We the Living by Ayn Rand
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Book Reviews of We the Living
Book Review: Potential for the greatest evils
Summary: 5 Stars
Everyone is affected by political culture. Every level of regulation, from anarchy to fascist dictatorships, is comparatively some amount of government. Ayn Rand shows the dismal struggles surrounding Kira Argounov in her communist environment. Through maginificent language, _We the Living_ forces empathy for starving masses; in a way that no news article can. As the book progresses, an awareness is awakened that every aspect of each person's life is painful, yet each person fights to keep on living. Ayn Rand presents a dieing city, and develops human characters who force themselves to live through it. Although, what these characters go through on a daily basis is not quite the same as living. Their USSR regulates the distribution of food, clothing, and shelter; a corrupt hierarchy with ambiguous goals and morals regulates every physical human necessity. The suffering is deadly, but the struggles for life are sifting through the propaganda and government denials, staking out some form of existence.Ayn Rand analyzes a multitude of varied relationships, between deluges of personalities. Throughout the story, people grow and change as they try with all human strength to adapt to their new world. This novel is about character development in an environment created by Soviet mismanagement. It shows how people cope with the stresses of staying alive, when that in itself becomes the primary concern. Things taken for granted by the rest of the world are denied to a population of millions. A home, a job, and even one's own free time are all the concerns of an ever present government. Human nature is captured in the interactions of characters, and sometimes it can be a terrible thing. Power struggles created by the voids left by a revolution have to be settled, and some people will go to far to fill those voids. This is a fast read about politics and humanity that will leaves questions about all governments, and if this could ever happen again.
Book Review: Rand's best work
Summary: 5 Stars
It seems as though everyone has their own view of Ayn Rand's work; some agree with every point she makes to the point of obsession, some think that she is a terrible writer and philosopher and should not be published. She is definately a controversial writer. However, this book is different from pretty much all of her other work in that it concentrates more on the story than anything else. It was written before Rand's philosophy was completely forulated, which is definately a good thing in my opinion. The reader doesn't have to worry about agreeing completely with parts of the book and being repulsed by other aspects; it isn't a philosophical novel.The fact that this is a love story and that I (who hates most "love" stories and wanted the butler to catch that stupid couple in Titanic) really enjoyed reading it speaks volumes. It takes an inquisitive look at the nature of love and how it works... and is usually extremely true when applied to real life (unlike some parts of her "masterpieces" The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged). The characters are extremely real and the setting is based on Rand's past experiences, which really adds to her work. Don't worry... although there are your typical speeches at the end by the antagonists and protagonists, they are not rants about how great capitalism is and how it is the best thing in the world to be selfish. The theme is totalitarianism and what it does to the human spirit, not "Prime Movers and how they function."
I would reccomend this book to anyone interested, not just the people obsessed with Objectivism. Of course, this is Rand's least-known book, so the general public will probably get their first taste of her through The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged, which is a shame. When she's at her best, Ayn Rand doesn't have to resort to rants that are in essence, a giant overreaction to things.
Book Review: Finding Life in a Land of Death
Summary: 5 Stars
Sometimes the living end up dead, killed by systems that refuse to allow independent thought or life. In a land inspired by the words "Give me Liberty or Give me Death" we might think Rand's story only pertains to the communist Soviet Union. Howevever, 'We the Living' is for anyone in any time or place who wants to transform their lives from existence to life or, as the Greek philosopher's would say, from bios to zoe.
I hate the ending, not in the literary sense but because I revolt against the idea that a choice to live should bring anything other than its own rewards. Yet this was reality in the Soviet system. The concept of individual destiny was anathema to communist control. Proponents of independant thinking were treated as dangerous terrorists.
We fail to grasp Rand's message if we believe the moral of the story is unnecessary after the fall of the Soviet Union or only applies in countries such as Rwanda, Somalia and North Korea. Rand deftly demonstates throughout the book that we who choose to live in the way she describes will face opposition; from our families or friends, from organized religions which teach that such personal freedom can only be found through the tenets of their faith, and from government systems which consistently push for more control of every thread weaving through our culture.
Who are the real identity thieves of our time? Someone stealing our credit card and social security number which lowers our FICA score? Or is it just as dangerous if we are not allowed our own lives so that mass merchandising, global consumerism and partisan politics can prevail? I challenge you to read this book and join the living no matter what the cost.
Book Review: Fans of Ayn Rand shoud NOT overlook her first work
Summary: 5 Stars
Critics of Rand, when pointing to her more popular classics Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, often point out the exaggerated nature of the situations her characters are in. They suggest that Rand made her characters seem more heroic by creating unrealistic enemies and overblown conflicts. Yet, in We the Living, Rand can't be accused of hyperbole. Her most autobiographical novel, it tells the story of the young and ambitious Kyra Argounova, and her struggles to maintain her individualism in the tumultuous time of 1920's Soviet Russia. Readers will wisely note the similarities between Rand's own life and that of the character of Kyra.
Although it may have been the novel that most successfully captured the struggle of life in Soviet Russia, the story is, as Rand points out, certainly not merely about the struggle of Kira to retain her freedom against the Communist Party, but rather, more generally, the struggle of the individual to retain their soul against the attempts of the state to strip it away.
In response to Rand's critics, yes, this is her most realistic work of fiction. And that is exactly why it should not be overlooked. Ayn Rand experienced life under the thumb of the Communists first-hand, and this book captures it perfectly. There can be no claim of exagerated villains, because these villains were real.
Simultaneously depressing, as we see freedom slowly being destoyed, and uplifting, as we see Kira struggle to live on, We the Living will challenge your ideas of politics, as all of Rand's novels do. Hopefully, after reading this book, you'll want to keep your politics to yourself, and understand why socialism will always be doomed to failure.
Book Review: Brutal, Sincere, and Maybe Rand's Best
Summary: 5 Stars
Sometimes, after finishing a book, I feel deep within me that it is important that other people read it, too.
I'm sure you feel the same way.
We The Living is such a book. I can't say whether it is Rand's best fiction or not... certainly a better read than Atlas Shrugged or Anthem, but The Fountainhead looms large in my memory, and might still claim the throne. However, I wouldn't feel it as important to have others read The Fountainhead as I might this one -- We The Living is somehow more personal, and more affecting.
Ayn Rand is a divisive author, especially for those who haven't really bothered to study her and are just going off of what they've heard from others. If even a detractor reads We The Living, however, I think they'll see a person passionately devoted to the best things about humanity, and about life. Who could witness the plight of Kira and not be moved? Not be profoundly angered at the society that would put her through such ordeal? Not be convicted to ensure that no such thing could take place again, anywhere on earth?
We The Living is a labor of love, and its plain to see in the writing. It sparkles with honesty, and draws from its readers the true pain that only honest writing can. A person may or may not agree with the Objectivist stand on laissez-faire, or inductive reasoning, but a solid common ground can still be reached by looking into this slice of Soviet life and being properly and profoundly horrified. From the resultant senses of pain, sorrow, and anger, our common philosophical conversation can continue...