Dear Fahrenheit 451

This is pretty great. Like the subtitle says, this is a compilation of letters Annie Spence writes to books—mostly to ones she likes, but a handful that she's weeding out of her library's collection. She writes in a down-to-earth, relatable manner, using language that you'd use talking to a friend. The entries are all laced with a booksy, charming humor, as well. Also, thanks to this book, I my to-read list has grown (again).

Little extras that make me like it all the more:

1) The top of each entry is labelled like it would be in a card catalog. For example, the entry for The Hobbit is labelled:
"FICTION--Tolkien, J.R.R.
--Hobbits, Yay!
--Adventure, Meh"

2) Spence's send-offs to each book. For example, her letter to Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian ends, "You Nasty." Her letter to Fahrenheit 451 signs off with "It Was a Pleasure to Learn."

3) The second section of the book, after her letters to books, Spence includes lists of books (with synopses!) that she thinks readers may be interested in. There are excuses you can use to get out of social events (and books to read that will make it "true," books that lead to more books (you may start with Eugenides's The Virgin Suicides, but how the heck do you end up reading Great Plains by Ian Frazier from that?), and what to recommend to people based on what they last read (or watched).

All in all, I found this a lovely, short read for book lovers.

I think I liked the concept of this idea much more than the actual book. It was pretty fun, but I enjoyed the list-y parts towards the end more than the actual letters.

There were parts of this that made me laugh a lot, but not all that many. I did, however, find some good book suggestions, and her epilogue has one of the best descriptions I've yet read of the unique role libraries play in the 21st century. Plus, it was easy to read in small chunks, which kept me from losing interest.