Rating: 
Summary: The best book I have ever read - ever!
Review: After reading Hugo's Les Miserables, I never thought that I would ever read another book I would like as much as it, let alone more. But a friend convinced me to read the paper-weight that is Atlas Shrugged and I am eternally grateful. Based on literary merit alone this book would be a classic, but the ideas are what sets it apart from everything else. This book is so inspirational, that it actually changed my direction in life, and how many books can you honestly say that about? Even today, 50 years after its original publication, the events that occur in the novel are eerily prophetic. The book is not for everyone, as I can attest. Many people read this book and see part of themselves in the most detestable characters and it pisses them off. However, if you love what this country was built upon (not what it has become), which was unregulated free-market capitalism, then this your Bible.
Rating: 
Summary: Literature and Philisophical Train Wreck
Review: I dont even know where to start. If this book is so "influential", how come I never heard of it until Sophmore year of high school, from a crazy teacher who follows the philosophy hardcore, with the soul purpose of promoting it. I think the only influencing this book has done, is telling people what not to do. I think someone summed up her philosophy best when they said "Screw Your Neighbor; Do What YOU Want and Take Whatever You Can." Thats basically the whole point of the book. Oh yeah, and worship money, specifically gold.Somehow I get the impression Ayn Rand never passed Kindegarden, when we learned how to share, and we could all have a fun time. Without sharing you cant have love, and without love we are no different from the animals. She also says "Dont worry about anyone else, just yourself be completely independent." Uh, hello. We never were and never can be completely independent. That is a very foolish outlook. We all come into this world as babies and are dependent on our parents. We can never be completely independent either, we always depend on nature for our food. And if everyone only cares about themselves, were would all the safety regulations be? Who would chase down criminals? Who would hold open the door for you when you have your hands full? No One!!!!! In her book she claims that money isnt the root of all evil, and maybe shes right. But excessive greed and lust for money is evil (example. Bank Robbers) and her philosophy advocates that! Call her philosophy genius if you want, but if I had a choice of our current world and Ayn Rand's utopia that worships money, I'd definately choose the current world. By the way, the book is also incredibly boring, long, drawn out, and the plot gets really really stupid when you make it to part III.
Rating:
Summary: Phenomenal
Review: One of the best books I have ever read. Takes a bit of concentration to read but all very worth it in the end.
Rating:
Summary: A+ The Best book I've ever read!
Review: Wow! I've read this book twice now, as well as The Fountainhead, Night of January 16th, Anthem, and many of Ayn Rand's other philosophical books. This book has changed the way I look at the world. Ayn Rand had the ability to weave philosophy into a story line to create a masterpiece. When you read some philosophies, you feel as if you are preached at. Ayn Rand backs-up every point no matter how minute with concrete evidence. She gives many examples of what happens when a person deliberately refuses to listen to reason. Since writing this novel, many of the laws that were writen in the book to demonstrated what would happen if unnecessary laws, taxes, etc.. are actually in effect! (I read that somewhere in one of Rand's other books that she later wrote.) This is truly an incredible book!
Rating: 
Summary: Good indeed but a little bit long
Review: I've just finished reading this book and it is very good, all these things about the real meaning of being human and live it is remarkable. I'm still feel motivated by the words of the radio speech(although it is very long)and I really hope there are a lot of John Galt outhere. If not, everybody should read this book to encourage them all to start living.
Rating:
Summary: A book that will change your life
Review: I recieved this book from my mentor as a high school graduation present. Since then, I have read it about 5 times (my graduation was about 2 years ago) and each time, I pick up small details that I have not noticed before. Rand's use of metaphors is absolutely brilliant. A perfect unity of physics and philosophy (okay, philosophy more so than physics), it explains the relationship between work and money as being in ideal balance when following the three laws of thermodynamics. A must-read for the modern intellectual.
Rating:
Summary: After you read this, there's no going back
Review: I was pretty skeptical about this novel when I first flipped through it. If it was so great, why hadn't it won any prizes or anything? Reflecting back now, I realize what a silly way that is to measure a book. If there was ever was an author that deserved the Nobel Prize in Literature--it's Ayn Rand, for the masterpiece created in Atlas Shrugged. Atlas Shrugged begins with the question, "Who is John Galt?" Dagny Taggart, the "real" president of Taggart Transcontinental (but hiding under the name of "Operating Vice President") runs her railroad inpeccably. Taggart Transcontintal is truly the best railroad in America, running from coast to coast. Slowly, things begin to change. Her power-thirsty (but not money-thirsty! No! He's there to serve the public welfare. It's all about the people!)brother Jim Taggart (& Co.) slowly begin to destroy the nation's economy as they rasp and yell about "public welfare!" and "the triumph of the little man!" Taggart and his friends tie the noose around what is left of America. One by one, the great industrialists drop out, leaving no trace behind. The newspapers scream of the victory of the poor people--ah, what horrible greedy people they were! The nation sinks into a huge economic problem. People starve. Huger riots continue. Gangs of 'looters' raze the country, burning houses and taking all that is left. The book is haunted with eternal questions that linger: Who are the real producers? Who are the looters? Who is John Galt?
Rating:
Summary: To future readers and objectivists,
Review: For people who had unanswered questions from the fountainhed I highly recommend thgat they read this book. For that, as stated by Ayn Rand, is the purpose of this novel. The main idea of the fountainhead was egoism, while Atlas shugged goes more in detail with the root of objectivism, which is reason.
The novel was beautifully written and has great detail and fairly good plot. She does a great job of telling each of her characters' stories' and then intertwining(may be misspelled) them into one. In all actuality, Dagny is a much more likable and easier understood heroine than Dominique. All the main characters generally have more depth and are better developed(than the ones in the fountainhead). They have more emotion while at the same time still managing to be logical, thinking beings with strength and endurance. Many authors, in attempting to give their character depth make the mistake of portraying them with too much emotion, ultimately depicting them as whiny or wimpy crybabies. Ayn Rand does not make that mistake and keeps a good balance between emotion and logic. Some stated that the characters were too cold and distant. It is not that they were cold, it is just that they thought before they felt and knew the reason behind their emotions whereas most feel blindly and put feelings before their logical mind. All of it comes down to reason, which is the essence of her characters and the story.
A 'flaw' as some believe, is the fact that the book is extremely long(a little more than 1000 pages)and needed to be edited. Although I found myself putting it down from time to time before continuing (misspelled, sorry) , I believe that statement to be false. Maybe someone who is moderately slow reader or one who gets bored easily with reading would believe that to be a flaw.This book, had it been edited would not have served its purpose, for every event leads up the main idea of the book. All of the details and quotes are relavent and necessary in order to understand the overall ideas and views. Only one who cannot connect and relate them to the main idea may think that some of the events should be cut out. But my point is, don't let the length scare you away or hold you back.
For many, reading this book will take some time, but not primarily b/c (because)it is long. It is mainly b/c in order to comprehend this book, one must logically think though the things she says. Although she mostly states her points very clearly, some of her quotes are not as clear and must be thought though in order to find the interpretation. A WORD TO THE WISE: NO, SHE WILL NOT SPELL EVERYTHING OUT FOR YOU, NOR IS SHE OBLIGATED TO DO SO. SOMETIMES YOU WILL HAVE TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES. So once in a while, you will have to put the book down and THINK. For that is the job of a philisophical novel, to make a person think and look at the world around them. She would not be doing her job if she gave you all the answers.
For those who still choose not to read this novel I say this: YOU WILL NEVER TRULY UNDERSTAND HER PHILOSOPHY UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THIS BOOK. For, everything, the base and the root of her philosophy is contained in this book.
Rating:
Summary: Thinking
Review: Simply - it made me think. To me, this is what makes this book a must read.
Rating: 
Summary: A refined philosophy, but somewhat lacking in momentum
Review: Ayn Rand holds a special part in my heart, simply because "The Fountainhead" was the first book I read seriously. However, sentimental values aside, I still consider her to be great thinker, but as a writer, she is somewhat above average. If it was possible, I will give her three and a half stars, because her style isn't quite a four, but her thoughts are more refined in "Atlas Shrugged" than in "The Fountainhead." There is less confusion, but Rand muddles some of her points by over-pondering. It is ultimately a *study* of what she wants to convey to her readers (i.e., her beliefs), but in some cases, the readers are left to swim the myriads of suggestions and ideals of her own. It is as if she knows what she is talking about, but the readers have no idea and are left to piece the parts together.
I still consider this better than "The Fountainhead," simply because it is a better reflection of her philosophies. I do not agree with all of her ideals, but on a strictly objective level, I think this is her greatest book (other than her short stories, which hold their own... and perhaps her best written pieces). It's better than three stars, but not quite four stars. I kind of wish she wrote more essays than she did novels, because momentum and presentation is less important in essays.
I do recommend this book, however, just because it's a must-read.
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