Atlas Shrugged

[Crystal Shards]

I honestly doubt very many people have read this book simply because it's highly philosophical and dreadfully long, but I figured I might as well take a shot at it.

I just finished this book maybe last week, and I immediately sent it on to one of my friends. Ayn Rand is a wordy author, but she is very logical and writes well. It was nice to find someone who I can mostly agree with on the state of man and how to fix things. It was very hard to put down after I'd gotten into it a bit, and I found myself thinking about it a lot while I wasn't reading it. It's definitely one of my favorite books now.

Has anyone else read this book? Did you like it?

~Crystal

[Bob Jr. of Bob Sr.]

==I've not read it, sadly. Though I was going to borrow it from a friend, she ended up moving away, and I haven't found it since.

Ah well, I suppose.

[Balcerzak]

First caveat, it's been years since I read the novel.  Second caveat, for the most part, I am a fan of Objectivism.

Atlas Shrugged was definitely a good read.  I do have to admit, though, that the way Ayn Rand can occasionally use her characters just as mouthpieces is a bit obnoxious, and even to someone who buys into her philosophy, some of the chapters got tedious due to repetition ("This is John Galt Speaking", I'm looking at you). 

I would also refer you to an interesting essay, I discovered on the web.  While I discovered it years after reading the novel, I think it articulates and pinpoints some reasons that explain and justify what had previously just been vague hunches, feelings, and musings as to why I preferred The Fountainhead over Atlas Shrugged.

Don't get me wrong, Atlas Shrugged is a nice piece of work, explores new philosophical territory, and is indeed thought provoking, but it could have easily done with some improvements as a literary work, in my opinion.  I certainly would not recommend it as the starting point for anyone's venture into the works of Ayn Rand.  That being said, if someone was of a libertarian bent, had already been exposed to and enjoyed Rand, and was looking for more, then by all means would I recommend it as follow-up.

[Thief]

I do have to admit, though, that the way Ayn Rand can occasionally use her characters just as mouthpieces is a bit obnoxious, and even to someone who buys into her philosophy, some of the chapters got tedious due to repetition ("This is John Galt Speaking", I'm looking at you). 

Quite.

Her books are just excuses to throw a philosophy at the world, which makes them terrible reads, regardless of whether you agree with the philosophy in question (though reading a textbook is enjoyable to some people, so this is subjective I guess). Also, tons of people have read the books (I read Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged but would rather not kill myself out of boredom by reading Anthem and her other stuff)

[Crystal Shards]

Atlas Shrugged was definitely a good read.  I do have to admit, though, that the way Ayn Rand can occasionally use her characters just as mouthpieces is a bit obnoxious, and even to someone who buys into her philosophy, some of the chapters got tedious due to repetition ("This is John Galt Speaking", I'm looking at you). 

Good God. I skipped that chapter when I was reading the book. Later I went back and read it, though, and it was interesting but seriously...

I certainly would not recommend it as the starting point for anyone's venture into the works of Ayn Rand.  That being said, if someone was of a libertarian bent, had already been exposed to and enjoyed Rand, and was looking for more, then by all means would I recommend it as follow-up.

Haha, too late. Also, one thing I want to say, is that she didn't understand Buddhism at all. She made one sly insult about it during Atlas Shrugged, and I chuckled when I read it. That was my only other qualm with it.

~Crystal

[Bob Jr. of Bob Sr.]

Good God. I skipped that chapter when I was reading the book. Later I went back and read it, though, and it was interesting but seriously...

==I had heard that one character actually had a monologue for eighty pages. Is that true?

Because if so, that is absolutely ridiculous.

[Crystal Shards]

==I had heard that one character actually had a monologue for eighty pages. Is that true?

Because if so, that is absolutely ridiculous.

In my book it was fifty. The speech is later referred to as being three hours long. Honestly? It's not that hard to read, and it is, for the most part, relevant to what's going on and there's a reason he's making that huge speech, but yeah. It's like fifty pages.

~Crystal