Go Back   Gossip Rocks Forum > Entertainment > Books and Literature


Login to remove all ads!
Old July 30th, 2007, 07:09 PM   #1 (permalink)
Chalet
Elite Member
 
Chalet's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 3,593
Default Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

I've always wanted to read this book. I bought it for a long flight. I just started to read it. Someone please tell me that I should stick with it and why. It's over 1000 paperback pages. I loved the Fountainhead and read it twice.

Help!
__________________


"Leave the gun. Take the canoli's".
Chalet is online now   Reply With Quote
Old July 30th, 2007, 07:19 PM   #2 (permalink)
cloud
Gold Member
 
cloud's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: just left of happiness
Posts: 1,349
Default

Ooh, it's a long one - and I think the Fountainhead is significantly better. i've read them both several times and Atlas Shrugged is very similar, but somehow more painful and dense (I've never made it through the 70 page radio address in AS...)

good luck, I can't really give you a good reason to stick with it other than if you liked the Fountainhead you are bound to find many similarities in character and theme so might find some love for it as you go along...
__________________
If I were reincarnated, I'd want to come back a buzzard. Nothing hates him or envies him or wants him or needs him. He is never bothered or in danger, and he can eat anything. -- William Faulkner

warlybard.com
cloud is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 1st, 2007, 10:11 AM   #3 (permalink)
missbazilb
Gold Member
 
missbazilb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 792
Default

I am about halfway through it, and I started it in March. Usually I read a book in a day or two, or at most a week. I don't know, I find that she just repeats herself over and over again a lot, almost beating us with her theories. I don't know if I'll finish it, but I'll try.

I didn't read the fountainhead, but I saw the movie on TCM about a month ago, and it struck me as very similar to AS, only with buildings instead of trains.
__________________
I drink my Haterade with Hater-Tots.
missbazilb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 1st, 2007, 01:58 PM   #4 (permalink)
nwgirl
Elite Member
 
nwgirl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,089
Default

I've read the Fountainhead numerous times. Have never been able to get through AS. I too read a book in a couple days. Not this one.
__________________
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." Albert Einstein
nwgirl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 2nd, 2008, 05:53 PM   #5 (permalink)
marina
Bronze Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 95
Default

I don't know if anyone actually reads that 70p speech.

Anyway, I read the book and was completely enchanted by the content in my early 20s and totally revolted by my early 40s, if that gives you any indication. A lot of people outgrow their Ayn Rand fascination.

There was a great movie about her life starring Helen Mirren a while back. What a loser of a bitch! It's worth seeing.
marina is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 2nd, 2008, 06:02 PM   #6 (permalink)
JamieElizabeth
Elite Member
 
JamieElizabeth's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dallas
Posts: 2,666
Send a message via Yahoo to JamieElizabeth
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by marina View Post
What a loser of a bitch! It's worth seeing.
Loser of bitch?!? Ayn?
I've tried reading this book, but can't stick with. I end up jumping through it, and opening random pages. Some of it is very dull.
__________________

JamieElizabeth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 2nd, 2008, 06:26 PM   #7 (permalink)
MissDecember
Hit By Ban Bus!
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Gloatopia
Posts: 2,224
Default

I found it excruciating and couldn't get past the first 100 pages.
I love The Fountainhead though.
MissDecember is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 2nd, 2008, 07:57 PM   #8 (permalink)
marina
Bronze Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 95
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JamieElizabeth View Post
Loser of bitch?!? Ayn?
Yes indeedy, she was horrid. She was a genius, and felt that normal rules did not apply to her.

The movie was titled, "The Passion of Ayn Rand." Eric Stolz and Julie Delpy were also featured. It was based the on writings of one of her much younger and handsome students (with which she had an affair) and his long-suffering wife.
marina is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 2nd, 2008, 08:10 PM   #9 (permalink)
qwerty
Elite Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,768
Default

I had no problem reading through Fountainhead. For Atlas Shrugged, I did the audiotape which was very well done. Fantastic story but for some reason I could never get past pg. 247 each time (twice) I tried to read the book.
qwerty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 2nd, 2008, 09:37 PM   #10 (permalink)
pacific breeze
Hit By Ban Bus!
 
pacific breeze's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: in the wild blue yonder
Posts: 15,540
Default

I think she was a mediocre writer and as for her politics, they were somewhere to the right of Mann Coulter. 'Nuff said.
pacific breeze is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 2nd, 2008, 09:58 PM   #11 (permalink)
McJag
Elite Member
 
McJag's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 9,301
Default

I hated it.
__________________
I didn't start out to collect diamonds, but somehow they just kept piling up.-Mae West
McJag is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 2nd, 2008, 10:30 PM   #12 (permalink)
JamieElizabeth
Elite Member
 
JamieElizabeth's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dallas
Posts: 2,666
Send a message via Yahoo to JamieElizabeth
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by marina View Post
Yes indeedy, she was horrid. She was a genius, and felt that normal rules did not apply to her.

The movie was titled, "The Passion of Ayn Rand." Eric Stolz and Julie Delpy were also featured. It was based the on writings of one of her much younger and handsome students (with which she had an affair) and his long-suffering wife.
Oh, okay. Yep. I know that she dated a psychoanalysis who is based in LA to this very day. nathanielbranden.com He has books about self esteem and romantic love. Supposely she is his inspiration, and they were lovers.
__________________

JamieElizabeth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 16th, 2008, 07:36 AM   #13 (permalink)
Butterfly
***** Geek
 
Butterfly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: In a Handbasket
Posts: 1,850
Default

I have this book in my bookcase. I have been meaning to read for a few years now after my first try.
__________________
><((((º>·. ¸¸. ·´¯`·.¸¸><((((º>><((((º>
`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸
><((((º>¸.·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>
`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
Butterfly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 16th, 2008, 08:24 AM   #14 (permalink)
witchcurlgirl
Elite Member
 
witchcurlgirl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 3,628
Default

^^ don't bother. It's a complete waste of time.

Whenever I meet an Ayn Rand devotee I laugh.
__________________
Darling, if you want to talk bollocks and discover the meaning of life, you're better off downing a bottle of whiskey. At least that way, you're unconscious by the time you start to take yourself seriously
witchcurlgirl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 16th, 2008, 08:30 AM   #15 (permalink)
Laurent
Elite Member
 
Laurent's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Out There
Posts: 10,736
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by witchcurlgirl View Post
Whenever I meet an Ayn Rand devotee I laugh.
I did like The Fountainhead. It was much better than Atlas Shrugged, imo.
__________________
Laurent is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:08 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.0.0 RC8
Design by JP33