Ayn Rand

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aparsons
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Re: Ayn Rand

Post by aparsons »

I discovered Ayn Rand in high school when we read Anthem. I have always had a soft spot for dystopian societies ever since I read The Giver. Anthem is an interesting read because of all the third person. It is an interesting thought of what might happen is people were given numbers and did not have names anymore.
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Kitkat3
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Post by Kitkat3 »

I really want to read Atlas Shrugged. I've tried to read it twice and one time I probably got 100 pages in and just stopped. It just cannot hold my attention. I really want to be able to give my opinion on it, but it's so boring I just can't read it without falling asleep. :doh:
Lolly_Reader
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Post by Lolly_Reader »

It's hard to believe that anyone is still considering Ayn Rand worth reading, except as a joke. Ideology aside, the novels are deeply flawed and tedious.
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BarryEM
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Post by BarryEM »

I can't agree with that at all. I think "The Fountainhead" is an excellent novel, beautifully written. "Atlas Shrugged" is less so but still excellent.

I suspect that when you say "flawed" you're referring to the one dimensional characters but that's why the novel works so well. Each character in both novels is exactly what he/she had to be to make the story work, and the stories worked beautifully. Nothing like that had ever been done before in literature and I'm not sure it's been done since, at least not on purpose.

These are immensely complex and intricate stories, carefully engineered by a master. In my mind they're great literature. And that has nothing to do with her ideology.

I first read "The Fountainhead" when I was in my late teens, probably about 1958 or so, and I was greatly influenced by her philosophy as well as by the beauty of the story. That's not to say I agreed with her ideas. Some I did. Most I didn't. But who cares! The point was the story. I'm glad she had that strong ideology and tried to sell it or we might not have had this good reading. "The Fountainhead" is one of the 15 or 20 books I re-read every few years.

By the way, the magazine "Psychology Today" did a survey of business leaders, world leaders and leaders in a variety of fields and one of the questions they asked was what author most influenced their thinking. This was sometime in the mid 1960s or 1970s. Over half of them named Ayn Rand as the author who influenced them most. So while we may not agree with her ideology we've certainly been affected by it. Trump also says she's his favorite author. :)

Barry
Lolly_Reader
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Post by Lolly_Reader »

BarryEM wrote:Trump also says she's his favorite author. :)
Thanks for proving my case, Barry.
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BarryEM
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Post by BarryEM »

I don't think Trump has anything to do with your case. You specifically said it wasn't about her ideology but that you were criticizing her writing. I doubt if Trump knows anything about writing. He likes her ideology.

Barry
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jimthorne2
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Post by jimthorne2 »

Ayn Rand is awesome. Her Atlas Shrugged is a classic. It sticks with you after only one reading. Her philosophy is hard and harsh but well stated.
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khusnick
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Post by khusnick »

Ayn Rand is one of my favorite authors. The Fountainhead is absolutely brilliant. I don't agree with her political views, but I absolutely love her writing style. It's very unique, and it always gets me thinking.
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jimthorne2
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Post by jimthorne2 »

Most people's political views are a mish-mash. There is value in ideas like Rand's or anyone's views for that matter. We have to accept the good and reject the bad.
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Estrelldamilola
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Post by Estrelldamilola »

I have a feeling that the author has many great books. I will get from written by him.
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BarryEM
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Post by BarryEM »

Ayn Rand didn't write that many books and she's a she, not a him. :)

Barry
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Brandi Noelle
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Post by Brandi Noelle »

I do not enjoy Ayn Rand at all. There was a sense of self-importance in all of Rand's books that I've read.
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Post by Tzara Drusak »

I've read Atlas Shrugged and Fountainhead. Have to do an essay on them later this year. Rand is focused primarily on philosophy, and readers looking for a thrill in a book might want to traverse another avenue. Otherwise, she's an okay writer in my books.
And in the end, we were all just humans... Drunk on the idea that love, only love, could heal our brokenness.

-F. Scott Fitzgerald-
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BarryEM
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Post by BarryEM »

I disagree. While it's true that Rand was trying to promote her philosophy in her books she had a lot of talent as a writer and wrote stories with a fascinating mix of characters and situations. They're fun to read as well as intelligent. And if you have no interest in philosophy, and I don't, these are still fine books to read.

Barry
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Snrains13
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Post by Snrains13 »

I'm actually a fan of Ayn Rand and I'm kind of disappointed to see so many people who don't care for her. She writes stories that promote so many different, and sometimes very important, messages in very creative ways. Some of the writing can be hard to read for those who aren't used to it, but I think it's worth it.
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