A review by dorinlazar
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
4.0
Atlas Shrugged is far from being a wonderful book. It's difficult, slow and it makes it hard to empathise with the characters. At the same time, it's an amazing book, that you, your son or mother, your sister, your brother, and pretty much everyone you care for and ever cared for MUST read.
The book is important. It will be hell to read, it's slow, it's long, it's tedious. But it will open your mind, it will shape the way you think, and you'll find it impossible not to love the egocentric view of the world that Rand brings.
You don't have to agree with all ideas. I think her view of the problems with socialist societies is more important than her solution, which barely works for the book's plot. Her solution is less credible, while her view on socialism is mild and toned down. I know many people consider her a huge critic of socialism; in this book she brings to the table nothing of the sadism, the methodical destruction of the spirit that socialism brings with it in the world.
In real life, Ayn Rand's Atlantis could not exist. The socialists would find it and destroy it with no remorse. In Rand's book they show remorse; they value intellect and their drive is basically 'honorable in intention and destructive in effect'.
But it's impossible not to collect, like I have, around a hundred or more quotes to revisit when the Atlas Shrugged universe will be a bit farther away from me, in time. Those quotes stand on their own, without support of plot or characters; they show a clarity of thought that one rarely finds in popular culture.
Definitely a book worth reading, and it would've gotten five stars if it wasn't for the disappointing solution of the whole plot. I found the solution of the plot shaky at best, and the magic 'realm' of the geniuses lacking credibility.
The book is important. It will be hell to read, it's slow, it's long, it's tedious. But it will open your mind, it will shape the way you think, and you'll find it impossible not to love the egocentric view of the world that Rand brings.
You don't have to agree with all ideas. I think her view of the problems with socialist societies is more important than her solution, which barely works for the book's plot. Her solution is less credible, while her view on socialism is mild and toned down. I know many people consider her a huge critic of socialism; in this book she brings to the table nothing of the sadism, the methodical destruction of the spirit that socialism brings with it in the world.
In real life, Ayn Rand's Atlantis could not exist. The socialists would find it and destroy it with no remorse. In Rand's book they show remorse; they value intellect and their drive is basically 'honorable in intention and destructive in effect'.
But it's impossible not to collect, like I have, around a hundred or more quotes to revisit when the Atlas Shrugged universe will be a bit farther away from me, in time. Those quotes stand on their own, without support of plot or characters; they show a clarity of thought that one rarely finds in popular culture.
Definitely a book worth reading, and it would've gotten five stars if it wasn't for the disappointing solution of the whole plot. I found the solution of the plot shaky at best, and the magic 'realm' of the geniuses lacking credibility.