. I’m now thinking of reading that again and seeking out more of his works.

[Oleksandr]

I'd say the book contains some eternal themes but it isn't the same as relevant.