Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Edition) by Ayn Rand
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Book Reviews of Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Edition)
Book Review: Read Philosophy, do not fear it
Summary: 5 Stars
Ayn Rand's philosophy is known as objectivism. It is essentially having a objective reason and purpose for every action you commit.
Atlas Shrugged is one of two major novels that outlines her entire philosophy while trying to show how it would be applied. That is why this book deserves a 5 star rating. Any philosopher can give generic ideas with no application. Rand puts it all on the line to show exactly how she means her philosophy to be interpreted.
The student of philosophy will be able to understand her philosophy quite clearly after reading this. If you agree with her philosophy you should encourage others to read this book. If this book is so clearly wrong then you should encourage others to read it so they will see how clearly wrong it is. Those that want it burned or object to others reading it know that she offers some very strong arguments for a position they clearly do not want to be true.
This book takes place probably around the 1950s. It is centered around the industrial sector of the U.S., the only government that has not become a People's State. The main character in this book is Dagny Taggart. She is a no-nonsense VP of Operations for the largest railroad in the world. She is intelligent and is solely driven to keeping her RR as the best.
The times are dim and getting dimmer. In the beginning the country is in a recession of sorts and it is up to Taggart and others like her to save the country. There are two problems that are preventing her from doing this. One, the government seeks more and more control when it should be stepping away. Second, the men of industry are disappearing one by one just when they are critically needed. No one knows where they go off to.
In the sense of a novel this is a good one. It is suspenseful and intriguing. Everyone can identify with the characters in this book. Most of the antagonists have been left rather shallow. That is on purpose. They are supposed to represent certain elements of society. This book can get dry at times. One man has a 60 page speech that can seem a little preachy at times but is wholly necessary within the context of the novel.
Ayn Rand is perhaps the best known and widest read philosopher of the 20th century. If you have any interest in philosophy or economics then this is a must read. Don't fear her teachings. An open mind is a dangerous thing to some people.
The most important thing to remember is not to take everything you read here as dogma. Think for yourself and apply whatever ideas make sense to you and ignore that which you don't like. Think for yourself. I think Rand would object to anyone blindly following her philosophy without actually believing in it. No one says you can't be charitable to others. Just make sure you do it of your own volition and not because it is expected of you or because you feel guilty.
Book Review: This book made an impact on me!
Summary: 5 Stars
In case this is your first encounter with this book, It is a fresh story but a continuation to Ayn Rand's philosophy that started out with books like "We the living" where she new something was wrong but could not put her finger on it. She progressed to books as "The Fountainhead" where she could describe the problem quite well. Now in "Atlas Shrugged she has come up with a plausible answer to the problem. In essence your head can work without your hands yet your hands can not work without your head.
The story is not unique but it still holds you attention. The world is becoming more socialized and it is harder for individuals to make an impact without having a multitude of parasites on their back. Some chose to fight, others chose to ignore; some do not have a clue as to what is happening. The world seems to be gearing down is just coincidence or is there some one taking a hand in it. "Who is John Galt?"
I can tell you of my experience with the book. I must have been a late bloomer or just unlucky, because I did not come across "Atlas shrugged" until I was 20 years old. I was in the military and needed some reading material. My younger sister sent me the book. It looks just a little thick to me but I started reading, and reading and reading. I do not know if it was the story or the clarity of thought. Now I saw everything in a new or different light. It felt weird to see the newspapers and politics paralleling the book.
I was in New York (West Point) at the time and three things stood out to this day. This was a public service announcement on the TV "The law says that an apartment owner can not charge more than 30% of what you make" and at the same time the apartment buildings were closing down. The postal carriers went on strike and the military had to deliver the mail. That winter the snowplow drivers went on strike. When the strike was over the snowplows were missing. They found them the next summer in an empty lot.
There is nothing quite as convincing as watching the world and book parallel each other. I have mellowed out some lately. However, I really think that this book should be read by high school age where it would have maximum impact of one's train of thought.
The Fountainhead
Book Review: A book that challenges the reader to define themselves
Summary: 5 Stars
My first encounter with Ayn Rand's ATLAS SHRUGGED was in college as a reading assignment in my Humanities class many years ago. When my professor placed the book on his desk and said it was our reading assignment, I could hardly contain myself. The horror of reading a lengthy philosophical theory spanning over 1,000 pages was a nightmare evident in my reaction. He looked me straight in the eye and said he guaranteed I would love it. Well, he was right.
It's a book I keep coming back to. Putting aside the obvious Objectivism present throughout the novel (especially during Galt's lengthy radio address), this book forces you to think about Rand's ideas brought to life in her characters, and challenges you to define your own. The book questions our values, morals, and ethics bringing to light the qualities an individual requires to live. It also highlights the contrast between the looters who mooch off of others and a person who lives his/her life by their own abilities while expecting other to do the same.
Each character in the book evokes a different response from the readers. Some you love, others you completely despise. Most characters are typically on one extreme end of the scale of morals, ethics, and values. With Rand, there seems to be no in-betweens. Having read other works by Rand, it is obvious that she does this to represent elements of society, capitalism, and much more. The book's heroine, Dagny Taggart, is a strong person primarily surrounded by individuals without talent, skills or basic common sense. Although some claim Rand's work is very radical - I'm sure the reader knows someone in this type of situation (come on, admit it). The John Galt character is the physical and intellectual representation of man's ideal; a brilliant man who passionately loves life, work and refuses to live for the sake of others.
ATLAS SHRUGGED is a story of true intellectual substance that captures what would happen in the world if the genuine productive leaders decided to halt their contribution to the looters forcing the moochers of society to fend for themselves. Although a lengthy book, it is a great story filled with mystery, suspense, passion for work and life, love, and much more. If you can only read one book, then ATLAS SHRUGGED is an excellent choice simply because it makes you think.
Book Review: The greatest book I can't finish
Summary: 5 Stars
Atlas Shrugged is the best piece of literature I've ever read. It is a masterpiece, a monument to achievement, a symphony to the triumph of the human spirit. It's the greatest book I've ever read.
Only I haven't finished it.
You see, the copy I received from Amazon.com is missing the last 50 pages. They are literally not there. Page 1141 is attached the back cover, with no other pages behind it to bring me to page 1192.
If you're familiar with The Fountainhead, there's a moment when Roark has a few buildings in construction that would essentially solidify his status as an amazing architect: the most important of which being the Stoddard Temple. However, following the trial concerning the controversial building, Roark's other projects remain untouched, becoming skeletons of what could be. He's been cut off from his achievement by the incompetent masses.
Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, like its predecessor The Fountainhead, denounces such incompetence. Several problems that plague the Earth--in the book and in real life--stem from people who refuse to use their rational minds. It is disgustingly ironic, then, that my copy of such a book is a defective product of incompetent workers. A person of reason wrote the book, men of reason created the printing presses, and men of non-existence defaced this wonderful work of art. Like Howard Roark, I have been cut off from my achievement--from my joy--by the incompetence of men who refuse to believe that A is A. This is not only extremely frustrating and outrageous, but it completely reinforces Rand's message and the importance of this novel. It stresses the importance of men of mind and the state of non-existence and indifference that plagues our world.
Like Roark eventually finishes his buildings, I will complete this book. I will have to do so by catering to incompetents like Henry Rearden trying to obtain illegal amounts of copper, but it will be done, and I will finish it. I will because it is the single most important piece of literature I have ever read. Because it is a masterpiece. Because A is A.
Book Review: Atlas did indeed shrug
Summary: 5 Stars
That book has daunted me since I was fifteen at least. It sat there,in its hugeness, in drug store paperback racks and in book stores and it just looked at me and said HA! all these years, so at the library Saturday, I found it for sale, and paid a whole dime for it, nice small print--just going to let it sit here in the house staring at me and it going HA!
Thought I would try a couple of pages, and rapidly fell inside another world. Gargantuan and detailed and massively bright and evocative enough for me to see totally beyond what I had seen before. The writing is so skilled and sure handed and somehow wide eyed all at once. It is the heart of philosophy written as a gripping novel.
The scope is impossibly huge. The characters are not who they seem to be, many of them, but far more, gaspingly so. I could see them. I could almost hear them breathing. A book of huge muscles. Rugged and human as fictional humans can be.
The writing is a wonderful mystery science fiction character driven juggernaut that is a pleasure to read, a pleasure that comes from deep inside. It says listen to me, it says let me tell you the story of existence and does.
Its philosophy would never work in "reality" but the book's world is fascinating and honestly so otherworldly, while being at the heart of this one, I felt like a meteor had crashed through and the sky rained blood--it has such sureness, such courage and ocean depth, this book, like John Gault's fantastic engine, like Atlantis is indeed real and in this novel on the map.
I felt she was searching so deeply,so surely, so logically, for her own way and I was there beside her in my small brain looking at a world peopled with giants. Like socialism, objectivism would not succeed, for persons just don't work that way, and Gault would wind up being what he strove mightily against.
But in this novel. God, in this novel, Atlas did shrug. And the world did tremble. And so did I. Has there ever been a dime spent so wisely? Not for me. Not ever.