I figured it was universally beloved, like 1984 or Brave New World. But it's not. At least in my small sample.
Personally, I was underwhelmed. I know the basic story: firemen who start fires to rid the world of books.
But that was really it. We meet Guy Montag already in a bit of an existential crisis. He knows he's supposed to burn up book and the house (and maybe even the people) surrounding them, but he's not sure why.
Eventually he, without thinking about it at all, grabs and hides one of the books he is supposed to burn. Upon reading it, he realizes that books are good and should not be burned.
His boss is immediately suspicious of him and so Montag spends most of the book alternately becoming enlightened and hiding it. At the same time, he also wants to convince others to appreciate books. So... not so good at hiding it.
He fails to convince others and is eventually on the run for his life. He escapes to an off-the-grid community of fellow book lovers.
The end.
What's missing is any kind of fleshed out story. Why is Montag even questioning all he knows? How did the society get the way it was in the first place? Honestly, it's something I could see happening today, but this book was written in the 50s. He envisions a world in which everyone is completely enthralled by screens! No personal connections. No real life. Just what is on the screen. But how did books become the enemy? It's like 1984 and Brave New World had a baby and it makes little sense. Totalitarianism AND "amusing ourselves to death." Why bother banning books that no one reads or wants to read? What was the thing that caused the world to change the job description of firemen?
I guess if you want to read a book about the importance of books and why they should be appreciated, you could use this one, in a didactic sort of way. But I don't think it really makes the case.
The only interesting part is at the end, when they kill an innocent man and tell the world they got Montag. That's something I could see happening!
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