So, I’ve been thinking of reading it for a while. I’ve asked a few people over the years if they think I should read it, since I’m hearing about it so often. They all have said something along the lines of “oh well the author’s philosophy is horrible, she’s a terrible person, etc.” I don’t particularly care about that. It clearly is a polarizing and super famous work, so do you guys think it’s worth reading? Like, is it well written? Interesting? etc? Because if it’s poorly written, boring, etc. Then I’ll probably skip it. However, It just seems like all the discussions I’ve had about it just revolves around the author’s personal philosophy. While I get that’s incredibly important to the book, I can read about a philosophy I don’t agree with and still enjoy the book. Just curious on your guys’ input!
Edit: Just to clarify, I absolutely am not an objectivist by any stretch and certainly don’t agree with her philosophy. I suppose I’m a libertarian to a degree, but not to her level. I just am mostly trying to figure out if it’s a well written novel, that’s interesting to read and people just don’t like it because of the philosophy. Or if it truly just is boring and uninteresting.
by Daxman77
20 Comments
I’m in the same place as those commenters as far as Rand’s philosophy. I gave Atlas Shrugged a try several years back, and didn’t make much progress before I decided it just wasn’t appealing to me.
BUT, around the same time I decided to also try another of her more well-known novels, The Fountainhead, and that one was a real gem. I still think about it often. So my vote would be that you read that.
NO, don’t even think about touching that worthless pile of garbage.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with taking a text in and forming your own opinion on the subject. It can even better solidify your own political and economic views by having something to contrast against
That being said it is woefully dense both literally and ideologically– Making it a tough chew to finish
> I can read about a philosophy I don’t agree with and still enjoy the book.
Ha! Go for it 🙂 Trust me, the entire story is just a very thin series of incredibly contrived plot points that only exist to repeat the same idea over and over and over
I don’t know anything about Ayn Rand as a person. I read The Fountainhead more than 40 years ago while in college. If Atlas Shrugged is half as good, then it would be a great book. The Fountainhead is one of the best I ever read.
“There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.”
It’s extremely pedantic and long-winded. Beyond philosophical disagreements, it’s just long and boring.
A lot of books have a lot of people who like it and dislike it. Just try it out and see if you like it! I think its worth reading.
No. Ignoring the philosophical themes, which you shouldn’t because that’s the point, it’s a garbage story with trash prose.
But waste your own time and decide. Why bother asking at that point?
From a purely literary perspective the characters are flat and see little growth. They simply move through the motions of a story that only serves to prove their already existing philosophical beliefs. There is no true antagonist that challenges them with a honestly depicted foil to their journey or their beliefs.
In short, whether you agree with the underpinnings of the belief system or not, it is usually agreed that it is simple “competence porn”. If you’re already an objectivist, by all means enjoy since you’ll most likely smile at your beliefs being validated and your heroes easily triumphing. But I would not go into it expecting a grand literary work.
if it’s not going to hurt your feelings because it’s got a political message, and you are an adult capable of exploring subversive ideas in a literary work of fiction, probably. If it’s going to get you upset and triggered don’t read it.
it’s kind of boring to be honest
Oh boy. Here we go …..
Yes. It’s brilliant
Yes, read it. People in this thread seem afraid of others encountering a different ideology.
>I don’t particularly care about that.
There are certainly authors out there where you can disregard their beliefs on certain things and just read their work for what it is. Ayn Rand is not one of those authors. Her fiction books are direct professions of her philosophy that she wrote about and defended extensively.
If you wanna go read Ayn Rand, then by all means go and read The Fountainhead and make your own mind up. Atlas Shrugged is a thick tome full of many of the same ideas that The Fountainhead communicates well enough in 700-something pages. Save yourself the time and the rants and read that instead.
To answer your other question: is she a good writer? I’d place her firmly in the middle. She’s not trashy or bad, and she is capable of writing a good character or two and a plot with some good payoff, but don’t expect to be blown away.
I read it as an adult and liked it. It is like a crime/action movie … not going to change your life, not going to make you enlist as a CIA agent / Special Forces soldier… but I found it enjoyable. The annoying political agenda that everybody keeps complaining about only comes out really in the last 30 pages (Galt’s speech). That is repetitive nonsense, I ended up skimming it, I virtually never do that. (I always finish the books I start)
I read it to try to understand the libertarian/conservative mindset.
It was a slog, the famous speech was the worst to get through.
Crap book, crap philosophy, crap author.
It is enlightening in how that side thinks, what they want, and for picking up some of their dog whistles. Who is John Galt, moochers, looters ect.
Possibly worth it for that aspect but don’t expect quality writing.
I found it to be amazing.
As a cure for insomnia.
I picked it off my parents’ shelves years ago without any idea of the author’s politics, and found it very dry and full of plodding exposition. I gave up on it, which is rare for me. Later I asked my mum if she liked it and she said no, she didn’t like the characters and they just kept it for no particular reason.
But there’s no reason not to try it and see what you think. I’ve heard Fountainhead is better.
I read it once a decade. I find it more and more in par with the times every time I read it. It’s very well written.