Fountainhead

Rating:
Summary: The best book ever written - period.
Review: Rand shows to us the way man was meant to be. The Fountainhead shows us a glimpse of what we, as individuals, are capable of. A masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: I thought the book opened up my eyes to everything near me.
Review: Howard Roark was a man that everyone should be he's laid back and he lives his own life. He doesn't care about material items. All he cares about is his love, archieture. That to me is what life is all about, your love. Everyone should read this book. My reason for that statement is that it lets you look at yourself and realize who you are and what you're doing with your life. I'm a 16 year old high school student and I believe this book should be part of the school reading list. Thank you if you read my review!

Rating:
Summary: The worst book I've ever read
Review: My God in heaven I wish I'd never read this book. I could stand Anthem, but this was just a load of dogmatic garbage. I don't care if some of you think I'm purile or something for not liking this, it's my opinion you peckerheads.

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing but flawed
Review: I'm a libertarian and an avid reader, so a counselor at my high school suggested I might enjoy this and lent me a copy. I enjoyed reading the book, but was ultimately somewhat unsatisfied at the end. The plot was interesting and kept me reading, but I found the characters to be very shallow and uninteresting, and I found it difficult to sympathize with The protagonist Howard. At first I was rooting for him, but when he experienced one defeat after another and didn't seem to care, I stopped caring, too. I actually found the villians more interesting than the hero, for the most part. Peter was interesting, and it was interesting to read about his rise and what he did to achieve it. Toohey was interesting at first, but after his big speech to Peter he descended into cartoonish supervillainy. The only character I really liked was the sculptor, who was admirable but, unlike Howard, actually seemed human. I realize that Rand was trying to create a portrait of her ideal man with Howard, rather than a realistic person, and that this ideal man would probably require equally unrealistic supporting characters and enemies, but I felt the characters were so unrealilistic as to be mostly uninteresting. Still, overall I enjoyed the book and would reccomend it. Just don't expect it to be as earthshattering as the positive reviews say.

Rating:
Summary: A Phenomenal Book
Review: The Fountainhead is an epic and should be read by everyone. I especially urge people 18-22 to mandatorily read it. Its a beautiful depiction of a man who loves what he does and values his personal Individuality, creativity and expression more than anything else. An awesome read. It will be a book which you will never forget.

Rating:
Summary: JUST UM......READ BELOW
Review: ok , well i don't know where to begin really. its sooo amazing to read what everyone else has written and i find it incredibly weird that a few people who seem to detest this book , sound like THE MOST CYNICAL, PATHETIC AND MISERABLE PEOPLE, who seem to be totally unwilling to give LIFE A CHANCE ! i mean , who's asking you to love Howard Roark ( although i certainly do !) or agree with his ideologies. i believe, that to be truly happy you have to have a combination of Roark's policy and the common, accepted everyday and "normal" one . individualism against collectivism is wonderful but then, i think u need to pay attention to others as well. i mean, u shouldn't dismiss people out of hand for no bloody reason and just act like they don't exist. anyway , i gotto go but i'm gonna read it again (as i'm now a year older) and write another review ( not that anyone out there cares or anything but ANYWAY !) later on . cya

Rating:
Summary: classic!
Review: Ayn Rands fiction is an original, if slightly flawed, thing to be experienced. This book WILL provoke, enlighten and inspire you. Get it! BTW, a previous reader made an inaccurate illustration of objectivism (with the child and the well). Read "the ethics of emergencies" in THE VIRTUE OF SELFISHNESS for an adequate rebuttal - she explains that when we try to build our philosophies from extreme hypothetical situations, we presuppose a world in which man is unable to survive for himself. And, yes, it is quite reasonable to save the child (rand never claimed otherwise):)

Rating:
Summary: Incredible in originality and passion
Review: It is incredible in its originality and passion

Rating:
Summary: Objectivism viewed objectively
Review: It is ironic that Rand's philosophy, that so strongly contests the possibility that people are in some way shaped by their environment, is itself in fact obviously the product of Rand's (understandable) reaction to the Bolshevist Revolution she experienced.

Objectivism by itself is an internally consistent philosophy. However, it seems that most who call themselves "objectivists" are in fact, not. Take for example those who have written positive reviews of this book. The central aim of Objectivism is to seal yourself away from the concerns of others: objectivists should not care what other people think. Acts of charity are taboo, as they "degrade both the giver and recipient." What then, is the goal of objectivists who need to express themselves in forums such as these? They should not need to seek approval for themselves or Rand according to their own philosophy, and "enlightening" others is something that one like Howard Roark would never concern himself with: it is too close to charity.

I also take issue with Objectivism itself. Question the ends that such a philosophy implies. What is inherently wrong with a charitable act? Take for instance the following scenario:

While about on a walk, one sees a child teetering on the brink of a well, about to fall in. One such as myself would naturally seize the child to prevent her from perishing. However, according to Objectivism, one should allow the child to fall to her death, both for fear of dirtying one's suit, and because the charity of such an act would be degrading to both involved.

I give The Fountainhead two stars because I thank it for spurring my own thoughts, while recognizing such thoughts to be nothing other than the page-by-page attempt to keep from putting the book down. Read it so you can criticize it.

Rating:
Summary: Confirmation
Review: I had read this book as a young girl and decided to read it again on a recent vacation; stayed up 2 nights reading could not put it down. Even as a woman I so identified with the Howard Roark's character. The struggle between altruism and egotism is one that we are faced with on a daily basis. Maybe the best position to be in, is a balance between the ego and altuism; or is this a "cop out"? To be a true egotist is so difficult to achieve in today's society and perhaps can never be achieved; but we must try. Self love is the only true freedom; when you love self then everything around you becomes beautiful; you begin to operate from a position of non-judgement. Oh! if only we all could get there what peace we would have in our hearts and on earth. The individualist rules!! I loved every inch of this book and am on my way to Atlas Shrugged.