The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, Leonard Peikoff
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Book Reviews of The Fountainhead
Book Review: THE FOUNTAINHEAD - Lovers and Legend
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is almost un-critiqueable due to its uniqueness and the awe with which it is held by the late Miss Rand's more devoted followers. But I'll try! The plot spans the years 1922 to about 1938 and traces the career arc of two rival architects, Howard Roark and Peter Keating. Roark's approach to design and function in architecture is roughly based on Frank Lloyd Wright's; Keating is a meretricious copyist incapable of an original idea whose main function seems to be to look good in a tuxedo while entertaining clients. Roark's fatal flaw is that he accepts no client changes to his architectural plans - none whatsoever, not even the most conservative Greek column on the ground floor of a bank building. Of Roark and Keating, whom do you think has the more successful career? By the late-1920s Keating has become the toast of Manhattan while Roark is reduced to poverty. Yet it is Roark to whom Keating slinks when he has trouble designing an ultramodern skyscraper for a prestigious competition. Roark is allegedly the egomaniacal one, yet he helps Keating without asking for recognition or payment of any kind.Things get even more perverse on the love front. Not to give too much of the plot away, but a sensous, emotionally distant woman who is just Roark's type takes up with exactly the kind of men who hurt Roark the most. It's utterly appalling and yet, in Rand's equation, somehow convincingly human, which makes it all the more appalling. The path to heroism in an Ayn Rand novel is never easy.
There's a lot more going on, including a sleazy gazillionaire publisher with the seeds of greatness, an urbane man of letters who should have been murdered in the crib, and a public housing project that didn't survive to see the light of day. But probably the most salient feature of THE FOUNTAINHEAD is that it is a philosophical novel about the nature of human progress, how it is achieved, by whom and at what cost. (Lucky for us, the speechifying is relayed mostly through dialog and doesn't clutter the plot.)
So is THE FOUNTAINHEAD a good book? I'm not sure that Miss Rand would agree with the tenets of "vox populi, vox dei," but suffice it to say that the book hasn't been out of print since it was first published in 1943 and the New American Library still derives a significant amount of its income from Rand's writings. Read this book, and if you like it go on to the more challenging ATLAS SHRUGGED. You don't have to adopt any kind of political agenda to enjoy THE FOUNTAINHEAD.
Book Review: The reviewer Livermore read another book
Summary: 5 Stars
This reviewer needs to reread the book and try not to skip those long speeches which, like it or not, contain the real kernels of the philosophy.
This reviewer says that Rand would approve of child molestation because it is 'selfish'. No. It is not at all selfish acording to the Randian definition of selfishness. She never advocated self-indulgence or sexual promiscuity or sexual deviance of any kind. Selfishness is more akin to self-reverence and self-esteem - literally 'holding yourself in high esteem'. The violation of another's rights ( certainly a child's rights) would make a person unable to claim one's own rights. This is fundamental.
This reviewer rants about capitalism and communism 'requiring an elitist undemocratic government'?? What?
This reviewer says that 'the things necessary for success'..'just happen randomly to some people but not others.'What? I am not a leaf in the wind. My attitude counts. Rand believed that a man is the product of his decisions and advocated that those decisions be rational and self-interested for the benefit of himself and for the benefit of those around him. Someone who is debilitated, delusional and foolish is certainly no help to himself, his community, his family or the world for that matter. The book portrays the rewards of 'correct thought' and the disadvantages(should I say horrors?) of wrong thought.
The reviewer then rants about the non-existence of right and wrong and that all things are relative. He needs to read other books. Ayn Rand believed that man can discover the right thing to do using the power of his own reasoning mind. This reviewer goes on and on about minority rights which is a non-sequitor for this discussion.
This reviwer talks about a supposed contradiction in Objectivist thought because 'it is OK to have collective national defense and collective law enforcement.'Of course she does - she isn't an anarchist. Governments exist among men to protect the rights of men. The Constitution then protects the people from it's own government.The Fountainhead really isn't about this though- Atlas Shrugged is really more about the Objectivist's relationship to society.
Granted, the philosphy of Ayn Rand has some deficencies but none of them are articulated by this reviewer. The Fountainhead is an inspiration. Read it and reread it.
I recommend 'The Virtue of Selfishness' and 'Capitalism;the Unknown Ideal'. Other non-fiction by her is also good, but some is hard to get through.
Book Review: A Celebration of Human Spirit & Heroism!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Fountainhead is one of the greatest novels in world literature, tells of the desperate battle waged by architect Howard Roark, whose genius and integrity were as unyielding as granite.... Of Dominique Francon, the exquisitely beautiful woman who loved Roark passionately but married his worst enemy.... Of fanatic hatred and denunciation unleashed by an enraged society against a great innovator. It poses one of the most challenging ideas ever presented in a work of fiction- that man's ego is the fountainhead of human progress. Nearly 60 years ago, the book created a public furor and a worldwide interest in its brilliant author. It is the story of a gifted young architect, his violent battle against conventional standards, and his explosive affair with a beautiful woman who struggled to defeat him. Ayn Rand's daringly original philosophy, Objectivism presented through this book is indeed most ingenious and radical ideas ever provided in modern literature. It tells the story of what an ideal man should be befittingly epitomized by Roark, who is dismissed from a premier college due to his non-conformist work, who has to face myriad barricades posed by the 'Moral Watch-Dogs' of the society, who conquers all odds and shows the world that second-hand knowledge is worthless- that a man should manifest some originality in his life so that unfathomable progress of mankind transpires, leading to a brave new world. The character of Peter Keating describes the man who borrows intelligence from repository, and wins people's hearts by his relentless sycophancy- only to lose his soul in the bargain. The novel explicates Gail Wynand the opulent & omnipotent Newspaper Baron as the 'man who might have been'- who is in the fallacious belief that he controls the whole world, but realizes that he can manipulate men only as long he satisfies their desires. And finally the enduring character of Ellsworth Toohey as 'the man who can never be'-noted economist, noted social worker, noted-everything, who caters to the people's desideratum and exploits it to his advantage and nearly succeeds in becoming the undisputed ruler of the world. The novel tackles the interminable problem of the world's vilipend of an innovator's new creation- right from fire to the wheel. Against such Machiavellian actions, Rand advocates 'Selfishness' as the only weapon that can save originality from total destruction. By and large the best novel written to date! A celebration of human heroism and glory.Book Review: A Celebration of Human Spirit & Heroism!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Fountainhead is one of the greatest novels in world literature, tells of the desperate battle waged by architect Howard Roark, whose genius and integrity were as unyielding as granite.... Of Dominique Francon, the exquisitely beautiful woman who loved Roark passionately but married his worst enemy.... Of fanatic hatred and denunciation unleashed by an enraged society against a great innovator. It poses one of the most challenging ideas ever presented in a work of fiction- that man's ego is the fountainhead of human progress. Nearly 60 years ago, the book created a public furor and a worldwide interest in its brilliant author. It is the story of a gifted young architect, his violent battle against conventional standards, and his explosive affair with a beautiful woman who struggled to defeat him. Ayn Rand's daringly original philosophy, Objectivism presented through this book is indeed most ingenious and radical ideas ever provided in modern literature. It tells the story of what an ideal man should be befittingly epitomized by Roark, who is dismissed from a premier college due to his non-conformist work, who has to face myriad barricades posed by the 'Moral Watch-Dogs' of the society, who conquers all odds and shows the world that second-hand knowledge is worthless- that a man should manifest some originality in his life so that unfathomable progress of mankind transpires, leading to a brave new world. The character of Peter Keating describes the man who borrows intelligence from repository, and wins people's hearts by his relentless sycophancy- only to lose his soul in the bargain. The novel explicates Gail Wynand the opulent & omnipotent Newspaper Baron as the 'man who might have been'- who is in the fallacious belief that he controls the whole world, but realizes that he can manipulate men only as long he satisfies their desires. And finally the enduring character of Ellsworth Toohey as 'the man who can never be'-noted economist, noted social worker, noted-everything, who caters to the people's desideratum and exploits it to his advantage and nearly succeeds in becoming the undisputed ruler of the world. The novel tackles the interminable problem of the world's vilipend of an innovator's new creation- right from fire to the wheel. Against such Machiavellian actions, Rand advocates 'Selfishness' as the only weapon that can save originality from total destruction. By and large the best novel written to date! A celebration of human heroism and glory.Book Review: Yes
Summary: 5 Stars
"What you feel in the presence of something you admire is just one word-'Yes.'"Howard Roark makes this statement in the Fountainhead. This explains exactly how I felt as a reader.
In this Novel the main character Howard Roark lives his life for the right goal, happiness. Roark seeks only to please himself. Rand makes a strong argument that this is the way to live life correctly. Rand is one of the few authors to dissect the idea of sacrifice and explore its negative sides. Her stance that the indvidual is much more important than the collective or society is advanced through Roark's dialogue and interaction with the other characters especially in his dailogues with Keating and Gail Wynand.
Rand creates a believable picture of Roark as a superman type character. She uses Nietzche's idea of the superman to formulate an explosive hero who drives the book. I do not feel it was a mistake to make roark flawless. Although many epic hereos are expected to have a hamarita Roark is the portrait of the ideal man as Rand sees him therfore he has no flaws. This makes sense the highest ideal should be free of error.
I also think that there are more than three types of character in this book. To state that there was Roark Dominique and everyone else is overgeneralizing. Toohey is a believable character and a powerful man. There is really no reason to doubt or reject the things he says or does until his final discussion with Keating. Many of Toohey's statements and ideals are present in the comman man's ethics and value sytems. Many people believe that altruism and sacrifice are noble. The reason readers reject Toohey early is because Roark is made out as the hero and toohey attacks roark form the begining. Gail is another character who is developed well as the person who could have been but wasn't. Peter Keating is also an excellent portrait of the comman man. Dominique is an interesting female character she does not appear lovestruck early in the novel especiallly before and during Keating's pursuit of her. She seems the perfect companion for Roark. And it is intersting to see her character develop form the cold unexpected vixen to the domestic wife of Keating and Wynand and then to Roark's lover.
To sum up this novel moved me it has and still does make me think more about why I do things. I think Rand did an excellent job with this book and I think it advanced her message of the individual over the collective well.