Book 2: Post 1

Hello, everyone! I know I have been away from my blog for a while (ugh, piles of homework!), but I will now tell you about the nonfiction book I am reading. The book is called  The Fabric of the Cosmos. It is written by an author named Brian Greene, who is a Columbia University professor and a physicist. He is well versed in the Superstring theory, which basically states that there may be even smaller particles that make up the universe. These are tiny little loops of energy, much, much smaller than atoms and molecules, called strings, which is where the name of the theory comes from. I found this very intriguing, since the theory, if proven true, would be a revolution in physics. I picked up this book because it was about previously revolutionary ideas in physics, such as the merging of space and time into a single bit of scientific equations. This book was written in 2004, which means there might have been some developments in physics until the current times, but reading the book will still give me a good amount of basic knowledge about the physics theories. Stay tuned! I'm sure you guys will be interested in all this "crazy scientific stuff" by the next couple of blog entries. See you then!

Book 1: Post 3

Hello again! This will be my last post on Fahrenheit 451, so I will be moving on to a non-fiction book soon. Can’t wait to check that out, right? Anyway, before we dwell on about theoretical physics (hint, hint!), let us discuss our friend, Ray Bradbury’s writing. As I had discussed in the first post, I had predicted that I would see some of Ray Bradbury’s satirical work shine through in this, but it seems more serious. However, his quirky ideas are still in there, and it is really enjoyable to read. I find that the science fiction factor adds to the experience, since many of the characters are so innocent, yet you feel sympathy for them because they are in this future, fictional setting. Towards the end of the book, the main character Guy Montag starts to lose his innocence about books and tries to read some in secret to gain knowledge. Eventually he is pursued by the police because they found out about his reading, and (spoiler alert!) he ends up destroying the society he lived in for so many years. This book is an excellent example of the asymmetrical plot arc, since the rising action occurs for most of the book, and the climax is toward the end of the story. I like how the story built up from the beginning, and the climax was not rushed. Towards the end of the book, I found something very interesting. One of the characters states, “Someday the load we’re carrying with us may help someone” (Bradbury 177). I found this interesting because they finally found hope that the books they were carrying might be useful. Throughout the book, books are portrayed as evil and against societal norms. But now, this statement turns the tide and sheds light on just how important books can be to society. Overall, it was a fantastic book, and I encourage you all to read it. Now that I am finished with this, I thought I would continue the science theme with the next book. Stick around, and in a few days, you might be interested in a topic that will force you to look at the world as you have never before. See you then!

Book 1: Post 2

Welcome back everyone! So far, I have been reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Check out my first post to learn more about the author. Although I had said before that I did not like science fiction that much, I have to say, Ray Bradbury has grabbed my interest. The book is centered on a fireman who does the exact opposite of what you might think. You might think he goes out and tries to stop fires from burning down buildings and other objects, but in this book, the fireman’s job is to start fires. You see, books are forbidden in this future dystopian society, so the firemen receive alarms to burn books and the houses and buildings containing. I like the background concept of the book, but some of the rising action has been quite sad, since the citizens do not see the problem with burning books. When I read lines like, “Mildred’s hand had frozen behind the pillow. Her fingers were tracing the book’ outline and as the shape became familiar her face looked surprised and then stunned” (Bradbury 60), it opens your eyes to the characters’ innocence. This line described Mildred, the main character’s wife, finding a book in the house and starting to worry. Since the society has never read books, they are completely oblivious to the knowledge that they can impart on someone. Reading this line and thinking about the history behind this book, I feel that Bradbury did a really nice job fitting a future situation to a society and analyzing the effects of that situation on the people. When this book was written in the 1950’s, television was just starting to become widespread, and since all the characters do in the book is watch TV in their spare time, I feel that Bradbury wrote this book to shed light on the dangerous implications of television on a future society. Overall, it is getting very interesting, and I cannot wait to check out the rest of the book, which by the way is not burned to a crisp, since I don’t live in a future society. Stay tuned for more updates and upload your opinions in the comments below!

Book 1: Post 1

Hey everyone, and welcome to my literary blog. The first book I have chosen is called Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury. In the past, I had read many of Bradbury's short stories and essays, and I had liked his satirical, yet thoughtful tone in which he wrote his essays. His stories were always enjoyable and memorable. On top of this, I also gained knowledge about certain topics that he shed light on. Picking up this book, I wondered if he would bring more of that educational fun into it. On the other hand, I heard that this book was set in a dystopian society where firemen started fires instead of putting them out. I was intrigued, but also not to eager to get started, because I have a general disliking for books set in these types of environments. Hopefully, Bradbury will keep me interested with his great language and jokes. I cannot wait to delve into the rising action of Fahrenheit 451 and I am sure I will be wowed by Ray Bradbury yet again.