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 Customer Reviews
Excellently written. Pity about the characters and philosophy., 31 Oct 2008
There is no doubt this book is excellently written and Rand's use of language is first rate, but this not enough. The books flaws, of which there are numerous, simply cannot be overlooked or ignored.
The characters are on the wholly unbelievable. Their primary purpose is to serve as mouthpieces to illustrate the so-called philosophy of Objectivism.
This philosophy of Objectivism is one which is at best inconsequential (it is no coincidence that it carries little weight in philosophical circles) and at worst repellant.
If you are interested in philosophical fiction I would much sooner recommend Tolstoy or Dostoevsky.
...it makes you think, 05 Oct 2008
I really enjoyed this book both just as a book to read but also because it makes me think about the world. It is especially relevant today with the global "credit crunch".
Rand writes about the changing decadance time when people wanted to show their wealth in a way that you can almost smellthe cigarette smoke and see the architectural designs.
Roark is not really a likeable person but then again the other characters are not showed in the best light either. The struggle between the individual and the collective is beautifully portrayed...but which side do you empathise with most?
Amazing Read, 26 Aug 2008
I won't go into too much detail as there are plenty of reviews on here already. I have to say I love this book. It just makes you think. I don't think enough people think these days not for themselves anyway which is what this book is all about. The book is long and I agree with another one of the reviewers that it could have been shorter, but it was the style back then to write lengthy novels.
A must read. This should be in the 1001 books to read before you die but it's not!!
Atlas yawned - dreary and juvenile, 30 Jun 2008
I picked this book after I hearing it was based on the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. Big mistake. The robotic central character Howard Roark plods around the book in a permanent sulk, with an enormous chip on his shoulder. The whole cast of characters are cardboard cut outs and plot is painfully dull and lifeless.
Its clearly the work of somebody with a stunted personality. Rand was in such a hurry to sledge hammer us with her dreary politics, that she forgot to write a book in the process.
As a work of political thought this book is utter tripe. Its self indulgent nonsense that hasn't stood the test of time. It also the type of book a moody, immature teenager would seize upon as they struggled to assert their identity. Years later , when they grew up they might come across this book again, laugh and toss it in the bin. It a dated piece of navel gazing rubbish and should be left to gather dust.
Bloated , 16 Jun 2008
Some books are clearly works of literature, and others are clearly intended to appeal to lovers of philosophy or politics, and there are also clearly works which are intended to operate as a means to philosophical or political inquiry whilst being framed as a literary work (a venerable tradition). There are, however, relatively few novels which can immediately and effectively communicate the myriad of positions within a dialectic framework (you might immediately think of Orwell's '1984' or Tressel's 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist), and 'The Fountainhead' is an attempt by Ayn Rand to produce a work that falls within this latter tradition.
As a work of literature, with the primary aim of communicating the human within the structures and framework provided by Rand, this novel establishes and provides the template to the pattern replicated in her other major novel 'Atlas Shrugged'. Each character is necessarily intended to be representative of a particular position within the dialiectic that Rand is seeking to explore, each is presented as an embodiment of a position, and this leads to largely superficial characters that are stylised and which lack the vagaries and complexities which are essential to maintaining interest in the narrative. The most obvious effect of this approach is the rendering of Rand's ideas in to large tracts of text which are apparently meant to be thought of as being representative of human speech - but the effect merely highlights the superficiality of Rand's commitment to the novel as an artistic literary form. This can be further seen by the predictable parallels which can be seen as existing between 'Atlas Shrugged' and 'The Fountainhead' - the apparently independent and wealthy female, perceived as emotionally detached yet sexually alluring, the iconoclastic male, prepared to suffer for the values which remain ignored or understood by his fellows. There is also the notable fact that the apparent freedoms enjoyed by the lead female in both 'The Fountainhead' and 'Atlas Shrugged' are predicated on a position of inherited wealth and security, founded on the unquestionable and inherently moral excercise of capitalism.
As other reviewers have noted, this artificiality, this attempt to provide amplified ideals by way of character, largely fails to engage a genuine interest in the reader. These are not characters that you would want to meet, even if you were sympathetic to 'objectivism'. More importantly and significantly, these are not characters that you are you ever likely to meet in the real world, such is their dysfuntionality.
Perhaps, of course, this is entirely the effect that Rand intended. These are hyper-characters, some are the representation and embodiment of Rand's ideals whilst others represent all that she loathed and despised. Perhaps Rand never intended to produce a naturalistic novel or text, but given the apparent effort to place the events described within a recognisably 'real' and 'familiar' world and time frame, this is not likely to have been the case.
A further criticism might be extended to the fact this is a large book which owes more to the verbose than the necessities of philosophical exploration. Points are repeated, with the effect that the reader is likely to feel harangued as the subject of an extended lecture. The basic substance of Rand's position could be articulated in less than five hundred words, here the reader has to negotiate through page after page of often repeated stock descriptive phrasing and language which does little to conceal the paucity of Rand's vocabulary or imagination. For a novel to succeed there has to be more than this!
And ultimately, in my view, this is why the book does not function as a work of literature. The vacuity of character, the inability to engage beyond the superficial, the purely functional language, these are critical failings in what might be described as the base framework of a book. With such a poor base structure the superstructure of 'Objectivism' (despite its relative ideological simplicity) can not be functionally supported, and for this reason the book fails as a work functioning as fiction, as a contribution to the art of literature.
This remains the most telling failure of the book. It is difficult to imagine a writer producing such a self-destructive and damaging literary introduction to their philosophical and political ideology.
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Customer Reviews
Excellently written. Pity about the characters and philosophy., 31 Oct 2008
There is no doubt this book is excellently written and Rand's use of language is first rate, but this not enough. The books flaws, of which there are numerous, simply cannot be overlooked or ignored.
The characters are on the wholly unbelievable. Their primary purpose is to serve as mouthpieces to illustrate the so-called philosophy of Objectivism.
This philosophy of Objectivism is one which is at best inconsequential (it is no coincidence that it carries little weight in philosophical circles) and at worst repellant.
If you are interested in philosophical fiction I would much sooner recommend Tolstoy or Dostoevsky.
...it makes you think, 05 Oct 2008
I really enjoyed this book both just as a book to read but also because it makes me think about the world. It is especially relevant today with the global "credit crunch".
Rand writes about the changing decadance time when people wanted to show their wealth in a way that you can almost smellthe cigarette smoke and see the architectural designs.
Roark is not really a likeable person but then again the other characters are not showed in the best light either. The struggle between the individual and the collective is beautifully portrayed...but which side do you empathise with most?
Amazing Read, 26 Aug 2008
I won't go into too much detail as there are plenty of reviews on here already. I have to say I love this book. It just makes you think. I don't think enough people think these days not for themselves anyway which is what this book is all about. The book is long and I agree with another one of the reviewers that it could have been shorter, but it was the style back then to write lengthy novels.
A must read. This should be in the 1001 books to read before you die but it's not!!
Atlas yawned - dreary and juvenile, 30 Jun 2008
I picked this book after I hearing it was based on the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. Big mistake. The robotic central character Howard Roark plods around the book in a permanent sulk, with an enormous chip on his shoulder. The whole cast of characters are cardboard cut outs and plot is painfully dull and lifeless.
Its clearly the work of somebody with a stunted personality. Rand was in such a hurry to sledge hammer us with her dreary politics, that she forgot to write a book in the process.
As a work of political thought this book is utter tripe. Its self indulgent nonsense that hasn't stood the test of time. It also the type of book a moody, immature teenager would seize upon as they struggled to assert their identity. Years later , when they grew up they might come across this book again, laugh and toss it in the bin. It a dated piece of navel gazing rubbish and should be left to gather dust.
Bloated , 16 Jun 2008
Some books are clearly works of literature, and others are clearly intended to appeal to lovers of philosophy or politics, and there are also clearly works which are intended to operate as a means to philosophical or political inquiry whilst being framed as a literary work (a venerable tradition). There are, however, relatively few novels which can immediately and effectively communicate the myriad of positions within a dialectic framework (you might immediately think of Orwell's '1984' or Tressel's 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist), and 'The Fountainhead' is an attempt by Ayn Rand to produce a work that falls within this latter tradition.
As a work of literature, with the primary aim of communicating the human within the structures and framework provided by Rand, this novel establishes and provides the template to the pattern replicated in her other major novel 'Atlas Shrugged'. Each character is necessarily intended to be representative of a particular position within the dialiectic that Rand is seeking to explore, each is presented as an embodiment of a position, and this leads to largely superficial characters that are stylised and which lack the vagaries and complexities which are essential to maintaining interest in the narrative. The most obvious effect of this approach is the rendering of Rand's ideas in to large tracts of text which are apparently meant to be thought of as being representative of human speech - but the effect merely highlights the superficiality of Rand's commitment to the novel as an artistic literary form. This can be further seen by the predictable parallels which can be seen as existing between 'Atlas Shrugged' and 'The Fountainhead' - the apparently independent and wealthy female, perceived as emotionally detached yet sexually alluring, the iconoclastic male, prepared to suffer for the values which remain ignored or understood by his fellows. There is also the notable fact that the apparent freedoms enjoyed by the lead female in both 'The Fountainhead' and 'Atlas Shrugged' are predicated on a position of inherited wealth and security, founded on the unquestionable and inherently moral excercise of capitalism.
As other reviewers have noted, this artificiality, this attempt to provide amplified ideals by way of character, largely fails to engage a genuine interest in the reader. These are not characters that you would want to meet, even if you were sympathetic to 'objectivism'. More importantly and significantly, these are not characters that you are you ever likely to meet in the real world, such is their dysfuntionality.
Perhaps, of course, this is entirely the effect that Rand intended. These are hyper-characters, some are the representation and embodiment of Rand's ideals whilst others represent all that she loathed and despised. Perhaps Rand never intended to produce a naturalistic novel or text, but given the apparent effort to place the events described within a recognisably 'real' and 'familiar' world and time frame, this is not likely to have been the case.
A further criticism might be extended to the fact this is a large book which owes more to the verbose than the necessities of philosophical exploration. Points are repeated, with the effect that the reader is likely to feel harangued as the subject of an extended lecture. The basic substance of Rand's position could be articulated in less than five hundred words, here the reader has to negotiate through page after page of often repeated stock descriptive phrasing and language which does little to conceal the paucity of Rand's vocabulary or imagination. For a novel to succeed there has to be more than this!
And ultimately, in my view, this is why the book does not function as a work of literature. The vacuity of character, the inability to engage beyond the superficial, the purely functional language, these are critical failings in what might be described as the base framework of a book. With such a poor base structure the superstructure of 'Objectivism' (despite its relative ideological simplicity) can not be functionally supported, and for this reason the book fails as a work functioning as fiction, as a contribution to the art of literature.
This remains the most telling failure of the book. It is difficult to imagine a writer producing such a self-destructive and damaging literary introduction to their philosophical and political ideology.
Interesting philosphy in a flawed novel, 01 Nov 2008
As novel this book is undeniably flawed; the characters are two dimensional, the plot beyond implausible and every word of dialogue is a lecture. Which is why I give it only four stars.
The book is however a fascinating introduction to a philosphy that runs against the trend of current orthodoxy. When we are facing calls for greater regulation and control from our governments this book makes the case for less government; for letting the individual provide for himself (and, as an afterthought, for his family) and for government to "get out of my way". If, like me, you are attracted by such a philosophy, you will enjoy seeing the case made, and may see some arguments presented to help you argue your own case. If you disagree you should still read this, either to have your own assumptions tested (we should all face that regularly) or even to understand what your opponents are saying.
I remain a moderate Libertarian who wishes he lived in a world where greater liberty was practical, and that position is unchanged from reading this book. I am now however, a person who spent a few weeks (it is a long book) reading Atlas Shrugged, and that time was enjoyably spent and rewarding. That is all the justification a book needs.
the fount of prosperity - possibly, 06 Aug 2008
A real page-turner if you're into this kind of thing. Bit long tho'. Helps if you're right-wing, or right-of-centre. Something to do with trains....
(hot tip - look up the condensed version of John Galt's radio speech online and save yourself the effort of the full 90 pages of that bit)
you haven't lived if you haven't read this book, 24 Jul 2008
movie-schmovie. Read Atlas Shrugged when you're in college, when you're starting your first firm, when you're escaping the corporate world later in life... you'll get a very different experience each time. But read it you must.. sure it's long and, at times, very heavy handed. Many of the characters seem to be charachtiures to me, 30 years since my first exposure. But you haven't lived, or exercised your brain in sufficient dimenions, unless you've read Atlas Shrugged. THEN hate it or love it or simply respect it--great compelling reading, interesting philosophy and ultimately as bedrock classic 20th century literature as it comes.
Atlas of the world, 14 Jun 2008
This is an enormous doorstep of a book, but "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand is a striking vision of a world in which the creators and innovators have downed tools and left the rest of us to our own devices. It is a cold read, populated by clinical characters, most of whom expound philosophical arguments at great length and often repeat themselves.
The book begins with the question, "Who is John Galt?" and follows the adventures of railroad executive Dagny Taggart as she struggles to save her business against a society crippled by apathy. Eventually Dagny learns that Galt has led the strike by the creators and innovators whose work supports the world, the Atlas of the title, the symbolism being vivid.
While the novel is extremely long and often repetitive, I couldn't help but be compelled by the author's vision. One has to admire a writer who has something interesting to say. And while I didn't agree with a lot of it - many passages reminded me of the right-wing American science fiction writer Robert Heinlein - I remained sufficiently hooked by the story to keep reading.
This is definitely the kind of novel worth reading if only to have an opinion on it, especially as there may (eventually) be a film version.
Nunkey Publishing, 21 Mar 2008
I'd been recommended by my mentors in the self development field a million times to read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged before I finally got round to getting it: Christmas 2006 - some six years after I'd first heard of it. And even then, it lay dormant on the bookshelf for another few months. Before I continue, let me point out that there will be spoilers of form in this review.
Being an avid reader of anything self development, its one thousand plus pages put me off reading it, since I was expecting a much shorter, non fiction book of true self help style and not some monster of fiction; I didn't want to spend a few weeks or months plowing through a book, hoping it would measure up, only to discover I'd wasted my time on rubbish when it could've been spent on a decent read, such is the value I place on my time.
Eventually, on reading the synopsis one day, which resonated heavily with the philosophy I'd been furiously honing for a while, I decided it was time to delve in, reasoning that it was now or never. And was I pleasantly surprised. The more I read, the more I couldn't believe what I was reading! Every chapter, every scene, every interaction, left me reeling and exclaiming, "Yes! That is how to live!"
To say that this book, which is the fictional representation of Ayn's 'Objectivist' philosophy, fit with my own, new, growing philosophy - is an understatement. Rather, at a time when I was just building the foundation for my site, I was suddenly given fresh purpose and impetus.
The book itself is very well written. The plots are racy, the characters - deep, the backdrops - massive and the moral - right. Ayn Rand leaves no stone unturned in giving a detailed background on all major characters - and even some of the smaller, less important ones.
The book's events are broken down from every relevant viewpoint, allowing you to form your own alliances with the teams and characters of your own, calculated choice. Although you won't have gone too far in Atlas Shrugged before taking the right side.
Indeed, for anyone that has a flicker of, at the very least, 'suppressed' anger at the seemingly unrelenting, merciless, surreptitious journey toward a totalitarian state - worldwide, I challenge you to not get riled and fired-up at the evil in the book - because it is this evil which is represented in our media today.
The antics of the enemy in the book will fill you with fight, passion, cause and ambition and you will duly feel inspired to become your own version of a Hank Rearden, John Galt, Dagny Taggart, to step out your door and face our own Dr. Robert Stadlers, Mr. Thompsons and Jim Taggarts. And you wouldn't be alone: A poll carried out in 1991, by The Library Of Congress and The Book Of The Month Club reported Atlas Shrugged to be the second most influential book behind the Bible.
And if a survey of 1,239 American adults - conducted by Freestar Media/Zogby between October 10 and October 14, 2007 - asking the question, "Have you ever read the book Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand?" is anything to go by, its 8.1% affirmative would seem to suggest that I'm not a member of an exclusive club in being a reader myself.
Quite simply, if you're reading this review, there's a good chance that this book will do something to you. Something good. I strongly recommend you make it the very next book you read. And when you have, come and tell me what you think. I could use someone like you...
To freedom,
Scotty Stevens
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Customer Reviews
Excellently written. Pity about the characters and philosophy., 31 Oct 2008
There is no doubt this book is excellently written and Rand's use of language is first rate, but this not enough. The books flaws, of which there are numerous, simply cannot be overlooked or ignored.
The characters are on the wholly unbelievable. Their primary purpose is to serve as mouthpieces to illustrate the so-called philosophy of Objectivism.
This philosophy of Objectivism is one which is at best inconsequential (it is no coincidence that it carries little weight in philosophical circles) and at worst repellant.
If you are interested in philosophical fiction I would much sooner recommend Tolstoy or Dostoevsky.
...it makes you think, 05 Oct 2008
I really enjoyed this book both just as a book to read but also because it makes me think about the world. It is especially relevant today with the global "credit crunch".
Rand writes about the changing decadance time when people wanted to show their wealth in a way that you can almost smellthe cigarette smoke and see the architectural designs.
Roark is not really a likeable person but then again the other characters are not showed in the best light either. The struggle between the individual and the collective is beautifully portrayed...but which side do you empathise with most?
Amazing Read, 26 Aug 2008
I won't go into too much detail as there are plenty of reviews on here already. I have to say I love this book. It just makes you think. I don't think enough people think these days not for themselves anyway which is what this book is all about. The book is long and I agree with another one of the reviewers that it could have been shorter, but it was the style back then to write lengthy novels.
A must read. This should be in the 1001 books to read before you die but it's not!!
Atlas yawned - dreary and juvenile, 30 Jun 2008
I picked this book after I hearing it was based on the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. Big mistake. The robotic central character Howard Roark plods around the book in a permanent sulk, with an enormous chip on his shoulder. The whole cast of characters are cardboard cut outs and plot is painfully dull and lifeless.
Its clearly the work of somebody with a stunted personality. Rand was in such a hurry to sledge hammer us with her dreary politics, that she forgot to write a book in the process.
As a work of political thought this book is utter tripe. Its self indulgent nonsense that hasn't stood the test of time. It also the type of book a moody, immature teenager would seize upon as they struggled to assert their identity. Years later , when they grew up they might come across this book again, laugh and toss it in the bin. It a dated piece of navel gazing rubbish and should be left to gather dust.
Bloated , 16 Jun 2008
Some books are clearly works of literature, and others are clearly intended to appeal to lovers of philosophy or politics, and there are also clearly works which are intended to operate as a means to philosophical or political inquiry whilst being framed as a literary work (a venerable tradition). There are, however, relatively few novels which can immediately and effectively communicate the myriad of positions within a dialectic framework (you might immediately think of Orwell's '1984' or Tressel's 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist), and 'The Fountainhead' is an attempt by Ayn Rand to produce a work that falls within this latter tradition.
As a work of literature, with the primary aim of communicating the human within the structures and framework provided by Rand, this novel establishes and provides the template to the pattern replicated in her other major novel 'Atlas Shrugged'. Each character is necessarily intended to be representative of a particular position within the dialiectic that Rand is seeking to explore, each is presented as an embodiment of a position, and this leads to largely superficial characters that are stylised and which lack the vagaries and complexities which are essential to maintaining interest in the narrative. The most obvious effect of this approach is the rendering of Rand's ideas in to large tracts of text which are apparently meant to be thought of as being representative of human speech - but the effect merely highlights the superficiality of Rand's commitment to the novel as an artistic literary form. This can be further seen by the predictable parallels which can be seen as existing between 'Atlas Shrugged' and 'The Fountainhead' - the apparently independent and wealthy female, perceived as emotionally detached yet sexually alluring, the iconoclastic male, prepared to suffer for the values which remain ignored or understood by his fellows. There is also the notable fact that the apparent freedoms enjoyed by the lead female in both 'The Fountainhead' and 'Atlas Shrugged' are predicated on a position of inherited wealth and security, founded on the unquestionable and inherently moral excercise of capitalism.
As other reviewers have noted, this artificiality, this attempt to provide amplified ideals by way of character, largely fails to engage a genuine interest in the reader. These are not characters that you would want to meet, even if you were sympathetic to 'objectivism'. More importantly and significantly, these are not characters that you are you ever likely to meet in the real world, such is their dysfuntionality.
Perhaps, of course, this is entirely the effect that Rand intended. These are hyper-characters, some are the representation and embodiment of Rand's ideals whilst others represent all that she loathed and despised. Perhaps Rand never intended to produce a naturalistic novel or text, but given the apparent effort to place the events described within a recognisably 'real' and 'familiar' world and time frame, this is not likely to have been the case.
A further criticism might be extended to the fact this is a large book which owes more to the verbose than the necessities of philosophical exploration. Points are repeated, with the effect that the reader is likely to feel harangued as the subject of an extended lecture. The basic substance of Rand's position could be articulated in less than five hundred words, here the reader has to negotiate through page after page of often repeated stock descriptive phrasing and language which does little to conceal the paucity of Rand's vocabulary or imagination. For a novel to succeed there has to be more than this!
And ultimately, in my view, this is why the book does not function as a work of literature. The vacuity of character, the inability to engage beyond the superficial, the purely functional language, these are critical failings in what might be described as the base framework of a book. With such a poor base structure the superstructure of 'Objectivism' (despite its relative ideological simplicity) can not be functionally supported, and for this reason the book fails as a work functioning as fiction, as a contribution to the art of literature.
This remains the most telling failure of the book. It is difficult to imagine a writer producing such a self-destructive and damaging literary introduction to their philosophical and political ideology.
Interesting philosphy in a flawed novel, 01 Nov 2008
As novel this book is undeniably flawed; the characters are two dimensional, the plot beyond implausible and every word of dialogue is a lecture. Which is why I give it only four stars.
The book is however a fascinating introduction to a philosphy that runs against the trend of current orthodoxy. When we are facing calls for greater regulation and control from our governments this book makes the case for less government; for letting the individual provide for himself (and, as an afterthought, for his family) and for government to "get out of my way". If, like me, you are attracted by such a philosophy, you will enjoy seeing the case made, and may see some arguments presented to help you argue your own case. If you disagree you should still read this, either to have your own assumptions tested (we should all face that regularly) or even to understand what your opponents are saying.
I remain a moderate Libertarian who wishes he lived in a world where greater liberty was practical, and that position is unchanged from reading this book. I am now however, a person who spent a few weeks (it is a long book) reading Atlas Shrugged, and that time was enjoyably spent and rewarding. That is all the justification a book needs.
the fount of prosperity - possibly, 06 Aug 2008
A real page-turner if you're into this kind of thing. Bit long tho'. Helps if you're right-wing, or right-of-centre. Something to do with trains....
(hot tip - look up the condensed version of John Galt's radio speech online and save yourself the effort of the full 90 pages of that bit)
you haven't lived if you haven't read this book, 24 Jul 2008
movie-schmovie. Read Atlas Shrugged when you're in college, when you're starting your first firm, when you're escaping the corporate world later in life... you'll get a very different experience each time. But read it you must.. sure it's long and, at times, very heavy handed. Many of the characters seem to be charachtiures to me, 30 years since my first exposure. But you haven't lived, or exercised your brain in sufficient dimenions, unless you've read Atlas Shrugged. THEN hate it or love it or simply respect it--great compelling reading, interesting philosophy and ultimately as bedrock classic 20th century literature as it comes.
Atlas of the world, 14 Jun 2008
This is an enormous doorstep of a book, but "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand is a striking vision of a world in which the creators and innovators have downed tools and left the rest of us to our own devices. It is a cold read, populated by clinical characters, most of whom expound philosophical arguments at great length and often repeat themselves.
The book begins with the question, "Who is John Galt?" and follows the adventures of railroad executive Dagny Taggart as she struggles to save her business against a society crippled by apathy. Eventually Dagny learns that Galt has led the strike by the creators and innovators whose work supports the world, the Atlas of the title, the symbolism being vivid.
While the novel is extremely long and often repetitive, I couldn't help but be compelled by the author's vision. One has to admire a writer who has something interesting to say. And while I didn't agree with a lot of it - many passages reminded me of the right-wing American science fiction writer Robert Heinlein - I remained sufficiently hooked by the story to keep reading.
This is definitely the kind of novel worth reading if only to have an opinion on it, especially as there may (eventually) be a film version.
Nunkey Publishing, 21 Mar 2008
I'd been recommended by my mentors in the self development field a million times to read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged before I finally got round to getting it: Christmas 2006 - some six years after I'd first heard of it. And even then, it lay dormant on the bookshelf for another few months. Before I continue, let me point out that there will be spoilers of form in this review.
Being an avid reader of anything self development, its one thousand plus pages put me off reading it, since I was expecting a much shorter, non fiction book of true self help style and not some monster of fiction; I didn't want to spend a few weeks or months plowing through a book, hoping it would measure up, only to discover I'd wasted my time on rubbish when it could've been spent on a decent read, such is the value I place on my time.
Eventually, on reading the synopsis one day, which resonated heavily with the philosophy I'd been furiously honing for a while, I decided it was time to delve in, reasoning that it was now or never. And was I pleasantly surprised. The more I read, the more I couldn't believe what I was reading! Every chapter, every scene, every interaction, left me reeling and exclaiming, "Yes! That is how to live!"
To say that this book, which is the fictional representation of Ayn's 'Objectivist' philosophy, fit with my own, new, growing philosophy - is an understatement. Rather, at a time when I was just building the foundation for my site, I was suddenly given fresh purpose and impetus.
The book itself is very well written. The plots are racy, the characters - deep, the backdrops - massive and the moral - right. Ayn Rand leaves no stone unturned in giving a detailed background on all major characters - and even some of the smaller, less important ones.
The book's events are broken down from every relevant viewpoint, allowing you to form your own alliances with the teams and characters of your own, calculated choice. Although you won't have gone too far in Atlas Shrugged before taking the right side.
Indeed, for anyone that has a flicker of, at the very least, 'suppressed' anger at the seemingly unrelenting, merciless, surreptitious journey toward a totalitarian state - worldwide, I challenge you to not get riled and fired-up at the evil in the book - because it is this evil which is represented in our media today.
The antics of the enemy in the book will fill you with fight, passion, cause and ambition and you will duly feel inspired to become your own version of a Hank Rearden, John Galt, Dagny Taggart, to step out your door and face our own Dr. Robert Stadlers, Mr. Thompsons and Jim Taggarts. And you wouldn't be alone: A poll carried out in 1991, by The Library Of Congress and The Book Of The Month Club reported Atlas Shrugged to be the second most influential book behind the Bible.
And if a survey of 1,239 American adults - conducted by Freestar Media/Zogby between October 10 and October 14, 2007 - asking the question, "Have you ever read the book Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand?" is anything to go by, its 8.1% affirmative would seem to suggest that I'm not a member of an exclusive club in being a reader myself.
Quite simply, if you're reading this review, there's a good chance that this book will do something to you. Something good. I strongly recommend you make it the very next book you read. And when you have, come and tell me what you think. I could use someone like you...
To freedom,
Scotty Stevens
great for highers, 22 Mar 2008
this book is one of the best you can read for higher english although you will need to use a marker pen to get the best lines as it is really long and complex book. not for the faint of heart
Nunkey Publishing, 21 Mar 2008
I'd been recommended by my mentors in the self development field a million times to read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged before I finally got round to getting it: Christmas 2006 - some six years after I'd first heard of it. And even then, it lay dormant on the bookshelf for another few months. Before I continue, let me point out that there will be spoilers of form in this review.
Being an avid reader of anything self development, its one thousand plus pages put me off reading it, since I was expecting a much shorter, non fiction book of true self help style and not some monster of fiction; I didn't want to spend a few weeks or months plowing through a book, hoping it would measure up, only to discover I'd wasted my time on rubbish when it could've been spent on a decent read, such is the value I place on my time.
Eventually, on reading the synopsis one day, which resonated heavily with the philosophy I'd been furiously honing for a while, I decided it was time to delve in, reasoning that it was now or never. And was I pleasantly surprised. The more I read, the more I couldn't believe what I was reading! Every chapter, every scene, every interaction, left me reeling and exclaiming, "Yes! That is how to live!"
To say that this book, which is the fictional representation of Ayn's 'Objectivist' philosophy, fit with my own, new, growing philosophy - is an understatement. Rather, at a time when I was just building the foundation for my site, I was suddenly given fresh purpose and impetus.
The book itself is very well written. The plots are racy, the characters - deep, the backdrops - massive and the moral - right. Ayn Rand leaves no stone unturned in giving a detailed background on all major characters - and even some of the smaller, less important ones.
The book's events are broken down from every relevant viewpoint, allowing you to form your own alliances with the teams and characters of your own, calculated choice. Although you won't have gone too far in Atlas Shrugged before taking the right side.
Indeed, for anyone that has a flicker of, at the very least, 'suppressed' anger at the seemingly unrelenting, merciless, surreptitious journey toward a totalitarian state - worldwide, I challenge you to not get riled and fired-up at the evil in the book - because it is this evil which is represented in our media today.
The antics of the enemy in the book will fill you with fight, passion, cause and ambition and you will duly feel inspired to become your own version of a Hank Rearden, John Galt, Dagny Taggart, to step out your door and face our own Dr. Robert Stadlers, Mr. Thompsons and Jim Taggarts. And you wouldn't be alone: A poll carried out in 1991, by The Library Of Congress and The Book Of The Month Club reported Atlas Shrugged to be the second most influential book behind the Bible.
And if a survey of 1,239 American adults - conducted by Freestar Media/Zogby between October 10 and October 14, 2007 - asking the question, "Have you ever read the book Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand?" is anything to go by, its 8.1% affirmative would seem to suggest that I'm not a member of an exclusive club in being a reader myself.
Quite simply, if you're reading this review, there's a good chance that this book will do something to you. Something good. I strongly recommend you make it the very next book you read. And when you have, come and tell me what you think. I could use someone like you...
To freedom,
Scotty Stevens
A tedious read., 01 Aug 2007
This the most tedious book i have ever read, I enjoy philosophy and i also thoroughly enjoyed Rand's Anthem, however for me this book is undecided as to whether it is a novel or a philosophical treatise and therefore fails to be either. The reader is subjected to page after page a Capitalistic/Rationalistic sentiments and by the time I reached the "This is John Galt" chapter whereby the same aforementioned sentiments are again painfully regurgitated I had hit the proverbial wall. Only shear stubborness got me though the thousand plus pages and upon finishing i felt like i had wasted hours of valuable time.
For the Believer, 14 Jul 2007
Of all Ayn Rand's fiction, this fictional presentation of her fully fledged philosophy has probably the most limited audience. It will be enjoyed by already-admirers, or by those newbies ready to appreciate capitalistic heroes engaged in philosophical battles.
ATLAS SHRUGGED's good points include its plot (the heroine's discovery of her ideal man who has called for a strike -- of the capitalists!), the philosophy lessons embedded in the narrative, and the grandeur of it all.
Detractors have rightfully complained of the intransigent tone of the novel. Like so many systemizers, Ayn Rand thought she constructed a perfect philosophical edifice and refused to contemplate flaws in it. So the novel (like Ayn Rand herself, and her numerous admirers) casts a harsh glare at mortals who don't toe the line, regardless of the width of the gap.
If you're new to Ayn Rand, try another novel first. I'd recommend them in chronological order: ANTHEM, WE THE LIVING, THE FOUNTAINHEAD. Then you will know if you want to plunge into this, her ultimate opus, ATLAS SHRUGGED.
Actually being objective..., 01 Nov 2006
This is bascially a philosophy in novel form. It is not a good novel, but the philosophy is fascinating and the book an extremely worthwhile read. It is well recommended, but to reiterate points made by previous reviewers, this is not great as a novel.
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Customer Reviews
Excellently written. Pity about the characters and philosophy., 31 Oct 2008
There is no doubt this book is excellently written and Rand's use of language is first rate, but this not enough. The books flaws, of which there are numerous, simply cannot be overlooked or ignored.
The characters are on the wholly unbelievable. Their primary purpose is to serve as mouthpieces to illustrate the so-called philosophy of Objectivism.
This philosophy of Objectivism is one which is at best inconsequential (it is no coincidence that it carries little weight in philosophical circles) and at worst repellant.
If you are interested in philosophical fiction I would much sooner recommend Tolstoy or Dostoevsky.
...it makes you think, 05 Oct 2008
I really enjoyed this book both just as a book to read but also because it makes me think about the world. It is especially relevant today with the global "credit crunch".
Rand writes about the changing decadance time when people wanted to show their wealth in a way that you can almost smellthe cigarette smoke and see the architectural designs.
Roark is not really a likeable person but then again the other characters are not showed in the best light either. The struggle between the individual and the collective is beautifully portrayed...but which side do you empathise with most?
Amazing Read, 26 Aug 2008
I won't go into too much detail as there are plenty of reviews on here already. I have to say I love this book. It just makes you think. I don't think enough people think these days not for themselves anyway which is what this book is all about. The book is long and I agree with another one of the reviewers that it could have been shorter, but it was the style back then to write lengthy novels.
A must read. This should be in the 1001 books to read before you die but it's not!!
Atlas yawned - dreary and juvenile, 30 Jun 2008
I picked this book after I hearing it was based on the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. Big mistake. The robotic central character Howard Roark plods around the book in a permanent sulk, with an enormous chip on his shoulder. The whole cast of characters are cardboard cut outs and plot is painfully dull and lifeless.
Its clearly the work of somebody with a stunted personality. Rand was in such a hurry to sledge hammer us with her dreary politics, that she forgot to write a book in the process.
As a work of political thought this book is utter tripe. Its self indulgent nonsense that hasn't stood the test of time. It also the type of book a moody, immature teenager would seize upon as they struggled to assert their identity. Years later , when they grew up they might come across this book again, laugh and toss it in the bin. It a dated piece of navel gazing rubbish and should be left to gather dust.
Bloated , 16 Jun 2008
Some books are clearly works of literature, and others are clearly intended to appeal to lovers of philosophy or politics, and there are also clearly works which are intended to operate as a means to philosophical or political inquiry whilst being framed as a literary work (a venerable tradition). There are, however, relatively few novels which can immediately and effectively communicate the myriad of positions within a dialectic framework (you might immediately think of Orwell's '1984' or Tressel's 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist), and 'The Fountainhead' is an attempt by Ayn Rand to produce a work that falls within this latter tradition.
As a work of literature, with the primary aim of communicating the human within the structures and framework provided by Rand, this novel establishes and provides the template to the pattern replicated in her other major novel 'Atlas Shrugged'. Each character is necessarily intended to be representative of a particular position within the dialiectic that Rand is seeking to explore, each is presented as an embodiment of a position, and this leads to largely superficial characters that are stylised and which lack the vagaries and complexities which are essential to maintaining interest in the narrative. The most obvious effect of this approach is the rendering of Rand's ideas in to large tracts of text which are apparently meant to be thought of as being representative of human speech - but the effect merely highlights the superficiality of Rand's commitment to the novel as an artistic literary form. This can be further seen by the predictable parallels which can be seen as existing between 'Atlas Shrugged' and 'The Fountainhead' - the apparently independent and wealthy female, perceived as emotionally detached yet sexually alluring, the iconoclastic male, prepared to suffer for the values which remain ignored or understood by his fellows. There is also the notable fact that the apparent freedoms enjoyed by the lead female in both 'The Fountainhead' and 'Atlas Shrugged' are predicated on a position of inherited wealth and security, founded on the unquestionable and inherently moral excercise of capitalism.
As other reviewers have noted, this artificiality, this attempt to provide amplified ideals by way of character, largely fails to engage a genuine interest in the reader. These are not characters that you would want to meet, even if you were sympathetic to 'objectivism'. More importantly and significantly, these are not characters that you are you ever likely to meet in the real world, such is their dysfuntionality.
Perhaps, of course, this is entirely the effect that Rand intended. These are hyper-characters, some are the representation and embodiment of Rand's ideals whilst others represent all that she loathed and despised. Perhaps Rand never intended to produce a naturalistic novel or text, but given the apparent effort to place the events described within a recognisably 'real' and 'familiar' world and time frame, this is not likely to have been the case.
A further criticism might be extended to the fact this is a large book which owes more to the verbose than the necessities of philosophical exploration. Points are repeated, with the effect that the reader is likely to feel harangued as the subject of an extended lecture. The basic substance of Rand's position could be articulated in less than five hundred words, here the reader has to negotiate through page after page of often repeated stock descriptive phrasing and language which does little to conceal the paucity of Rand's vocabulary or imagination. For a novel to succeed there has to be more than this!
And ultimately, in my view, this is why the book does not function as a work of literature. The vacuity of character, the inability to engage beyond the superficial, the purely functional language, these are critical failings in what might be described as the base framework of a book. With such a poor base structure the superstructure of 'Objectivism' (despite its relative ideological simplicity) can not be functionally supported, and for this reason the book fails as a work functioning as fiction, as a contribution to the art of literature.
This remains the most telling failure of the book. It is difficult to imagine a writer producing such a self-destructive and damaging literary introduction to their philosophical and political ideology.
Interesting philosphy in a flawed novel, 01 Nov 2008
As novel this book is undeniably flawed; the characters are two dimensional, the plot beyond implausible and every word of dialogue is a lecture. Which is why I give it only four stars.
The book is however a fascinating introduction to a philosphy that runs against the trend of current orthodoxy. When we are facing calls for greater regulation and control from our governments this book makes the case for less government; for letting the individual provide for himself (and, as an afterthought, for his family) and for government to "get out of my way". If, like me, you are attracted by such a philosophy, you will enjoy seeing the case made, and may see some arguments presented to help you argue your own case. If you disagree you should still read this, either to have your own assumptions tested (we should all face that regularly) or even to understand what your opponents are saying.
I remain a moderate Libertarian who wishes he lived in a world where greater liberty was practical, and that position is unchanged from reading this book. I am now however, a person who spent a few weeks (it is a long book) reading Atlas Shrugged, and that time was enjoyably spent and rewarding. That is all the justification a book needs.
the fount of prosperity - possibly, 06 Aug 2008
A real page-turner if you're into this kind of thing. Bit long tho'. Helps if you're right-wing, or right-of-centre. Something to do with trains....
(hot tip - look up the condensed version of John Galt's radio speech online and save yourself the effort of the full 90 pages of that bit)
you haven't lived if you haven't read this book, 24 Jul 2008
movie-schmovie. Read Atlas Shrugged when you're in college, when you're starting your first firm, when you're escaping the corporate world later in life... you'll get a very different experience each time. But read it you must.. sure it's long and, at times, very heavy handed. Many of the characters seem to be charachtiures to me, 30 years since my first exposure. But you haven't lived, or exercised your brain in sufficient dimenions, unless you've read Atlas Shrugged. THEN hate it or love it or simply respect it--great compelling reading, interesting philosophy and ultimately as bedrock classic 20th century literature as it comes.
Atlas of the world, 14 Jun 2008
This is an enormous doorstep of a book, but "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand is a striking vision of a world in which the creators and innovators have downed tools and left the rest of us to our own devices. It is a cold read, populated by clinical characters, most of whom expound philosophical arguments at great length and often repeat themselves.
The book begins with the question, "Who is John Galt?" and follows the adventures of railroad executive Dagny Taggart as she struggles to save her business against a society crippled by apathy. Eventually Dagny learns that Galt has led the strike by the creators and innovators whose work supports the world, the Atlas of the title, the symbolism being vivid.
While the novel is extremely long and often repetitive, I couldn't help but be compelled by the author's vision. One has to admire a writer who has something interesting to say. And while I didn't agree with a lot of it - many passages reminded me of the right-wing American science fiction writer Robert Heinlein - I remained sufficiently hooked by the story to keep reading.
This is definitely the kind of novel worth reading if only to have an opinion on it, especially as there may (eventually) be a film version.
Nunkey Publishing, 21 Mar 2008
I'd been recommended by my mentors in the self development field a million times to read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged before I finally got round to getting it: Christmas 2006 - some six years after I'd first heard of it. And even then, it lay dormant on the bookshelf for another few months. Before I continue, let me point out that there will be spoilers of form in this review.
Being an avid reader of anything self development, its one thousand plus pages put me off reading it, since I was expecting a much shorter, non fiction book of true self help style and not some monster of fiction; I didn't want to spend a few weeks or months plowing through a book, hoping it would measure up, only to discover I'd wasted my time on rubbish when it could've been spent on a decent read, such is the value I place on my time.
Eventually, on reading the synopsis one day, which resonated heavily with the philosophy I'd been furiously honing for a while, I decided it was time to delve in, reasoning that it was now or never. And was I pleasantly surprised. The more I read, the more I couldn't believe what I was reading! Every chapter, every scene, every interaction, left me reeling and exclaiming, "Yes! That is how to live!"
To say that this book, which is the fictional representation of Ayn's 'Objectivist' philosophy, fit with my own, new, growing philosophy - is an understatement. Rather, at a time when I was just building the foundation for my site, I was suddenly given fresh purpose and impetus.
The book itself is very well written. The plots are racy, the characters - deep, the backdrops - massive and the moral - right. Ayn Rand leaves no stone unturned in giving a detailed background on all major characters - and even some of the smaller, less important ones.
The book's events are broken down from every relevant viewpoint, allowing you to form your own alliances with the teams and characters of your own, calculated choice. Although you won't have gone too far in Atlas Shrugged before taking the right side.
Indeed, for anyone that has a flicker of, at the very least, 'suppressed' anger at the seemingly unrelenting, merciless, surreptitious journey toward a totalitarian state - worldwide, I challenge you to not get riled and fired-up at the evil in the book - because it is this evil which is represented in our media today.
The antics of the enemy in the book will fill you with fight, passion, cause and ambition and you will duly feel inspired to become your own version of a Hank Rearden, John Galt, Dagny Taggart, to step out your door and face our own Dr. Robert Stadlers, Mr. Thompsons and Jim Taggarts. And you wouldn't be alone: A poll carried out in 1991, by The Library Of Congress and The Book Of The Month Club reported Atlas Shrugged to be the second most influential book behind the Bible.
And if a survey of 1,239 American adults - conducted by Freestar Media/Zogby between October 10 and October 14, 2007 - asking the question, "Have you ever read the book Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand?" is anything to go by, its 8.1% affirmative would seem to suggest that I'm not a member of an exclusive club in being a reader myself.
Quite simply, if you're reading this review, there's a good chance that this book will do something to you. Something good. I strongly recommend you make it the very next book you read. And when you have, come and tell me what you think. I could use someone like you...
To freedom,
Scotty Stevens
great for highers, 22 Mar 2008
this book is one of the best you can read for higher english although you will need to use a marker pen to get the best lines as it is really long and complex book. not for the faint of heart
Nunkey Publishing, 21 Mar 2008
I'd been recommended by my mentors in the self development field a million times to read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged before I finally got round to getting it: Christmas 2006 - some six years after I'd first heard of it. And even then, it lay dormant on the bookshelf for another few months. Before I continue, let me point out that there will be spoilers of form in this review.
Being an avid reader of anything self development, its one thousand plus pages put me off reading it, since I was expecting a much shorter, non fiction book of true self help style and not some monster of fiction; I didn't want to spend a few weeks or months plowing through a book, hoping it would measure up, only to discover I'd wasted my time on rubbish when it could've been spent on a decent read, such is the value I place on my time.
Eventually, on reading the synopsis one day, which resonated heavily with the philosophy I'd been furiously honing for a while, I decided it was time to delve in, reasoning that it was now or never. And was I pleasantly surprised. The more I read, the more I couldn't believe what I was reading! Every chapter, every scene, every interaction, left me reeling and exclaiming, "Yes! That is how to live!"
To say that this book, which is the fictional representation of Ayn's 'Objectivist' philosophy, fit with my own, new, growing philosophy - is an understatement. Rather, at a time when I was just building the foundation for my site, I was suddenly given fresh purpose and impetus.
The book itself is very well written. The plots are racy, the characters - deep, the backdrops - massive and the moral - right. Ayn Rand leaves no stone unturned in giving a detailed background on all major characters - and even some of the smaller, less important ones.
The book's events are broken down from every relevant viewpoint, allowing you to form your own alliances with the teams and characters of your own, calculated choice. Although you won't have gone too far in Atlas Shrugged before taking the right side.
Indeed, for anyone that has a flicker of, at the very least, 'suppressed' anger at the seemingly unrelenting, merciless, surreptitious journey toward a totalitarian state - worldwide, I challenge you to not get riled and fired-up at the evil in the book - because it is this evil which is represented in our media today.
The antics of the enemy in the book will fill you with fight, passion, cause and ambition and you will duly feel inspired to become your own version of a Hank Rearden, John Galt, Dagny Taggart, to step out your door and face our own Dr. Robert Stadlers, Mr. Thompsons and Jim Taggarts. And you wouldn't be alone: A poll carried out in 1991, by The Library Of Congress and The Book Of The Month Club reported Atlas Shrugged to be the second most influential book behind the Bible.
And if a survey of 1,239 American adults - conducted by Freestar Media/Zogby between October 10 and October 14, 2007 - asking the question, "Have you ever read the book Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand?" is anything to go by, its 8.1% affirmative would seem to suggest that I'm not a member of an exclusive club in being a reader myself.
Quite simply, if you're reading this review, there's a good chance that this book will do something to you. Something good. I strongly recommend you make it the very next book you read. And when you have, come and tell me what you think. I could use someone like you...
To freedom,
Scotty Stevens
A tedious read., 01 Aug 2007
This the most tedious book i have ever read, I enjoy philosophy and i also thoroughly enjoyed Rand's Anthem, however for me this book is undecided as to whether it is a novel or a philosophical treatise and therefore fails to be either. The reader is subjected to page after page a Capitalistic/Rationalistic sentiments and by the time I reached the "This is John Galt" chapter whereby the same aforementioned sentiments are again painfully regurgitated I had hit the proverbial wall. Only shear stubborness got me though the thousand plus pages and upon finishing i felt like i had wasted hours of valuable time.
For the Believer, 14 Jul 2007
Of all Ayn Rand's fiction, this fictional presentation of her fully fledged philosophy has probably the most limited audience. It will be enjoyed by already-admirers, or by those newbies ready to appreciate capitalistic heroes engaged in philosophical battles.
ATLAS SHRUGGED's good points include its plot (the heroine's discovery of her ideal man who has called for a strike -- of the capitalists!), the philosophy lessons embedded in the narrative, and the grandeur of it all.
Detractors have rightfully complained of the intransigent tone of the novel. Like so many systemizers, Ayn Rand thought she constructed a perfect philosophical edifice and refused to contemplate flaws in it. So the novel (like Ayn Rand herself, and her numerous admirers) casts a harsh glare at mortals who don't toe the line, regardless of the width of the gap.
If you're new to Ayn Rand, try another novel first. I'd recommend them in chronological order: ANTHEM, WE THE LIVING, THE FOUNTAINHEAD. Then you will know if you want to plunge into this, her ultimate opus, ATLAS SHRUGGED.
Actually being objective..., 01 Nov 2006
This is bascially a philosophy in novel form. It is not a good novel, but the philosophy is fascinating and the book an extremely worthwhile read. It is well recommended, but to reiterate points made by previous reviewers, this is not great as a novel.
An Ayn Rand Sampler, 18 Jul 2007
Here's a quick intro to Ayn Rand's thought. It's not a big book but it's pretty wide-ranging. She talks about specific people and issues but it seems her favorite topics are philosophical. Those, she explains her chain of reasoning as best she can within the brevity required of the Q&A situation -- so she manages more than a superficial answer. Finally, of course, you get a taste of her difficult personality. That's part of Ayn Rand, too.
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Ninety-three
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Customer Reviews
Excellently written. Pity about the characters and philosophy., 31 Oct 2008
There is no doubt this book is excellently written and Rand's use of language is first rate, but this not enough. The books flaws, of which there are numerous, simply cannot be overlooked or ignored.
The characters are on the wholly unbelievable. Their primary purpose is to serve as mouthpieces to illustrate the so-called philosophy of Objectivism.
This philosophy of Objectivism is one which is at best inconsequential (it is no coincidence that it carries little weight in philosophical circles) and at worst repellant.
If you are interested in philosophical fiction I would much sooner recommend Tolstoy or Dostoevsky. ...it makes you think, 05 Oct 2008
I really enjoyed this book both just as a book to read but also because it makes me think about the world. It is especially relevant today with the global "credit crunch".
Rand writes about the changing decadance time when people wanted to show their wealth in a way that you can almost smellthe cigarette smoke and see the architectural designs.
Roark is not really a likeable person but then again the other characters are not showed in the best light either. The struggle between the individual and the collective is beautifully portrayed...but which side do you empathise with most? Amazing Read, 26 Aug 2008
I won't go into too much detail as there are plenty of reviews on here already. I have to say I love this book. It just makes you think. I don't think enough people think these days not for themselves anyway which is what this book is all about. The book is long and I agree with another one of the reviewers that it could have been shorter, but it was the style back then to write lengthy novels.
A must read. This should be in the 1001 books to read before you die but it's not!! Atlas yawned - dreary and juvenile, 30 Jun 2008
I picked this book after I hearing it was based on the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. Big mistake. The robotic central character Howard Roark plods around the book in a permanent sulk, with an enormous chip on his shoulder. The whole cast of characters are cardboard cut outs and plot is painfully dull and lifeless.
Its clearly the work of somebody with a stunted personality. Rand was in such a hurry to sledge hammer us with her dreary politics, that she forgot to write a book in the process.
As a work of political thought this book is utter tripe. Its self indulgent nonsense that hasn't stood the test of time. It also the type of book a moody, immature teenager would seize upon as they struggled to assert their identity. Years later , when they grew up they might come across this book again, laugh and toss it in the bin. It a dated piece of navel gazing rubbish and should be left to gather dust. Bloated , 16 Jun 2008
Some books are clearly works of literature, and others are clearly intended to appeal to lovers of philosophy or politics, and there are also clearly works which are intended to operate as a means to philosophical or political inquiry whilst being framed as a literary work (a venerable tradition). There are, however, relatively few novels which can immediately and effectively communicate the myriad of positions within a dialectic framework (you might immediately think of Orwell's '1984' or Tressel's 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist), and 'The Fountainhead' is an attempt by Ayn Rand to produce a work that falls within this latter tradition.
As a work of literature, with the primary aim of communicating the human within the structures and framework provided by Rand, this novel establishes and provides the template to the pattern replicated in her other major novel 'Atlas Shrugged'. Each character is necessarily intended to be representative of a particular position within the dialiectic that Rand is seeking to explore, each is presented as an embodiment of a position, and this leads to largely superficial characters that are stylised and which lack the vagaries and complexities which are essential to maintaining interest in the narrative. The most obvious effect of this approach is the rendering of Rand's ideas in to large tracts of text which are apparently meant to be thought of as being representative of human speech - but the effect merely highlights the superficiality of Rand's commitment to the novel as an artistic literary form. This can be further seen by the predictable parallels which can be seen as existing between 'Atlas Shrugged' and 'The Fountainhead' - the apparently independent and wealthy female, perceived as emotionally detached yet sexually alluring, the iconoclastic male, prepared to suffer for the values which remain ignored or understood by his fellows. There is also the notable fact that the apparent freedoms enjoyed by the lead female in both 'The Fountainhead' and 'Atlas Shrugged' are predicated on a position of inherited wealth and security, founded on the unquestionable and inherently moral excercise of capitalism.
As other reviewers have noted, this artificiality, this attempt to provide amplified ideals by way of character, largely fails to engage a genuine interest in the reader. These are not characters that you would want to meet, even if you were sympathetic to 'objectivism'. More importantly and significantly, these are not characters that you are you ever likely to meet in the real world, such is their dysfuntionality.
Perhaps, of course, this is entirely the effect that Rand intended. These are hyper-characters, some are the representation and embodiment of Rand's ideals whilst others represent all that she loathed and despised. Perhaps Rand never intended to produce a naturalistic novel or text, but given the apparent effort to place the events described within a recognisably 'real' and 'familiar' world and time frame, this is not likely to have been the case.
A further criticism might be extended to the fact this is a large book which owes more to the verbose than the necessities of philosophical exploration. Points are repeated, with the effect that the reader is likely to feel harangued as the subject of an extended lecture. The basic substance of Rand's position could be articulated in less than five hundred words, here the reader has to negotiate through page after page of often repeated stock descriptive phrasing and language which does little to conceal the paucity of Rand's vocabulary or imagination. For a novel to succeed there has to be more than this!
And ultimately, in my view, this is why the book does not function as a work of literature. The vacuity of character, the inability to engage beyond the superficial, the purely functional language, these are critical failings in what might be described as the base framework of a book. With such a poor base structure the superstructure of 'Objectivism' (despite its relative ideological simplicity) can not be functionally supported, and for this reason the book fails as a work functioning as fiction, as a contribution to the art of literature.
This remains the most telling failure of the book. It is difficult to imagine a writer producing such a self-destructive and damaging literary introduction to their philosophical and political ideology.
Interesting philosphy in a flawed novel, 01 Nov 2008
As novel this book is undeniably flawed; the characters are two dimensional, the plot beyond implausible and every word of dialogue is a lecture. Which is why I give it only four stars.
The book is however a fascinating introduction to a philosphy that runs against the trend of current orthodoxy. When we are facing calls for greater regulation and control from our governments this book makes the case for less government; for letting the individual provide for himself (and, as an afterthought, for his family) and for government to "get out of my way". If, like me, you are attracted by such a philosophy, you will enjoy seeing the case made, and may see some arguments presented to help you argue your own case. If you disagree you should still read this, either to have your own assumptions tested (we should all face that regularly) or even to understand what your opponents are saying.
I remain a moderate Libertarian who wishes he lived in a world where greater liberty was practical, and that position is unchanged from reading this book. I am now however, a person who spent a few weeks (it is a long book) reading Atlas Shrugged, and that time was enjoyably spent and rewarding. That is all the justification a book needs. the fount of prosperity - possibly, 06 Aug 2008
A real page-turner if you're into this kind of thing. Bit long tho'. Helps if you're right-wing, or right-of-centre. Something to do with trains....
(hot tip - look up the condensed version of John Galt's radio speech online and save yourself the effort of the full 90 pages of that bit) you haven't lived if you haven't read this book, 24 Jul 2008
movie-schmovie. Read Atlas Shrugged when you're in college, when you're starting your first firm, when you're escaping the corporate world later in life... you'll get a very different experience each time. But read it you must.. sure it's long and, at times, very heavy handed. Many of the characters seem to be charachtiures to me, 30 years since my first exposure. But you haven't lived, or exercised your brain in sufficient dimenions, unless you've read Atlas Shrugged. THEN hate it or love it or simply respect it--great compelling reading, interesting philosophy and ultimately as bedrock classic 20th century literature as it comes. Atlas of the world, 14 Jun 2008
This is an enormous doorstep of a book, but "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand is a striking vision of a world in which the creators and innovators have downed tools and left the rest of us to our own devices. It is a cold read, populated by clinical characters, most of whom expound philosophical arguments at great length and often repeat themselves.
The book begins with the question, "Who is John Galt?" and follows the adventures of railroad executive Dagny Taggart as she struggles to save her business against a society crippled by apathy. Eventually Dagny learns that Galt has led the strike by the creators and innovators whose work supports the world, the Atlas of the title, the symbolism being vivid.
While the novel is extremely long and often repetitive, I couldn't help but be compelled by the author's vision. One has to admire a writer who has something interesting to say. And while I didn't agree with a lot of it - many passages reminded me of the right-wing American science fiction writer Robert Heinlein - I remained sufficiently hooked by the story to keep reading.
This is definitely the kind of novel worth reading if only to have an opinion on it, especially as there may (eventually) be a film version. Nunkey Publishing, 21 Mar 2008
I'd been recommended by my mentors in the self development field a million times to read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged before I finally got round to getting it: Christmas 2006 - some six years after I'd first heard of it. And even then, it lay dormant on the bookshelf for another few months. Before I continue, let me point out that there will be spoilers of form in this review.
Being an avid reader of anything self development, its one thousand plus pages put me off reading it, since I was expecting a much shorter, non fiction book of true self help style and not some monster of fiction; I didn't want to spend a few weeks or months plowing through a book, hoping it would measure up, only to discover I'd wasted my time on rubbish when it could've been spent on a decent read, such is the value I place on my time.
Eventually, on reading the synopsis one day, which resonated heavily with the philosophy I'd been furiously honing for a while, I decided it was time to delve in, reasoning that it was now or never. And was I pleasantly surprised. The more I read, the more I couldn't believe what I was reading! Every chapter, every scene, every interaction, left me reeling and exclaiming, "Yes! That is how to live!"
To say that this book, which is the fictional representation of Ayn's 'Objectivist' philosophy, fit with my own, new, growing philosophy - is an understatement. Rather, at a time when I was just building the foundation for my site, I was suddenly given fresh purpose and impetus.
The book itself is very well written. The plots are racy, the characters - deep, the backdrops - massive and the moral - right. Ayn Rand leaves no stone unturned in giving a detailed background on all major characters - and even some of the smaller, less important ones.
The book's events are broken down from every relevant viewpoint, allowing you to form your own alliances with the teams and characters of your own, calculated choice. Although you won't have gone too far in Atlas Shrugged before taking the right side.
Indeed, for anyone that has a flicker of, at the very least, 'suppressed' anger at the seemingly unrelenting, merciless, surreptitious journey toward a totalitarian state - worldwide, I challenge you to not get riled and fired-up at the evil in the book - because it is this evil which is represented in our media today.
The antics of the enemy in the book will fill you with fight, passion, cause and ambition and you will duly feel inspired to become your own version of a Hank Rearden, John Galt, Dagny Taggart, to step out your door and face our own Dr. Robert Stadlers, Mr. Thompsons and Jim Taggarts. And you wouldn't be alone: A poll carried out in 1991, by The Library Of Congress and The Book Of The Month Club reported Atlas Shrugged to be the second most influential book behind the Bible.
And if a survey of 1,239 American adults - conducted by Freestar Media/Zogby between October 10 and October 14, 2007 - asking the question, "Have you ever read the book Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand?" is anything to go by, its 8.1% affirmative would seem to suggest that I'm not a member of an exclusive club in being a reader myself.
Quite simply, if you're reading this review, there's a good chance that this book will do something to you. Something good. I strongly recommend you make it the very next book you read. And when you have, come and tell me what you think. I could use someone like you...
To freedom,
Scotty Stevens great for highers, 22 Mar 2008
this book is one of the best you can read for higher english although you will need to use a marker pen to get the best lines as it is really long and complex book. not for the faint of heart Nunkey Publishing, 21 Mar 2008
I'd been recommended by my mentors in the self development field a million times to read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged before I finally got round to getting it: Christmas 2006 - some six years after I'd first heard of it. And even then, it lay dormant on the bookshelf for another few months. Before I continue, let me point out that there will be spoilers of form in this review.
Being an avid reader of anything self development, its one thousand plus pages put me off reading it, since I was expecting a much shorter, non fiction book of true self help style and not some monster of fiction; I didn't want to spend a few weeks or months plowing through a book, hoping it would measure up, only to discover I'd wasted my time on rubbish when it could've been spent on a decent read, such is the value I place on my time.
Eventually, on reading the synopsis one day, which resonated heavily with the philosophy I'd been furiously honing for a while, I decided it was time to delve in, reasoning that it was now or never. And was I pleasantly surprised. The more I read, the more I couldn't believe what I was reading! Every chapter, every scene, every interaction, left me reeling and exclaiming, "Yes! That is how to live!"
To say that this book, which is the fictional representation of Ayn's 'Objectivist' philosophy, fit with my own, new, growing philosophy - is an understatement. Rather, at a time when I was just building the foundation for my site, I was suddenly given fresh purpose and impetus.
The book itself is very well written. The plots are racy, the characters - deep, the backdrops - massive and the moral - right. Ayn Rand leaves no stone unturned in giving a detailed background on all major characters - and even some of the smaller, less important ones.
The book's events are broken down from every relevant viewpoint, allowing you to form your own alliances with the teams and characters of your own, calculated choice. Although you won't have gone too far in Atlas Shrugged before taking the right side.
Indeed, for anyone that has a flicker of, at the very least, 'suppressed' anger at the seemingly unrelenting, merciless, surreptitious journey toward a totalitarian state - worldwide, I challenge you to not get riled and fired-up at the evil in the book - because it is this evil which is represented in our media today.
The antics of the enemy in the book will fill you with fight, passion, cause and ambition and you will duly feel inspired to become your own version of a Hank Rearden, John Galt, Dagny Taggart, to step out your door and face our own Dr. Robert Stadlers, Mr. Thompsons and Jim Taggarts. And you wouldn't be alone: A poll carried out in 1991, by The Library Of Congress and The Book Of The Month Club reported Atlas Shrugged to be the second most influential book behind the Bible.
And if a survey of 1,239 American adults - conducted by Freestar Media/Zogby between October 10 and October 14, 2007 - asking the question, "Have you ever read the book Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand?" is anything to go by, its 8.1% affirmative would seem to suggest that I'm not a member of an exclusive club in being a reader myself.
Quite simply, if you're reading this review, there's a good chance that this book will do something to you. Something good. I strongly recommend you make it the very next book you read. And when you have, come and tell me what you think. I could use someone like you...
To freedom,
Scotty Stevens A tedious read., 01 Aug 2007
This the most tedious book i have ever read, I enjoy philosophy and i also thoroughly enjoyed Rand's Anthem, however for me this book is undecided as to whether it is a novel or a philosophical treatise and therefore fails to be either. The reader is subjected to page after page a Capitalistic/Rationalistic sentiments and by the time I reached the "This is John Galt" chapter whereby the same aforementioned sentiments are again painfully regurgitated I had hit the proverbial wall. Only shear stubborness got me though the thousand plus pages and upon finishing i felt like i had wasted hours of valuable time. For the Believer, 14 Jul 2007
Of all Ayn Rand's fiction, this fictional presentation of her fully fledged philosophy has probably the most limited audience. It will be enjoyed by already-admirers, or by those newbies ready to appreciate capitalistic heroes engaged in philosophical battles.
ATLAS SHRUGGED's good points include its plot (the heroine's discovery of her ideal man who has called for a strike -- of the capitalists!), the philosophy lessons embedded in the narrative, and the grandeur of it all.
Detractors have rightfully complained of the intransigent tone of the novel. Like so many systemizers, Ayn Rand thought she constructed a perfect philosophical edifice and refused to contemplate flaws in it. So the novel (like Ayn Rand herself, and her numerous admirers) casts a harsh glare at mortals who don't toe the line, regardless of the width of the gap.
If you're new to Ayn Rand, try another novel first. I'd recommend them in chronological order: ANTHEM, WE THE LIVING, THE FOUNTAINHEAD. Then you will know if you want to plunge into this, her ultimate opus, ATLAS SHRUGGED. Actually being objective..., 01 Nov 2006
This is bascially a philosophy in novel form. It is not a good novel, but the philosophy is fascinating and the book an extremely worthwhile read. It is well recommended, but to reiterate points made by previous reviewers, this is not great as a novel. An Ayn Rand Sampler, 18 Jul 2007
Here's a quick intro to Ayn Rand's thought. It's not a big book but it's pretty wide-ranging. She talks about specific people and issues but it seems her favorite topics are philosophical. Those, she explains her chain of reasoning as best she can within the brevity required of the Q&A situation -- so she manages more than a superficial answer. Finally, of course, you get a taste of her difficult personality. That's part of Ayn Rand, too.
Bracing, 02 Jul 1998
I read this because Ayn Rand wrote somewhere that this was one of her favorite novels, even though Hugo was a socialist. I often objected to Rand's twisting her esthetic responses into dogma, but she was right on this one. This is a story of human courage and nobility amidst brutality and suffering. The setting is civil war during the French Revolution in 1793 (thus the title). Several plot threads come together, including a mother desparately seeking her children. Highly recommended. This is the one Hugo novel that would make a film without much distortion, but I don't think Hollywood's ever touched it - which is probably for the best.
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Anthem
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