No. 22 - The Fountainhead

by Ayn Rand

Started: June 24
Finished: July 5

Notes: I read "Atlas Shrugged" years ago, and loved the book, and the writing, so thought it was time I got around to this one. Rand is one of the most compelling writer's I've read, and she breaks so many rules. Her stories are full of exposition, the dialogue is either brief to the point of being hard-boiled or it goes on and on in pages of political/social/philosophical manifestoes. But it's still great reading. Rand is best known for her philosophy of Objectivism, sort of an atheistic super-capitalism that focus on mankind, as individuals, being the best they can be; her philosophy sort of says "there is no god, but we should still be the best we can be from an objective sense, not necessarily a moral sense." That's way too brief of an explanation for Rand's philosophy, so I apologize to any Objectivists who read this and cringe, but readers who want to know more can look it up online. I myself find major faults with Objectivism, but understand it's appeal. For one thing, I think Objectivism has a rather narrow and limiting view of the world and of mankind. Rand herself would likely brush me off and just say I'm a cretin who doesn't understand and am thus beneath her notice. Still, Rand is such a compelling writer that you find yourself screaming out "Yes! Yes! By God, she's right! Down with the dirty communists and socialists!" But then you go, "Oh, wait a minute, there isn't a God." Anyway, I've never read any other author who seems sooooooo, 100 percent sure of themselves as Rand. Too bad she didn't write more fiction than she did.

Mini review: Without a doubt, the best book I've read so far this year. I enjoyed the reading of it even more than that of "The Count of Monte Cristo." I don't agree with Rand politically, and her philosophy lacks much, but she is a heck of a good writer. In all 700 pages of this book, there were maybe ... maybe ... 10 pages of this book where is was kind of bored, and those 10 pages were back story for two characters. At its most basic, "The Fountainhead" is a "superman" novel, and like all such novels, average humanity cannot live up to the ideals esposed. A great read.