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Summary: A Brilliant Refute to the Collectivism that Plagues America
Review: The Fountainhead truely captures the essence of capitalism that the founders of America held so dear. The hero of the novel, Howard Roark, exemplifies the spirit of the self and capitalism. The ideal he holds dear is living life for oneself. Roark says in a trial summation "His [man's] vision, his strength, his courage came from his own spirit. A man's spirit, however, is his self." Roark struggles in a mindless society where humans give their souls to anyone. The villain is Ellsworth Toohey, a man who feeds off the weak-minded. His true ambition is to control the minds and souls of people so he will be projected to the forefront of society. He preaches theorys of altruism and collectivism which place him at the top of civilization. Rand uses Roark to refute the communistic philosophy that destroys man's self. Roark stands against the illogical notion of communism that overtook pre and post World War II Europe and Asia. The ideas of socialistic practices have penetrated the minds of Americans and they will be a crucial step towards forfeiting or preserving freedom. Roark tries to make this clear for the people who still have a chance at living life for themselves.
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Summary: Benevolent View of Life
Review: I was struck by how little Rouke allows himself to suffer. He looks at pain in the same way that he looks at everything else; as something to be understood, and then move on. I particularly liked Roukes response to evil, when the unscrupulous Ellsworth T. asks him at a party "What do you think of me"? Rouke replys, "I never think of you". Rouke is very unique in this repect. He seems to be able to step outside himself and look at the irrational objectively. Once he understands it; it becomes impotent to hurt him any longer.Evil and pain don't rate very high in Rouke's life. Whereas many of my friends, aquaintences and family members constantly horriblize over events that happened years ago. They carry these painful events around with them like prized battle scars. They refuse to try to understand them. They are not curious in the lest about the nature of their own suffering, and therefore, never solve them; keeping their suffering as the only evidence that they are alive. Rouke, on the other hand, rejects suffering as a way of life. And for this reason he is able to live a happy life and achieve his highest values. As opposed to the millions upon millions of pituful misshapened lives left in the wake of religion - which teaches us, not to be happy and live, but to suffer and die.
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Summary: Compelling and Thought Provoking
Review: This book causes controversy in every aspect, because it chooses to analyze the depths of the human psyche. As one of my dear friends put it, "it is either the most or the least moral novel ever written, but I cannot discern which it is." After reading the final pages, I was transfixed... not by Ayn Rand's theories of objectivism (I disagreed on some points), but on the character of Howard Rourke, a person "an end in himself". Rand's portrayl of Rourke left my heart both broken and healed. Buy this book. Make the moral decision for yourself about the quality of the book.
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Summary: Roark vs. Toohey
Review: "~I enjoyed this book immensely. However, most of the reviews for this book focus on Roark. I think Ellsworth M. Toohey was a more incredible character. Roark and Toohey were both two independent people, but I envy the way Toohey used people to give himself more power. Just knowing the fact that he is "smaller" than them is just what they need to survive. They all used him. They could care less about him. I'm sure they all could've easily lived without Keating. They took advantage of Keating's weakness...but hey, who wouldn't?
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Summary: A masterpiece
Review: I've read this book in a Dutch translation. It was the first time I heard of Ayn Rand.This book was marvellous to read. The story of Roark is one of the victory of the individual over the mass. It is about a person's integrity, so difficult to keep in a society like ours. It was a great surprise to me to discover that this book was written in the first half of the century and moreover by a woman. Nor the subject, nor the style of writing can indicate this. The subject is timeless. I can understand some don't like this book very much because in this real world we don't often meet people like Roark. He belongs to a novel. We don't have to compare ourselves or others with such an ideal character. It didn't spoil my reading and I can only recommend this novel very much.
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Summary: Love Ayn Rand, but what a horrible novel!
Review: I've read Rand's other three books of fiction over the years, and they are some of the greatest novels I've ever read. I just finished "The Fountainhead", and I cannot believe this is the same person who penned "Atlas Shrugged" or "We the Living". I think the main problem is that she's struggling to incorporate a more formal version of her philosophy into a fiction work. That's a great goal (and she succeeds in "Atlas Shrugged"), but here she 'tells' way more than she 'shows'. I felt insulted as a reader as she tried to lead me by the nose! The novel reads like a rough draft that needed more editing, and it has none of the strengths of her other works. None of the characters are appealing. The plot is uneven - it lurches forward only to stagnate for dozens of pages. The overall tone of the book was depressing and venomous to no apparent purpose, thematic or otherwise. Worst of all, some of the action was just competely unbelievable. For instance: Roark taking on the housing project that sets up the final conflict in the novel was a transparent plot device. It didn't seem to be something he would do - either philosophically or from common sense. Why would he trust the people he trusts in taking on that project? I pushed through to the end, but I was so happy when the novel was over. Worst of all, I really don't think Rand succeeded in presenting Objectivism or an exalted sense of life. The novel was too negative and soggy with bile to do either. Ayn Rand is a brilliant novelist, but "The Fountainhead" is easily one of my least favorite books. Read her others; they're incedible!
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Summary: Inspiring
Review: A wonderful look into the passion of architecture...and some other philosophical stuff as well.
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Summary: Your heart is free, have the courage to follow it!
Review: The book is an anthem to a human being and a course to the humanity that destroys the treasure of individual talent. There is Howard Roarke in many of us, we are just too weak to unearth it. One had to escape Bolshevik Russia to write THIS. Thanks Ayn! (I know this does not matter to you- and I don't care).
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Summary: Good, but will drive you nuts
Review: The Fountainhead is a good book. However, Ayn Rand goes way in too depth about what she is talking about. This book is really confusing due the fact that what she really wants to talk about, her philosophy of Objectivism, is buried so deep that you have to read it over and over again. On the other hand, she does really develop one good character. Howard Roark is someone who everyone would want to be, someone who realizes what he stands for and will not yield under any pressure. Even when he's in court, or when he is about to be put out of his apartment, Roark will not change his views. As a customer, you will either take what he gives you or he will leave. Even if its one minor detail, Roark will not let you change his work. It puts him apart from everyone else in the book, and he is the reason why this book is as good as it is. Unfortunatly, he is not enough, as Ayn Rand could not really do much with the others around Howard, and the book became slow and boring.
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Summary: Ayn Rand changed my life
Review: as you can see from this review page, people either hate this book or love it. I love it. to those who say that Ayn Rand is into communism or socialism or some other collectivist thing, let me say YOU STUPID FOOLS, READ THE BOOK AGAIN! there is no such reference in this book, in fact, there are many references against it. all of my friends told me not to read this book. if I had listened to them, I would have been deprived of the best expirience of my life. Ayn Rand says in this book that you cannot live your life for others. this is true. whether you believe her or not, you should read this book. it is a shame that they do not teach her in high school or college. we would have a better society if they did.
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