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Atlas Shrugged: 35th Anniversary Edition
written by Ayn Rand
Studio : Signet
by Signet
Publisher : Signet
Released : 1992-03-03
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780451191144
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 17 reviews)
List Price : $7.99
Our Price : $5.88
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Book Description |
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Published in 1957, Atlas Shrugged was Ayn Rand's greatest achievement and last work of fiction. In this novel she dramatizes her unique philosophy through an intellectual mystery story that integrates ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, politics, economics, and sex. Set in a near-future U.S.A. whose economy is collapsing as a result of the mysterious disappearance of leading innovators and industrialists, this novel presents an astounding panorama of human life-from the productive genius who becomes a worthless playboy...to the great steel industrialist who does not know that he is working for his own destruction...to the philosopher who becomes a pirate...to the woman who runs a transcontinental railroad...to the lowest track worker in her train tunnels. Peopled by larger-than-life heroes and villains, charged with towering questions of good and evil, Atlas Shrugged is a philosophical revolution told in the form of an action thriller. |
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Print too small! |
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Great book, but beware - The paperback version has type so small, you'll need a magnifying lens to read it! |
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A Fabulous Book on Individualism |
I read this book in 1985, and found that it had an enormous influence on my thinking for a long time. As a result, I snapped up all her works that came to the Indian book shops. Ms. Ayn Rand was a staunch believer in individual freedom, and an enlightened capitalism. She opposed, in principle, that one man be expected to serve another, either through private charity or through enforced socialism. However, as I grew up, I found that this philosophy had a limited relevance to one's life.
The novel, nevertheless, is extremely well-written and has a very unique plot. It traces the lives of individual entrepreneurs in the land of freedom, who are being held back by laws and people who want them to serve others instead. Ayn Rand uses the characters to make long, powerful, speeches about her philosophy. She also weaves this in very deftly with the lives of the heroes, and shows what can happen when we put creative, dynamic people in bondage. There is a pleasant, surprising ending, which affects you like a fresh dawn
As fiction, the book suffers from these long speeches. As a book on Ayn Rand's philosophy, the story helps us understand her philosophy better. Her skill is such that each is meaningless without the other. Therefore, if you just read the story, skipping the speeches, you will miss most of the flavour. And if you read some of her other works, without having read this novel, you will find it very difficult to visualise the implications of her complex arguments.
While I am sort of glad today that I found a more, multi-faceted, multi-hued approach to life (than what Ms. Rand offered), I do envy you, if you haven't read this book so far. If you buy this book, you are sure to be in for a treat.
And later, even if you move on, some of her philosophy will perhaps always remain with you. And you will find yourself to be richer for it.
You may also find some of her other works interesting. I particularly recommend (The Fountainhead, Anthem, and The Virtue of Selfishness. |
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Those who preach selflessness do it for selfish reasons |
In today's political clime Rand's writing is must reading. We are currently experiencing a resurgence in the war on the individual, with Hillary Clinton dropping quotes right and left that sound remarkably similar to statements made by Stalin and Lenin. Enough is a enough. Those who preach collectivism are trying to subjugate you. Those who preach altruism typically have their hand in someone else's pocket. As Rand says in Atlas Shrugged, "public welfare" is the banner that looters hide behind. Here Rand argues that capitalism is the ONLY just political system. The problem with many conservatives, as Rand saw them, is that though they defend capitalism they usually ground their defense in some vague notion of "God-given rights." Since religious beliefs are not rationally defensible this move greatly risks placing reason on the side of the anti-capitalists. No, Rand said, we must do what's right because it's right and not because we are told to or want to get into heaven. We must defend capitalism not because of some bizarre notion of being mandated by a supreme being but rather because it is the only political system that allows man to rise to his potential, to choose for himself, to bargain with others freely and to exercise his volition. Liberals who defend "minorities" (all the while ignoring that in one out of three of the most populated counties in America today whites are actually the minority) while engaging in collectivist attacks on "the cult of the individual" and "egoism" must contend with Rand's statement that one cannot claim to defend minorities while attacking individualism, for the smallest minority is ALWAYS the individual. People always act with selfish reasons. In order for charity to even be of any help the recipient must selfishly accept the charity. Bad competition, which levels the playing field by inhibiting the performance of rivals, drags achievers down to the mean. All the good such achievers can do for society as a whole is then eliminated, as in the "Anti-dog-eat-dog" agreement in this book. Good competition, in which people compete by perfecting their own skill and knowledge, improves everyone. Even if you are beat by someone else you are left more knowledgeable and able. I only have one question: Where is Galt's Gulch? I would like to move. This novel, originally entitled The Strike, is brilliant. The Fountainhead was about the individual vs. the collective, and this is about the producers vs. the parasites. What if the reviled "rich," those who produce the amenities others take for granted or expect the "government" to pay for, all went on strike? What then? By the way, if you like this book you will probably also like a book called Camp of the Saints. Check it out.
I love the party scene in this book. Rand perfectly points out the ultimate irony of parties: A party is supposed to be a celebration, but those who have done things worthy of celebration typically are not the kind of people who find any enjoyment in parties, whereas those who love partying are not the kind of people there is anything worth celebrating about!
The point of this book was ably made by Jon Hanson, author of a nifty little book called Good Debt, Bad Debt. The point is this: NEVER in history has there been a society that was socialist BEFORE it went capitalist. This has never happened because it would be impossible. It can only be the other way around. FIRST capitalists must BUILD and MAINTAIN a society BEFORE socialists can come and leech off of it parasitically. Socialists don't build or produce anything. They only appropriate. This is why socialism can only follow capitalism. Further, if the last remnant of the capitalist elements of society completely disintegrate, the entire structure collapses. It's not the socialists that keep things going, they just feed off of open sores. |
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A review for young people in their late teens |
Atlas Shrugged is a captivating novel. The greatest "shortcoming" is that the book is over 50 years old. The heroine is the vice-president of a major railroad company, and most of the plot revolves around her desperate efforts to keep the railroad going. In the 21st century, when the age of railroads is long past, this is certainly dated. Indeed, Atlas Shrugged, although contemporary when written, takes on the feel of a grand masterful allegory perhaps like Dante, Chaucer, or Swift. It is just as much "fun" as Alice in Wonderland or Gulliver's Travels--and just as serious as the Divine Comedy. Yet, if you listen to a hour of local and national news on TV every evening while reading the book--half of the stories will sound as though they were lifted from the book--so timelessness and universal is Rand's story.
This will probably be the most important book (to you) that you read in your lifetime.
What is it about? It is often described as "Capitalism versus Communism", or "altruism vs selfishness"--but both descriptions seriously miss the point. What this book is really about is much more fundamental. It is about the nature of good and evil, and beyond that, the very meaning of life.
"But I'm a good person, so what value is this book to me?"--you may ask. Answer: You have certainly noticed that adult "morality" is full of all kinds of exceptions and contradictions. The truth is, the world of "morality" we adults have constructed is a sham, a fraud. It is no more than "social convention"--which is to say, "what we all more-or-less agree to"--and actually, despite all the "moral" justification, has absolutely nothing to do with morality or right-and-wrong, and often little to do with common sense.
Still, the question remains, "Why isn't simply accepting the current 'social norms' good enough?" "Go along to get along." Answer: To put it bluntly, the greatest evil the world has ever seen has been done by folks "accepting community norms" who thought they were doing good, or at least who could justify their actions as being "socially acceptable".
The truth is, you will be quite surprised when you learn the true nature of evil. Until you have read Atlas Shrugged, evil will remain a hazy mist floating just off your line of vision, which you don't look straight at, because you don't WANT it to exist. After reading Atlas Shrugged, evil snaps into sharp focus--and like a bully confronted--ceases to be a fear, and just becomes something distasteful to avoid.
As Rand richly illustrates: Just as eating too much fat can clog up your arteries, thinking "too much fat" can damage with your mental health. Some mental illness is physiological. But most mental illness is caused by unresolved internal contradictions--caused, for example, by refusing to look at evil because you PREFER to believe that it does not exist. Reality is. You do NOT have the option of living in your own private version of reality. Nevertheless, many, perhaps most, people live lives built on thier own complex lies. That turns smart people crazy, and stupid people mean and crazy.
How do you avoid "unresolved internal contradictions"? By knowing the difference between right and wrong, and never, ever, allowing a rotten board to be used in the construction of your mental house. The problem is the old "slippery slope". Lie to yourself just once, no matter how trivial the lie, and the next one will be easier. Before long, you realize that you can justify ANYTHING--and with the blessings of the popular culture. And before you know it, you've lost your soul.
As Rand preaches, the meaning of life is integrity. Living without compromise. To live a life filled with joy and pride in yourself, made possible by being free of mental conflicts. To know, not merely hope, that your mistakes were honest mistakes. To live with the knowledge that you are the best you can be, while striving to be better. To be a joy and comfort to the people you love. To give generously of your time, wealth, and love simply for the joy of doing so. To be a person who has changed the world for the better when you have gone. That's what Atlas Shrugged is really all about. All ofthe other themes, even Communism vs Capitalism are peripheral supporting themes. It is precisely because the fundamental issues are so basic and primary, that the implications are simultaneously universal--applying to all aspects of life.
The greatest real flaw in Atlas Shrugged is that Rand herself does not quite understand how her philosophy applies to inter-personal relationships. All of the heros in the story are flawed characters, because Rand's characters are based on herself, and are flawed because Rand herself was flawed. That is, Rand had such a horrible youth that her ability to love and trust was damaged. In her own flawed vision, she has largely substituted hero worship for love. Rand's heros are real heros to be admired, but not role models to emulate.
You will also find many things with which you will want to disagree, but in your heart, you will know that Rand is right. How you resolve these conflicts will be the most important decision you will make in your entire life. If you choose the truth, simply because it is the truth, then you are on the way to a life of good mental health. If you reject the truth because you PREFER a different vision or interpretation of reality--then you have already begun to lie to yourself, and you will probably have an unhappy life and be a miserable person to live with.
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Who is John Galt? |
This book was truely amazing. I read this book after Rand's other novels, "We The Living" and "Anthem". Atlas Shrugged is a marvelous book and her ideas, thoughts, and philosophy are noticed throughout the book, in the way she writes and through the text.
This book is very influential, at times hard to read, but overall very rewarding. The different characters and the PLOT of the book all assist each other. The plot of the book is ingenious, the story and the conclusion work very well with each other.
This book has been one of the most influential books in my life, and I think on the world. I would highly recommend anybody to read this book, and keep up with it. Keep an open mind. |
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