Today's wordfull wednesday from Cocoa's blog is about a favorite genre of book. Atlas Shrugged could sort of be a genre in and of itself. It is 1168 pages after all. This is Ayn Rand's "magnum opus", her attempt to explain the philosophy of what she believed in -and believed in very deeply - Capitalism.
Ayn was raised in Communist Russia and came to America as a teenager. Her philosophy is fascinating. I disagree adamantly with some of it, and agree passionately with other parts of it. Agree or disagree, she was courageous in stating openly and logically her approach to life.
Atlas Shrugged, sold more copies last year than ever before. The following comment by one of the main characters shows how timely Ayn Rand's insights were to our present economic and political situation."...what do you think is going to happen to the world?"
"Just exactly what it deserves."
"Oh, how cruel!"
"Don't you believe in the operation of the moral law, madame?" Franscisco asked gravely. "I do.... Do you wish to know whether that day is coming? Watch money. Money is the barometer of a society's virtue. When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion - when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing - when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors - when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don't protect you against them, but protect them against you - when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice - you may know that your society is doomed."
Atlas Shrugged, forces you to think through what what you think. My dad tells the story of being in the Denver airport once, years ago, and seeing a girl reading Atlas Shrugged. A stranger walked up to her and said, "well, how's Dagny Taggart doing today?" Dagny is the main character in the book. There is an instant rapport and hours of conversation possible when two people have read the same book, and Atlas Shrugged is particularly interesting to discuss.
Have you read it? What do you think?
6 comments:
I have not read it but it has gone on my list of books to check out at the library! Thanks to Wordfull Wednesday I have a hefty list. :D
hmmm...sounds interesting...1168 pages? guess I should get started soon :)
THis sounds like a good discussion topic on my "other" blog.
I've heard of Atlas Shrugged but never knew what it was about. It sounds way more interesting to hear you describe it. Thanks!
I have heard so much about this book, but have yet to pick it up. One more to add to my list!
I haven't even heard of this book! How interesting!
Post a Comment