Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Edition)

Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Edition)
by Ayn Rand

Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Edition)
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Book Summary Information

Author: Ayn Rand
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-04-21
ISBN: 0525948929
Number of pages: 1192
Publisher: Dutton Adult

Book Reviews of Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Edition)

Book Review: Caveats for a Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars

In my opinion, there is no praise lofty enough to describe Atlas Shrugged. It is a masterpiece. It is a must read. It may be the most important novel ever written. Yet, have always hesitated to recommend Atlas Shrugged. Recently, I decided to give hard copies to all of my nieces and nephews in their upper teens, and I wrote the following caveats for them. I share these caveats for potential readers, and for readers who have read a few chapters and not been able to get farther. Rand is worth getting to know, and that means looking past the few flaws.

1) The very explicit, in-your-face, pro-business and anti-religious themes are off-putting, probably even offensive, to most first-time readers. Most readers probably do not get past the first chapter or two, and I cannot blame them. If you read a little farther, you will realize that Rand is a champion of the independent creative mind, whether teachers, lawyers, statesmen, businessmen, industrialists, or artists--anyone of any profession who contributes. Businessmen are the most denigrated such individuals in our society--and, as such, are Rand's premier example. The businessmen whom you dislike are the same ones Rand would have disliked.

Many scenes strike even the experienced reader as over-the-top hyperbole--as absurd extremes, which (you will object) do not illuminate day-to-day reality. And yet, according to the experience of everyone I've spoken to who has read the book, as you read the book, within a week you will find a passage which you thought was offensively ridiculous, repeated in the CBS Evening News or printed as a serious article in Time magazine. If it takes you a month to read the book, and you pay attention to the "news" at the same time, you will have numerous such experiences. That is, what seems absurd in the novel, will actually happen in the real world, while you are reading the book. Honest. Considering that Atlas Shrugged was first published in the 1950s, Rand's ability to predict current news is rather remarkable.

Even so, it helps to think of Atlas Shrugged as a grand allegory, like Gulliver's Travels, Alice in Wonderland, or the Divine Comedy, which superficially appear to be absurd. These allegories were written with the purpose of illuminating the absurdity of reality. We all want to believe that absurd ideas cannot have any effect on us, simply because they are absurd. So, we dismiss absurd ideas, and therefore quickly forget them. We fail to recognize that many of the absurdities popularized by intellectuals, politicians, etc. are intended seriously, have real goals, and have real effects. We do not wish to believe that most of our fellow citizens are fools, so we fail to recognize how many absurd ideas are widely believed. Numerous outright hoaxes are believed by the majority of people in this country. Indeed, probably 10% of the average TV newscast is devoted to hoaxes--presented as serious news. In short, Rand is a mirror which reflects reality TOO accurately--or at least more clearly than we are used to, and comfortable with. If you wish to understand reality, and the "meaning of life" you need such eyes.

Some of the nonsense Rand rails against is so absurd, that bothering to argue against it will strike you as an unnecessary waste of your time and an insult to your intelligence. However, most of the absurdities which Rand attacks are cyclic--periodically revived, made popular, then forgotten (like any fad). What seems too absurd to waste time on refuting today will re-emerge as a "new" fad within the next few years, and will be taken seriously by the media, etc.. In the mid-1990s, for about six months, the journals, news magazines, papers, and talk shows were dominated by discussions about the positive value of dishonest and the high "morality" of pathological liars. Honest! The insane proposition that "tools condition the mind" (apparently popular when Rand was writing Atlas Shrugged) is rarely heard these days, but very well could re-emerge as the next "intellectual" fad.

2) I suspect that many readers are put off by the "romantic" plot in Atlas Shrugged. In my judgement, Rand (like many intelligent, ambitious women) was afraid of love. While she unrelentingly preaches against self-delusion, Rand herself was seriously self-deluded about the nature of love, in many ways and on many levels. Rand manages to accurately describe intense romantic passion--at least as experienced by some people (or imagined by young women), but fails in her descriptions of real love. Rand's romantic plot is clearly that of a young woman. Dagny (the main character, a woman, Rand's alter ego) is quick to abandon extraordinarily admirable men, each hopelessly in love with her (and whom she is described as passionately loving), for the next guy in a long line. And none of the guys are the slightest bit upset when abruptly dumped. That is not love. That is not even friendship..

Early in the book, Dagny and a lover engage in a romantic relationship which borders on the sado-masochistic--without any actual physical abuse. I imagine that this offends many first-time readers who quit the book then-and-there. Rand's purpose is to describe the flawed attitudes of the male character, for the purpose of describing the cause. However, if you read a little farther, and you will see their relationship evolve and become gentler, as he sheds various self-delusions, and learns the real meaning of love.

Even so, in later scenes, Rand continues to use the word "pain" and similar verbiage, when she means "intense desire". I suspect that many readers will find this objectionable, as do I. For example, Dagny expresses her "love" by describing her desire to cause her lover pain. If Rand used such words and scenes only when essential to the plot, and in a limited context, I would have no serious objection, but she is too consistent in describing romance in terms of pain and combat. Clearly this terminology reflects of Rand's own fear of love. In conclusion, Rand's idea of love and romance is pathetic--but you do not read Atlas Shrugged for the love plot.

3) You read Atlas Shrugged for the philosophy--for insights into life and reality which will "blow your mind". Honest. Unfortunately, it is easy to conclude that Rand's vision or philosophy is incompatible with love and faith--the most important things in most reader's lives. Rand barely touches on these themes, and what she does say and imply is flawed or grossly inadequate. After reading Atlas Shrugged, you will not have answers to all of your questions regarding love and faith--but you will be equipped to find the answers. Rand, at least, supplies the philosophical tools for your own exploration of these themes. Moreover, your own beliefs are far more valuable, more secure, more reliable, and more comfort, than beliefs you adopt merely because they were taught to you, or because they are what Rand's characters did or believed. Like most of the important things in life, the answers are very simple, but are not easily expressed in slogans or simple statements. Then too, even if you have every answer to every question nailed down--applying the answers in real life is rarely easy.

Rand's characters make many statements to which I strongly object, as will you. When I taught at a major university, I found that making outrageous statements is an effective rhetorical technique. After a long discussion, I would concede that my students' objections were valid, and we would "agree" to a better statement of the issue. I suspect that I actually learned this technique from reading Rand. Remember also that the statements are those of characters, and it would be unrealistic if every character expressed exactly the same opinions, or expressed herself/himself perfectly in every statement. Feel free to object and "argue" with Rand's characters--you will grow in the process.

Some stains are so stubborn that a harsh cleanser is required. Some common ideas in our culture--which interfere with your happiness and your ability to be the best you can be--are very deep, very stubborn, stains, and for these, Atlas Shrugged is a harsh cleanser. Reading some sections may be uncomfortable. Read Atlas Shrugged, or listen to the audio version skeptically, but openly--and your life will be transformed, forever.

Summary of Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Edition)

This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world - and did. Was he a destroyer or the greatest of liberators? Why did he have to fight his battle, not against his enemies, but against those who needed him most, and his hardest battle against the woman he loved? What is the world's motor - and the motive power of every man? You will know the answer to these questions when you discover the reason behind the baffling events that play havoc with the lives of the characters in this story." "Tremendous in its scope, this novel presents an astounding panorama of human life - from the productive genius who becomes a worthless playboy - to the great steel industrialist who does not know that he is working for his own destruction - to the philosopher who becomes a pirate - to the composer who gives up his career on the night of his triumph - to the woman who runs a transcontinental railroad - to the lowest track worker in her Terminal tunnels." This is a mystery story, not about the murder of a man's body, but about the murder - and rebirth - of man's spirit. It is a philosophical revolution, told in the form of an action thriller of violent events.

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