It was a pleasure to revisit a classic. When I picked up my physical copy, I found out that I had already highlighted some parts I once thought were important. It is fascinating to see how, after re-reading the book years later, my focus has shifted ENTIRELY. I was all the more invested in the characterization. Every character resonated with me.

But if I’m to mention something that stuck with me and really got me to think, it has to be the war building up in the background. Every word, every sound and rhythm pointed to it since the beginning. But it didn’t seem like it was supposed to count as a military event. To me it revealed that an apathetic society that has given up critical thinking and undergone an internal rot loses the ability to stop violence and is eventually doomed to destroy itself.  I think that’s crucial to know especially now that we’re dealing with our own literacy crisis.

This book was fire 🔥 (pun intended)

Oops, I finished this like a week and a half ago.
To be honest, I am kind of mad this isn't taught at my high school. I'm also mad at myself for not reading it last summer when it was the nerdfighter summer reading book. It is easily one of my favorite books now.

Where do I start?

I think one of the most important things to take away from this book is read.
Read books. Read the newspaper. Become educated in history and keep up with the history that's being made right now. It is so easy to just fall into your own little world and forget that there are others out there, that there are people who need your help. Being plugged in 24/7 can be so harmful to you and to the rest of the world-and I know I've fallen victim to that more times than I can count. It is important to connect with other people in real life, not just via television or the internet. It is important to understand what is going on outside of yourself and your situation.

I don't know if it was just my edition of the book (the 50th anniversary edition), or if all of them have it, but Bradbury's coda is excellent. He discusses censorship of his novels and short stories and how, "there is more than one way to burn a book." It's about 4 pages and I really suggest you read it for yourself.

All in all, I love this book.