Guy Montag is a fireman. Unlike the world of today, firemen in Montag's dystopian near-future are charged with burning books. Books are illegal because books encourage free thought, which makes it difficult for the government to control its citizens.

One day, Montag meets Clarisse, a high school girl who is not afraid to think about the world and question what she sees. Montag enjoys his conversations with Clarisse and is jarred when she suddenly disappears - an apparent victim of an automobile accident. Montag begins to question his life and the morality of his job. He courts disaster when he steals a book he is supposed to burn.

Fahrenheit 451 is one of the great novels of  the twentieth century. Not only is it a compelling story; it is a warning against anti-intellectualism and those who mindlessly follow authority. It is a warning of choosing comfort and vapid entertainment over freedom; and allowing power to be too concentrated. 65 years after its publication, these issues are still relevant.

This is a book everyone should add to their reading list. It is a simple parable but packed with so much that I have read it three times.