Anyone read The Fountainhead?

[DAM]

Amazon

Well someone recommended this book to me, and I was just wandering if I should pick it up or not?


Well, reviews please.


dam(DAM)

 

[Yo Ma Ma]

I've read it, liked it and would also recommend it. Some folks don't like it or other titles by the author (Ayn Rand), but not so in my case. If you like "The Fountainhead", then you might try "Atlas Shrugged" also.

 

[Vic]

Great book, controversial politics brought to you by Ayn Rand.

Basically, it is the life stories of two men who are both friends and rivals. One always does whatever he is told to do regardless of what he really wants and/or feels that his life purpose is, while the other (our hero) always sticks to his feelings of life purpose and never compromises his goals or standards, regardless of consequences. The backdrop is New York from the 20's to the late 40's (?, been a while), the two men are both major architects, designing skyscapers. As the story progresses, Rand goes on (in her typical fashion) to explain how selfishness is a virtue and selflessness is the evil sin (borne of dishonesty, both to one's self and to others).

I won't spoil, just read it. It's a great book, a little slow at times but worth it. Definitely an eye-opener. I also recommend Atlas Shrugged. That is the story (in essence) of the man who could have saved the world from itself, and chose not to.

 

[milagro]

Read it? Howard Roark built my house!

an interesting read....a very very conservative philosophy.

 

[rgwalt]

No, thank goodness...

Ryan

 

[smp]

Who reccomended it to you? Amused One?




I've read a couple of her books and find her to be naive and conflicting. Still worth the read though, but think about what you're reading while you're reading it. She seems to make a lot of sense, but as far as I'm concerned, falls short.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: rgwalt
No, thank goodness...

Ryan

Ignorance is nothing to be proud of. :disgust:

 

[milagro]

Forgot to mention...a bit of interesting trivia...Alan Greenspan (Current Fed Chairman) and Rand were big buddies

 

[Squisher]

I think I read everything of hers about 25 years ago. Even our beloved Alan Geenspan did an introduction or something in one of her books.

PSYWVic did a nice job giving a summary.

 

[HombrePequeno]

I don't want to sound like a queer or nothing but I think Ayn Rand is kickass.

 

[PlatinumGold]

ayn rand is worth reading whethor or not you agree with her.

don't pick up any of her so called philosophical treatises tho. nothing in any of those books that can't be found in "the fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged".

the fountainhead is a bit like a watered down version of Atlas shrugged.

 

[athithi]

Virtually every philosophy is flawed - but few are as spectacular as Ayn Rand's. Read 'The Fountainhead' and then read 'Atlas Shrugged', but take care not to become condescending towards your friends and relatives when you're reading these books or soon after reading them Practically everyone that reads these book cannot help being influenced by them - one way or another. For the period in which they were written (1940s-50s), they truly are mind-boggling. I don't know if there were many peers for her line of philosophy, though. Oh, and I think Leonard Peikoff is the very anti-thesis of Ayn Rand's hero :| I have both books sitting on the shelf right above my computer - both worn and dog-eared from many, wonderful afternoons lost in the magic of the written word *sigh*

EDIT: If you manage to read every single line of John Galt's radio broadcast in Atlast Shrugged, you would be one very patient person Rand has a tendency to restate her points over and over and over and over again

 

[geoff2k]

EDIT: If you manage to read every single line of John Galt's radio broadcast in Atlast Shrugged, you would be one very patient person Rand has a tendency to restate her points over and over and over and over again

I was about to start a poll asking whether people had skipped over that part or not. ;-) She does get very repetitive, does't she?

Anybody who's serious about her philosophy should also take a gander at some of the biographies of her out there and read about her "movement". IIRC members were expected to obey certain conformity rules that seemed very non-Objectivist (e.g. everybody had to smoke).

I don't agree with everything she wrote, but she did get me thinking at a very young age about what my own philosophy should be, perhaps because of the contrast between what she believes and the judeo-christian ethic I had been brought up with.

EDIT: buy it cheaper at half.com

 

[civad]

Read the book: liked it: asked my girlfriend to read it: lost the gf

 

[xospec1alk]

read it, it was a great book, i started reading atlas shrugged this summer, but i have absolutely no time...i've gotten through maybe around 150 pages and so far, its awesome

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: HombrePequeno
I don't want to sound like a queer or nothing but I think Ayn Rand is kickass.

unicorns too

 

[Whitecloak]

the book is worth reading at least once though IMO it was a bit too long. Rand started repeating herself towards the end.

 

[blues008]

'Atlas Shrugged' and 'Fountainhead' are two amazing books.

LOL, How many skipped over Galt's radio address? I couldn't get through it

Both books will make you think - they'll make you question your beliefs and how you perceive the world.

 

[Epsil0n00]

Yeah, I would recommend both of them. I read Fountainhead a few years back and want to re-read it... Atlas is sitting on the shelf waiting. Also, a point of interest that no one has mentioned... Howard Roark is loosely based on the career of Frank Lloyd Wright. There are many, many similarities in the novel about his philosophy and life story, even down to some of the specific buildings he designed! Every time I tour a FLW house or look at his designs I think of Roark. Scary.

* I agree about what someone said about not being as ass to your friends/family after reading this book... I remember being all pumped up on selfishness and looking down on people. ha!

 

[athithi]

Originally posted by: Epsil0n00
Yeah, I would recommend both of them. I read Fountainhead a few years back and want to re-read it... Atlas is sitting on the shelf waiting. Also, a point of interest that no one has mentioned... Howard Roark is loosely based on the career of Frank Lloyd Wright. There are many, many similarities in the novel about his philosophy and life story, even down to some of the specific buildings he designed! Every time I tour a FLW house or look at his designs I think of Roark. Scary.

* I agree about what someone said about not being as ass to your friends/family after reading this book... I remember being all pumped up on selfishness and looking down on people. ha!

Wasn't there some controversy about the similarity to FLW? I thought Rand vehemently denied that she'd based it on him. Was this taken to court? I vaguely recall reading something about that. And FLW's buildings were truly awesome!

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Im not aware of any controversy, but I do believe that Rand and FLW often corresponded via letters. I recommend reading the Fountainhead, and if you enjoy it, then read Atlas Shrugged.

 

[athithi]

Interesting link narrating FLW influence on 'The Fountainhead'...

 

[Epsil0n00]

hey good link, bookmarked it for next time I read the fountainhead.

 

[Platypus]

I've read all of her work. I do not agree with her views, but they are interesting views none the less.

 

[ABErickson]

How many skipped over Galt's radio address? I couldn't get through it

Yep, I was going to say that Atlas Shrugged is very good except for about 25 pages of soap box and drivel near the end.