Fountainhead

Rating:
Summary: Treekilling
Review: There was a solid 300 pages of good story here; it's a shame Rand traded emotion, believability and fun for irrational philosophy

Rating:
Summary: Inhuman
Review: Novels are about stories, right? Characters, emotions, real people, right? No one ever told Ayn Rand

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Summary: This book was challenging, but mentally rewarding.
Review: I first read "The Fountainhead", when I was preparing an essay on objectivisim which was offered through the Ayn Rand Institute. This text was unlike any other I had read before. The concentration required was exhausting, yet being so well written it painted a clear picture of Howard Roark and the rest of the cast. As I progressed farther into the story, there were times when I couldn't read enough in one sitting and had to keep coming back. On the other hand, at one point I put it down for at least two weeks. At some point in the book you would rather watch 'Might Morphine Power Rangers', then continue to put such a strain on your brain. I waited until the end for Rand to state her philosophy and most of the main points clearly, but there is one meeting in the beginning which stayed in my mind throught the book. It helped me clear up any difficult moments later on. Peter Keating asks Roark a question, "How is it you can always decide what to do?" Roark replies,"How can you let others decide for you?"

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Summary: Mountains of triteness, plateaus of platitudes
Review: The great novelist Vladimir Nabokov -- who, like Ayn Rand, was a member of the Russian diaspora that followed the Russian Revolution -- published a collection of his lectures on Russian literature that he gave as a lecturer at Cornell University, entitled _Lectures on Russian Literature_. During one such lecture, he had this to say about Soviet-era literature -- "We all know these bulky best-sellers _All Quiet on the Don_, _Not by Bread Possessed_, and _Zed's Cabin_ -- mountains of triteness, plateaus of platitudes, which are called 'powerful' and 'compelling' by foreign reviewers." (p. 8) Nabokov here was specifically referring to the product of the so-called "Social Realist" school of literature -- an admittedly God-awful genre; however, even the most casual perusal of _The Fountainhead_ would convince a sensible reader that "mountains of triteness, plateaus of platitudes" sums up this book quite well, too. And HOW trite and HOW platitudinous _The Fountainhead_ is! Aesthetically, the characters are more wooden than the Black Forest, and as believable as a Grimm Brothers fairytale; the conversation stilted; the plotting clumsy and predictable. As for the "ideas," these are nothing more than a confused melange of refried Nietzsche, Social-Darwinism, and a near-sociopathic egotism and greed. And perhaps no more damning critique of contemporary America exists, than when one considers that this steaming pile of utter rubbish and its offshoots (Objectivism, libertarianism, the rest of the Rand oeuvre) has become so influential in the lives and thinking of so many Americans. P.S.: I would have given this book a "1" except for two things: 1) _Atlas Shrugged_ is even worse; 2) Ayn Rand HAS done something I thought no writer, no matter how inept, would ever do -- she wrote BORING sex scenes.

Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth reading, but be prepared.
Review: I liked this book, but I did not like the amount of rhetoric I had to weed through in order to get to the actual point. The philosophical muddiness of this novel became oppressive, especially Roark's massive speech at the end. It was difficult, because it requires you to pay attention, not out of interest, but because a massive argument is being put together, and it would be very frustrating if you got all the way through it and missed the point. I just feel that she could have made the point of the novel with less pages and more interesting fiction. My biggest complaint about Ayn Rand is she does not ever seem to clearly state that her philosophy is designed to further yourself, but not by screwing your buddy over, and, as a result, too many people use it to justify these ends. Just be prepared and informed when you undertake this novel

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Summary: The Evils of Altruism
Review: Ask not what your country can do for you, nor ask what you can do for your country. Ask only what you can do for you. Egotism is the most noble objective of the human race

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Summary: If you're looking for easy philosophy - look elsewhere
Review: So, you think you want to read a book that gives you an eye opener on the world? This just might be the book for you. Assuming of course, you are strong enough in your beliefs and your love of yourself. Unlike every other philosophical book, The Fountainhead doesn't inspire agreement. You are not drawn to identify with the main characters. They are strange and unreal. You wouldn't want to trade places with them. That is the whole irony in this book - you either understand it enough to love it and not want to be anything preached in it - or you don't get it. I would give it a ten, but the ending takes away from it

Rating:
Summary: It's straightforward and now I'm mixed.
Review: Even though this is an extremely long book, it is one that calls to attention a myriad aspects lost to man. As a whole, I agree with Rand's labeling of most of the world as second-handers. Her views on women seems distorted, but her clearness on the exaltation of man, logic, and reason above the inconstancy of emotion is quite revealing and honest. The fact that her book has a happy ending is really refreshing and rare. It has opened my eyes and blurred my vision at the same time. I don't agree with all she says, which is monumental, but she makes a good case. If you are into new views, I'd take a week to read The Fountainhead

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Summary: The colors of The Fountainhead.
Review: Have you ever experienced going outside at 4:00 am to look at the morning stars and at the sunrise? The feeling given to me by that moment was one of totality (of self). It changed my life because I did it for me, because I wanted to experience it. If you have ever written a song, written a poem or done anything just for you and enjoyed it, then you have felt the essence of this book.

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Summary: A good book for philosophers and architects.
Review: This book was indeed good, moving at least. However, there are points which I thought were montonous, unnecessary. There is a LONG speech given by the main character, Howard Roark, at the end of the book, mainly to consitute Rand's Ode To Objectivism. I mean, it was really long. If you want to learn Ojectivism, read any of the articles in Philosophy, Who Needs It. I also heard from a friend that there is an even longer speech, almost 50 pages, given by the main character in Atlas Shrugged. I don't think she had, at the point she wrote The Fountainhead, crafted her literary fiction skills perfectly yet. As far as the philosophy presented in the book, it's rather straightforward and logical: you are fooled by your emotions, and it's an essential to moral survival to observe all things objectively, and to interpret your perceptions both rationally and logically. However, aside from the philosophical interpretation of the world, I disagree with Rand's political viewpoints, for reasons I won't enumerate here, simply to save space and to avoid putting you to sleep. In short, I think her epistemological and metaphysical philosophy contradicts her political. The major downfall I see in Objectivism, demonstrated most clearly, is that it is a very dogmatic philosophy. Howard Roark's behavior seems logical, but it only goes to show how a real, stoic Objectivist behaves in an esoteric manner, holding their infallible logic aloof from all other 'common people'. With this I disagree, and again, I will not explacate here. Overall, I give The Fountainhead two thumbs up, simply because it champions logic and reason, and those are two virtues that are entirely too scarce in the modern world. Also, being an aspiring architect, I had a great appreciation for the dominant theme chosen as the vehicle to deliver her message. It is a long book, but is one which you can move through at a good pace, if you understand the basic tenets of Objectivism and don't have a hard time with vocabulary.