Can you Find Fahrenheit 451 on Kindle?

"Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. What does the word quality mean? To me, it means texture. This book has pores." (Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451)

It’s a little ironic to think of finding Fahrenheit 451 on Kindle, but it does make you wonder.
I recently read an article: Massachusetts School Library Ditches Books---Really. Yes, it’s true, the name of the school is Cushing Academy. The Headmaster of the school, James Tracy, was quoted in the Boston Globe, “When I look at books, I see an outdated technology, like scrolls before books…”. I take it he wasn’t moved, (or maybe never read?), Fahrenheit 451.

Cushing Academy spent half a million dollars to build a “learning center” which includes e-readers, flat-screen televisions, internet portals, and (no kidding) a $12,000.00 cappuccino machine. Now, this was all justified, according to school officials, because students were under utilizing the library; simply put, they weren’t checking out books. Needless to say, I was bothered after reading this.

For many years I taught first grade. Nothing gave me more joy then watching the thrill and excitement my students had with books: How their little hands turned the pages, and how they giggled at funny pictures and how they would chat with each other about this book or that book. As a mother I am now watching this with my 5 year old son. The excitement he feels when he can read the words, or look through a book about the Rainforest, or about trucks and jungle animals (oh, and Dinosaurs…can’t forget the Dinosaurs!). I cannot imagine this love for books ever going away.

I was thrilled watching young children wait hours in line for Harry Potter and sit, many until late at night (I was one of them), reading 500-700 pages. Nothing beats a great book!

The joy of books, like everything else, must be shared with our young. Yes, technology is very much a part of our lives; it is a marvel on so many levels but so are books.

The big questions in Fahrenheit 451 that challenged us to examine our humanity are now more relevant then ever. It gave us hope. It reassured us with the belief in “Man’s determination to save what is worth saving…”. Only time will reveal this truth.