On August 22, 2020, readers across the globe will gather to stream a four-hour Read-a-Thon of Ray Bradbury’s classic novel Fahrenheit 451 to mark what would have been the beloved sci-fi author’s 100th birthday.
The Bradbury Centenniel has partnered with the Library of Congress, the Los Angeles Public Library, and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers for the event, with many other public and university libraries around the United States participating. Bradbury was a lifelong lover and supporter of libraries.
The event will feature 39 different readers, including authors Neil Gaiman, Susan Orlean, and Marlon James, as well as actors Rachel Bloom and William Shatner, all of whom will either introduce a section of the novel or read directly from it.
Some segments of the Read-a-Thon were also filmed at Bradbury’s own former local library.
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Ray Bradbury.
Photo Credit: Alchetron
Fahrenheit 451 takes place in a dystopian America in which books are outlawed and publicly burned.
Bradbury stated that he wrote the novel out of concerns about book burning during the McCarthy Era. It has since become a classic, a cautionary tale about the cost of apathy and the power of the mass media.
Whether you’re revisiting Bradbury’s seminal work or discovering it for the first time, the Read-a-Thon will be sure to move you. The reading will begin on August 22 at 4:30 pm ET and will be available to stream online on the Ray Bradbury Read-a-Thon site until September 5.
Celebrate Bradbury's 100th birthday with some of his finest works!
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