Ayn Rand - WritingForums.com - Writing Forums, Writing Challenges, Critiques and Help for Writers

modified7 · 11-24-2006, 12:40 AM

An old friend recently recommended to me "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. It looks to be about 1100 pages....just got it off ebay...... and am about two hundred pages in. As best as I can tell so far she is a great writer, the book has substance to it. I'm looking forward to the rest.
Any of you read anything from Ayn Rand as I also bought Fountainhead in the same auction.........

Stewart · 11-24-2006, 07:57 AM

I always thought of her as a poor writer who used every page to ram objectivism down your throat by the use of cardboard characters.

rydenthorne · 11-24-2006, 08:21 AM

I read "The Fountainhead" over here in Iraq, and I thought it was thought provoking. For so long, everyone's been taught in American society that looking out for yourself is evil, and she demonstrates that self-interest (as opposed to selfishness) is a good thing. I don't agree with some other things she propones, but it is good food for thought.

Sigur Rós · 11-24-2006, 03:13 PM

I read Atlas Shrugged and Fountainhead. They were both great books- meant to throw out her philosophy, which is why it would seem to be 'rammed' down your throat-she's a philosopher. Atlas Shrugged is very necessary in the form that it shows what people could do if they-actually-worked-together. Not to mention the strength the mind can really posses. Fountainhead was great because, it showed we are too affixiated on tradition. She's trying to say-destroy mediocrity! And that's very big in my philosophy. I may not agree with everything she's ever said but, that does not mean the other things are at all wrong. You're gonna end up thinking something about everyone you meet is fucked up anyways-seriously.

Stewart · 11-25-2006, 10:52 AM

I also blame her for Terry Goodkind.

K-P · 11-25-2006, 11:01 AM

Plenty of writers sprinkle their fiction with philosophy. Ayn Rand was like a fat lady at an all-you-can-eat pancake buffet. She just kept piling junk on her plate and there wasn't any room for the actual story.

Atlas Shrugged sucked. The characters were some of the most one-dimensional peons I've ever found in any book. I've seen deeper characters on Saturday Morning cartoons. Anyway, who's going to believe that capitalistic industrialist power brokers are all just knights in shining business suits?

Sigur Rós · 11-25-2006, 10:59 PM

I never found her stuff dull-just complex. He characters even amused me in the fact that they were romanticised while never being truly romanticised. They were very real, and some were so different and complex it amazed me. Even her characters were an emobdiment of her philosophy.

K-P · 11-26-2006, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigur Rós

I never found her stuff dull-just complex. He characters even amused me in the fact that they were romanticised while never being truly romanticised. They were very real, and some were so different and complex it amazed me. Even her characters were an emobdiment of her philosophy.

Spoken like a true teenager. I was a big fan of objectivism when I was your age. Of course, by the time I hit twenty I realized Mrs. Rand must've written her books with a typewriter shoved straight up her doodoo hole.

Her philosophy is philosophy for the intellectual in his larval form. It's like Coco Puffs. When you're older you'll learn to appreciate Bran Flakes. All the fiber is good for you.

Sigur Rós · 11-27-2006, 04:07 PM

Spoken like a true *couph*generalizer*couph*. Secondly I find her writings to be eclectic if anything. Philosophy does not go to a particular age. I know barely anyone my age who read her, and I heard of Ayn Rand threw my mom. A much-older-women who enjoys Ayn Rand. Secondly to claim any writer has a type writer shoved up their "doodoo hole" is a bit over-board when speaking of an opinionated matter. And you can't really say I 'will' and 'will not' like things as my age carries-that's just a dumb theory if anything. Lastly, I like the fundamentals-think for yourself-be individualistic-your mind is your strongest power-don't subject to mediocrity (embrace your imagination). I don't follow every bit of the objectivist philosophy, but enough to enjoy her book.-Liked her characters too-but that's me.

shadowseer · 11-28-2006, 08:11 PM

ithe only work of hers I've read was Anthem, i have a profund and deeply-set hatred for that book. It was muddled, unoriginal, and boring. The how thing felt forced, and I felt stupider from even having read it.

DON"T READ ANTHEM!!

I will not pass judgement on Ayn Rand, however, being that I haven't read any of her other works.

Hodge · 11-28-2006, 08:23 PM

Really? I'll pass judgment on her even though I haven't read any of her books (I just know her philosophy): evil. Bad. A detriment to society. Objectivism is a horrible philosophy that undermines society.

Sigur Rós · 11-28-2006, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowseer

ithe only work of hers I've read was Anthem, i have a profund and deeply-set hatred for that book. It was muddled, unoriginal, and boring. The how thing felt forced, and I felt stupider from even having read it.

DON"T READ ANTHEM!!

I will not pass judgement on Ayn Rand, however, being that I haven't read any of her other works.

It was pretty damn horrible.

Winged Sandals · 11-28-2006, 09:53 PM

What a coincidence. We just picked up Anthem recently and have it on our bedside table right now. We find it to be an interesting book, although not a very good story. The ideas presented are in surplus nowadays, but we thought she threw them out in a creative way. All in all, we don't think it's the greatest book, but it is a nice, quick read (not nearly as bad as the last book we read...).

(Sorry. We had an incredible urge to refer to ourselves as "we" in this post, even though it will most likely cause you to disregard all of our opinions on the subject due to our juvenille behavior, heh.)

modified7 · 11-30-2006, 08:06 AM

Well,
I'm about halfway through Atlas Shrugged now.....I only read it at work. In any event, there are areas that I have to force my way through but the storyline itself has been entertaining. Out of about almost 500 pages so far I can say that her occasional metaphors are first rate whether she planned them or not. I see some hard to believe inconsistencies in some of her characters at times, but I'm not sorry to be reading it as it is pretty good.
Regarding objectivism as bad for society......well, I was told you either love her or hate her......I'm neither so far but fail to see where promoting gumption is a bad thing for anybody. Her description of government and their constant enacting legislature to slow down the hard working industrialists is a bit hard to grasp and take seriously in the form she has written, but it hasn't ruined my enjoying it. I'll likely not check back on this thread,though, till I have finished it as I'd hate for someone to kill the ending for me in case it is of any surprises..........

i_am_difficult · 11-30-2006, 09:37 PM

Well, I have read Anthem, The Founainhead, and We the Livig by Ayn Rand, and thouroghly enjoyed all three. Though I disagree with about half of what she says and implies, I still felt that it was beneficial to read and understand it.