It's a book/movie about how firemen burn books instead of preventing fires. All houses have a fireproof plastic on them, which keeps them from getting burned. Books are illegal, because they cause disagreements and such, and the goal of the society is to remain happy. People don't really have meaningful conversations anymore, and most of the time, people aren't really given time to think. If a fireman is sent to a house with books, they literally cover the place with kerosene and burn the whole house, but the houses have that plastic mentioned earlier, so the house itself and the furniture don't burn up.