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Summary: It's Great!
Review: This is by far my favorite book! People kept telling me to read it because I have an interest in architecture, so I finally did. It was so great though, anyone should read it, no matter what interests he has, because the themes are universal.
The Fountainhead is an amazing book, and I recommend it to all readers.
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Summary: Rand's an enemy of the environment!
Review: The book was thought-provoking, to say the least and I agreed with much of it. Maybe even most of it. However, Rand had no respect at all for the environment or for anything at all that might stand in the way of 'progress.' The 'good guys' were all cold fish, except, apparently, in bed. Speaking of which, I could not suspend my disbelief enough to accept that Howard Rourke would be anything but dismal in the sack. Good thing Dominique was open to a good rape scenario.
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Summary: Ayn Rand Institute - For Advancement of Objectivism
Review: I have read the book, saw the movie (1949 Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal, and Raymond Massey) and listened to the audio tapes. Each media gives a different feel to her story and brings out the underlying message in different ways. If this is your first Ayn Rand book then either you are in high school (where they think this is the pentacle her work) or you started in the middle of here forming. Other books as "We the Living", she knew something was wrong, but did not know what it was. In "The Fountain Head", she puts her finger on the symptoms and rebels against them. In "Atlas Shrugged', she finally identifies the source of the problem and even if it seems like a surrealistic story, she offers concrete solutions. Out of this Objectivism was born.
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Summary: Possible the first pop psychology-based novel.
Review: Appalling load of tosh from a selfish and racist writer, which will appeal to tepid minds and people looking for an easy codification of life.
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Summary: Not just for the decrepit.
Review: My main problem with this book is that it's "for adults." Apparently, we "kids" won't understand what the meaning is, or maybe we're too young and don't know enough about life to know what Ayn Rand is talking about. Either way, that is soooooooooo much BS. I'm fourteen, and I loved this book. It's one of my all-time favorites, right up there with The Stranger and Lord of the Flies. The struggle for the preservation of integrity and self is very interesting. Everyone who read this book with me commented how "Roarkian" I am. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. But I can say that there should be more Roarks in the world. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go buy this book and read it.
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Summary: A Beautiful Mess
Review: This book is the "Louie ,Louie" of literature. There are flaws and mistakes but the overall work is compelling. I have read this book 6 times and each time I see more flaws but something always brings me back. The Flaws: first Dominique Francon's motivations are unrealistic and stupid... Which brings me to the second flaw:Ayn Rands view of ...[intercourse]. The whole rape thing is present in both her Big(and I do mean Big) books . Ayn Rand has some ....interesting ideas about... [intercourse]. Lastly Ayn Rands writing style is peculiar. Her metaphors are odd . People dont talk like this and writers dont write like this. Not in the English language. That said this book is hypnotic. Why because ofthe ideas it presents . This book is like A comic book in that you have to suspend dibelief or ignore certain things to read and get to the main pointS :"Collectivism is bad. Individualism is good." "Think and verify for yourself" "Dont compromise your principles for the crowd". Fact is, nobody is saying this stuff in fiction so if you are of libertarian bent ,if you are the weird girl in high school who writes poetry and smokes clove cigarettes and have no boyfriends , this book says its okay . At the time it was written it was totally against the trend of the times and gets credit for existing at all. Honestly You should read this book. "Whoah NO ,Me Gotta Go"
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Summary: Good Book
Review: What a great and powerful book on the value of individuality, character and value of art.
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Summary: Fascinating Book
Review: I recently read this book, having picked it up at a friend's house, reading a page, and heading straight to the store to buy a copy. An excellent book, introducing a truly unique, empowering philosophy. Whether you agree or disagree with Ayn Rand's objectivism, I believe this book makes a point about the importance of self-reliance.
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Summary: Good fiction, bad philosophy.
Review: The first of Rand's two 'masterworks,' The Fountainhead is undeniably an interesting piece of fiction. It is the story of one Howard Roark, a visionary architect and rugged individualist, and his encounters with "moochers, second handers, and thieves." Overall, this is a page turner, with an engrossing plot and strong ending.If you are not familiar with the philosophy that spawned from Rand's fiction (Objectivism), it should be stated that all of Rand's heroes (Roark included) live the Objectivist lifestyle. So if you're wondering why all the flat dialogue and generally stiff characterizations, it's due to the didactic nature of this work. Some of the flow of the novel is interupted rather abruptly by Rand attempting to make philosophical points, and that, more than anything, is what inevitably keeps The Fountainhead (and Rand's other works of fiction) from ever being anything more than just slightly above average. My general warning when recommending Rand applies to The Fountainhead as well. Impressionable people (both young and old) have been sucked into the world of Objectivism through Rand's fiction - very much akin to L. Ron Hubbard's Dianetics creating Scientologists. Objectivism is a swiss cheese philosophy at best, and a dangerous cult at worst. Read The Fountainhead for what it is - an interesting piece of fiction. Enjoy it, but I don't recommend The Fountainhead as a guide to life.
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Summary: Discover how to think for yourself
Review: This book contains incredible psychological insights into the motivations and basic premises that produce a variety of character traits. It is essential for discovering how to think for yourself rather than going through life as a people pleaser.
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