"Burning for Books" is the second David Lawton lecture for the Big Read project. He discusses the relationship between Fahrenheit 451, The Satanic Verses, The Firebugs, Auto-da-Fe', Crowds and Power, A Canticle for Leibowitz, Saturday, and Animal Farm. He also includes the Poem "Dover Beach" by Matthew Arnold.
David Lawton has published five books and many articles in English literary and cultural studies and in medieval studies. He is currently preparing editions of Chaucer's poetry and prose, and completing a book on voice and space in medieval literature. He is founding co-editor of a major journal, New Medieval Literatures, published by Oxford University Press, and he became executive director of the New Chaucer Society when it moved to Washington University in July 2002. Lawton has also published poetry and journalism.
