OCTC Common Reading

Spring 2026 Common Reading Selection: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Owensboro Community and Technical College is pleased to announce this semester’s Common Reading selection, the classic dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to explore this powerful and thought-provoking story together through campus conversations, events, and activities throughout the semester.

Originally published in 1953, Fahrenheit 451 presents a future society where books are banned and independent thought is discouraged. As part of this semester’s Common Reading program, the college community will examine the novel’s enduring themes, including censorship, media influence, the value of knowledge, personal freedom, and the human search for meaning and connection.

Campus Events & Engagement

While Ray Bradbury is no longer living, his work continues to spark important dialogue across generations. OCTC’s Common Reading Committee has planned opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community members to engage with the novel in meaningful ways, including:

• Classroom discussions and interdisciplinary connections
• Library displays and resources related to banned books and intellectual freedom
• A February book drive hosted in the OCTC Library to collect new and gently used books for local shelters
• Additional activities and conversations designed to explore the novel’s themes in today’s world

Event dates and details will be shared throughout the semester.

“As students, faculty, and staff read the novel, they will explore themes such as dystopian literature, alienation, media consumption, censorship, and the universal quest for fulfillment,” said Kaye Brown, Professor of English and Co-Chair of the OCTC Common Reading Committee. “This story challenges us to think about the role of books, ideas, and human connection in shaping our society.”

About Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury (1920–2012) was a prolific American author and screenwriter known for blending science fiction, fantasy, horror, and social commentary. Best known for Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles, Bradbury wrote more than 400 short stories and over 50 books during his 70-year career. His poetic, imaginative style often explored the impact of technology, the importance of curiosity, and the enduring power of storytelling.

Through one of the characters in Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury wrote:
“Books were only one type of receptacle where we stored a lot of things we were afraid we might forget… The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us.”

OCTC’s Common Reading program is designed to spark conversation, encourage critical thinking, and connect our campus through shared learning experiences. This semester, Fahrenheit 451 reminds us why stories matter, not just as books on a shelf, but as ideas that challenge us, shape us, and help us better understand the world around us.

For more information about the Common Reading program, please contact Tonya Northenor at tonya.northenor@kctcs.edu.

Other Information

FACEBOOK: To get the most recent updates, pictures, and events through Facebook, please like us on Facebook. Everyone is welcome (you don't have to have a Facebook page to view the page): OCTC Common Reading Facebook

Thank you: Special thanks to the many area donors who are helping us make the Common Reading and other campus initiatives more lasting and vital parts of our community through the NEH Grant efforts.

Note: Often the Common Reading's subject matter is quite complex. An attempt will be made to include a variety of perspectives on related themes or topics. The choice of book and supporting activities or materials are not intended to endorse any particular viewpoint. Please let our committee know if you have suggestions for resources or activities. Thanks!

Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

LIBRARY DISPLAY: Each semester the OCTC main campus Library (LRC/LRE building) has a display of materials related to the book, writer, and theme of each Common Reading. Check it out!

LEND & LEAVE BOOKSHELF: In the LRC, upstairs near the art gallery, is a display of books that you may take and keep, take and pass on, or take and return. You may also bring some used books to leave for others.

MISSION STATEMENT: What is the Common Reading?

Each semester a book is selected as OCTC's Common Reading, with the idea that all participants could read the same material and have common ground for new discussions and mutual interests. While the book choices vary in many ways (different genres, time-periods, subject matters), they are chosen to expand the knowledge and perspectives of readers. The background of the selected writers is varied; however, many Kentucky and regional writers are also included to help us appreciate local talent, acknowledge shared concerns, and celebrate our common heritage. All OCTC students, staff, faculty, and interested community members are invited and encouraged to participate by reading the books and attending the related presentations each semester.