Ayn Rand

[EarthRise]

Besides, all the cool kids are reading it.

If all the cool kids were Catholic, would you be as well?

[MPTrooper]

I have Atlas Shrugged.

I read the first twenty pages...looked at how much I had left and put the book down.

Any reason I should pick it up again?

So you're a Catholic! Listen, I have the Bible. I read the first twenty pages...looked at how much I had left and put the book down. Any reason I should pick it up again?

Atlas Shrugged, for lack of a better term, is my Bible. It absolutely changed my life and the lives of millions of others. In fact, I believe it was named as the second most influential book in a Time Magazine poll of Americans back in 1995 or some such.

If that doesn't sway you, just look at the second quote in your signature. Jesus died on the cross, I think you can read a big book, friend. Besides, all the cool kids are reading it.

That doesn't help at all.

Perhaps if I knew what the book was about. I can't get a straight answer from anyone as the people I talk too are too busy telling me how awesome this book is. If it was that awesome, the book wouldn't have bored the hell out of me in the first place.

And so we're clear, it's not the length of a book that keeps me from reading it. Hell, I'm a Stephen King fan. That man uses 100 pages to describe a single room.

[Rainswept]

Yes, but 90% of Stephen King's best work is short stories and novelettes. I remember an entire chapter of Eyes of the Dragon describing a room full of napkins. I don't think I've read a full length novel of his since then.

Atlas Shrugged centers around the vice president of a major railroad and the owner of a major steel company. These two find themselves in a constant battle to keep their companies running and profiting for various reasons that seem to keep mounting.

Slowly they begin to notice that many of the other best and brightest heads of companies, scientists, etc are disappearing one by one, and the country is suffering a tremendous depression at the same time.

The two heroes struggle to overcome everything from corrupt politicians, lying and cheating members of their own companies, and even their own families, all the while trying to figure out what has been happening to the missing leaders, and wondering if they will be the ones to disappear next.

[EarthRise]

Yes, but 90% of Stephen King's best work is short stories and novelettes. I remember an entire chapter of Eyes of the Dragon describing a room full of napkins. I don't think I've read a full length novel of his since then.

Atlas Shrugged centers around the vice president of a major railroad and the owner of a major steel company. These two find themselves in a constant battle to keep their companies running and profiting for various reasons that seem to keep mounting.

Slowly they begin to notice that many of the other best and brightest heads of companies, scientists, etc are disappearing one by one, and the country is suffering a tremendous depression at the same time.

The two heroes struggle to overcome everything from corrupt politicians, lying and cheating members of their own companies, and even their own families, all the while trying to figure out what has been happening to the missing leaders, and wondering if they will be the ones to disappear next.

And the head of the major railroad sleeps with every male in the book, basically

[Rainswept]

Dude, delete that.

We're discussing the book and explaining why someone might or might not want to read, it's not really the place for spoilers and wiscracks that take away from the story.

[Taidje Khan]

It's about the complete economic collapse of alternate universe America, and showcases how various people contribute or fight against said collapse based on their philosophies of life. (And yes, the lead character falls in love with three different men in her lifetime.) And like The Fountainhead, the book starts off slow and almost dreary but gets better and better as you go along until about midway through when you realize it's a masterpiece.

It's good, it's the kind of book that everybody ought to read at least once, and now's the time, since they're going to make a terrible movie out of it in the next few years.

Read it or don't.

[EarthRise]

It's good, it's the kind of book that everybody ought to read at least once, and now's the time, since they're going to make a terrible movie out of it in the next few years.

I can only hope that you jest in this (lest I become depressed). The American populace would soundly reject the primary tenets of the book as un-Christian and the quote-unquote 'atheist overtones' adopted by Ayn Rand in her promotion of zealous capitalism.

Plus, it's too f-in' long to be translated into a movie.

[Rev. Rowan Redbeard]

Plus, it's too f-in' long to be translated into a movie.

Since when has that stopped the movie industry?

[ChowMein]

It's ....., the book starts off slow and almost dreary but gets better ....

YARR! Took me the next rainy day to pick it up after being put on the back bookshelf ( was working on Steve King's stuff ) .

Read it or don't.

Yarr ...'twas sum toime ago but I'm glad I did .

[Taidje Khan]

It's good, it's the kind of book that everybody ought to read at least once, and now's the time, since they're going to make a terrible movie out of it in the next few years.

I can only hope that you jest in this (lest I become depressed). The American populace would soundly reject the primary tenets of the book as un-Christian and the quote-unquote 'atheist overtones' adopted by Ayn Rand in her promotion of zealous capitalism.

Plus, it's too f-in' long to be translated into a movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480239/

I hear tell that they may attempt a trilogy ala` LOTR.

[~NoodleDemon~]

I am also a mild admirer.

I find some of her philosophy to be too celebratory of individualism, without enough pragmatism to accept that we are indeed a communal society. However, I do agree with several of the other base ideas of Objectivism.

Whatever the case, she's still a good writer, for those with the patience to read her works.

[Pontius Pirate]

I read Anthem. I refuse to touch Atlas Shrugged out of fear- the fear that it could be even remotely as bad as Anthem was. Seriously, I don't think I've ever disliked a book so much.

*shudder*

[Rainswept]

I loved Anthem. Read it twice. Great story filled with hope and life.

[Taidje Khan]

I read Anthem. I refuse to touch Atlas Shrugged out of fear- the fear that it could be even remotely as bad as Anthem was. Seriously, I don't think I've ever disliked a book so much.

*shudder*

"It is not advisable . . . To venture unsolicited opinions. You should spare yourself the embarrassing discovery of their exact value to your listener."
-Atlas Shrugged

[Rainswept]

It's a thread discussing the books man, the opinion wasn't unsolicited. It's fine to disagree.