Amazon.com
The Fountainhead has become an enduring piece of literature, more popular now than when published in 1943. On the surface, it is a story of one man, Howard Roark, and his struggles as an architect in the face of a successful rival, Peter Keating, and a newspaper columnist, Ellsworth Toohey. But the book addresses a number of universal themes: the strength of the individual, the tug between good and evil, the threat of fascism. The confrontation of those themes, along with the amazing stroke of Rand's writing, combine to give this book its enduring influence.Book Description
A special edition hardcover in celebration of Ayn Rand’s centennial.

When it was first published in 1943, The Fountainhead--containing Ayn Rand’s daringly original literary vision with the seeds of her groundbreaking philosophy, Objectivism—won immediate worldwide acclaim. This instant classic is the story of an intransigent young architect, his violent battle against conventional standards, and his explosive love affair with a beautiful woman who struggles to defeat him. This centennial edition of The Fountainhead, celebrating the controversial and eduring legacy of its author, features an afterword by Rand’s literary executor, Leonard Peikoff, offering some of Ayn Rand’s personal notes on the development of her masterwork.

“A writer of great power. She has a subtle and ingenious mind and the capacity of writing brilliantly, beautifully, bitterly.”
--The New York Times
... Read more

Customer Reviews (943)

No redemption
I had been curious about this book in particular and Ms. Rand's philosophy in general.
Every character in this book is reprehensible.
Not one major character has the slightest in redeeming values or value.
No major character is noble in any sense of the word.
The book is interesting and worth the time but if you are looking here for answers keep looking.
PS
The stilted 30's dialogue is laughable and ludicrous unless you keep in mind the context.

Can't stand Annie Rand
Her philosophy doesn't make any sense to me.It's not logical and it's not human.Never have and never will.Peace out.

The Fountainhead
The book that change my life.Everybody MUST read this book, especially excellent architects.

Vestigial Leftover from the Cold War era
For the sake of clarity, I will separate this review into two parts that are often, in other reviews, confused, and need be distinguished to accurately review a work of "philosophical literature." The first part will review THE FOUNTAINHEAD as literature; the second, as philosophy.

THE FOUNTAINHEAD as Literature:
As literature, I cannot see much, if any, value to this novel. The plot is decent, though nothing to rave about as others do; for an explication of it I point you to the plot summary above. My biggest complaint with Rand's literature is her characters.
Here, as elsewhere in her corpus of writings, characters serve merely as mouthpieces for philosophical ideals. Out with psychological realism, out with any sort of compelling, human elements--here we see "ideal men" who be either pinnacles of perfection, or paradigms of evil. Some proclaim the originality of this, but I can point out myriad cases in which other authors have attempted to create archetypes of various ideals; none of them are very compelling, despite being far better framed and in the hands of far more skilled writers than Rand.
Take, for example, Alyosha from Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. Dostoevsky is a phenomenal writer, yet even he could not save his "hero" from failure as a compelling character; Mitya and, especially, Ivan, steal the book and redeem it. Some will debate me, and say Rand's characters ARE in fact compelling; I ask them to read a play of Shakespeare, or look at Satan in Milton's "Paradise Lost", or Prince Andrei and Pierre in Tolstoy's "War and Peace," (the peaks of great characters), and still try to tell me Rand's characters are interesting. They are flat, two-dimensional, and boring; they are not human. Her language, too, is flat; her ideas are nothing original; and by no measure of literary greatness does THE FOUNTAINHEAD stand strong.

THE FOUNTAINHEAD as Philosophy:
I must admit that seeing Rand's "Objectivism" accepted in many philosophy departments (including my own university's) as genuine pains me greatly. I will not attack her philosophy point-by-point; that belongs more appropriately in a review of her main philosophical work, "The Virtue of Selfishness." Instead, I dispute the originality and "freshness" of her philosophy, two qualities many claim on Rand's behalf. A deeper study of her ideas shows one that the philosophy expressed in THE FOUNTAINHEAD and in her other works, is little more than a gleaning of ideas from Stoicism, Nietzsche, and, ironically, Kant (she railed against Kant, probably in an attempt to disguise his influence upon her; much in the same way T.S. Eliot decried Whitman to hide his debt). Randianism is an amalgam of these other philosophers' ideas, and nothing new or fresh. Her presentation isn't even fresh; the philosophical novel is not a new idea, and has been done better elsewhere: look to Voltaire's "Candide," Dr. Johnson's "Rasselas," Tolstoy's "War and Peace."
If you like Randianism, fine. I can do little to change that. My only wish is that Randians would admit her debt to truly great philosophers like the Stoics, and, most especially, Immanuel Kant. I expect that the Randians, who often act in a sheepish cult-like manner (ironic for a group that preaches "individualism"), will rate this review, as they rate every negative review of Rand, quite lowly. So be it...

The Fountainhead
this a very good book to read if you are thinking about becoming an architect ... Read more

Book Description
Ayn Rand was one the most influential writers of the 20th century.According to the a poll conducted in 1991 under the auspices of the Library of Congress, her Atlas Shrugged is second only to the Bible in general influence in this country.It was she who more than any other writer in history championed capitalism not just as the most practical economic system--but as the only one consistent with reason and ethics. She called her philosophy, "Objectivism."

At the present time, the market place is more highly esteemed by more Americans than is government; this may soon be the case with a majority of the literate in other countries as well.Increasingly government is now viewed as a burden, rather than as a benefit.Yet, a political- economic system cannot continue to exist simply on the basis of a current success. Moreover, the present order is a mixture of capitalism and controls. Sooner or later, problems will develop, as they did in the nineteen thirties--and then people will have to consider what was at fault. Should there be a depression or some other huge social contagion, the lack of true answers may mean more war--perhaps right here in the United States.

Mr. Erickson's book, The Stance Of Atlas, contains an examination of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. More than that, it provides answers to some of the problems in philosophy which she had attempted to solve, but unsuccessfully.

It contains 361 pages, including index--softbound. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Critical mistakes make for dull book
Although Erickson makes some good points along the way, the book on the whole is a disappointment.Erickson committed three cardinal mistakes in writing it.To begin with, he unwisely adopts a dialogue form ofpresentation.The trouble with this is that philosophical dialoguesconstitute the most difficult form of philosophical writing.In order tofor a dialogue to be effective, the characters participating in it must bepresented as real human beings, not just cardboard puppetsventriloquistically manipulated by the author.Erickson is clearly out ofhis depth in the whole business.His characters have no personality atall.They do not fight for their ideas, like real human beings would, butcalmly accept all the arguments presented by the character Philosophus, whorepresents Erickson himself. Erickson would have been better off writingthe work in the traditional style of the essay.Philosophical dialoguesshould only be written by those equipped with the necessary literary anddramatic genius to bring them off. A second mistake involves Erickson'sdecision to focus primarily on abstruse technical questions.Too much ofhis book is preoccupied with an analysis of vague philosophical terms. Terms like absolute, apprehension, contextual, free will, identity,necessity, reason, unit, and value are tossed around as if they meantsomething definite.Most of Erickson's critique reduces itself merely to apurely verbal analysis of the meanings of these vague terms, out of whichobscure technical problems are deduced and endlessly quibbled over. Erickson would have been better off focusing the lion's share of hisattention on the factual shortcomings of some of Rand's more controversialphilosophical contentions.It is on the empirical side that Objectivism ismost vulnerable.Toward the end of the book, we find one of Erickson'spuppet-characters declaring: "I think we now have a sufficientunderstanding of the strengths and weaknesses of ObjectivismŠ"Thisimplies that Erickson believes his discussion of Rand's philosophy iscomprehensive.Here he commits his third mistake: for his book is notcomprehensive.It ommits a discussion of two of Rand's most important andcharacteristic doctrines: her theory of human nature and her theory ofhistory.You would think a doctrine as critical to the Objectivist ideology as this one would warrent a word ortwo from Erickson's cast of puppets, but they are strangely silent on thewhole issue. What could possibly be the reason for this?I suspect themajor reason is that Erickson more or less sympathizes with Rand's view ofhistory and thus sees no reason to animadvert against it.He prefers toquibble over such inconsequential issues as time and space and the problemsraised by discussing perception in terms of vague philosophical concepts. It is primarily for the above stated reasons that I cannot give Erickson'sbook a rating higher than two stars.While he does, as I stated above,make a few good points along the way, the book on the whole isoverly-technical, prolix, destitute of empirical rigor and, worst of all,dull.

Excellent book.
This book is excellent for readers who agreed with many of Rand's views but were upset by her atheism.It removes a basic contradiction:If belief in God causes the "evil" in Atlas shrugged, why does the Catholic faith argue against the same evil.Simple, Rand was wrong.

The book attacks Objectivism, but does not argue against Rand's true genius -- her ability to get inside the head of New Age man and describe and explain this evil being.

The book does answer the question on universals.The observations on memory are brilliant.

Examples of the new philosophy of Factivism include:"Name a nonexistant fact"answer the Past.

The only reason for the four stars is that the book is hard to read.I have read it four times and have mastered only about 50%.Definitely geared to philosophy buffs.Another similar book is "Raselas"(spelling)

Fair but foolish, Erickson fails as debater and philosopher.
Erickson's critique of Objectivism is highlydefective.While he brings a sincerity to his discussion which other of Rand's commentators have not possessed, his arguments are generally poorand his reports of Rand's claims confused.Thebook is also badly planned and edited and suffersgrievously under the dead weight of its dialogueform.Erickson's misapprehensions reach their deepest when he discusses technical issues in theObjectivist epistemology.Rand and her followers introduce the notion 'perceptual form' to indicate the *means* by which something is *directly*observed by a knowing subject.Erickson fails to grasp the difference between Objectivism's uniquevariant of direct realism and the flawed butpopular theory of perception wherein the knowingsubject apprehends, not something external toherself, but internal *representations* of theexternal.Because of this confusion, Ericksontreats Objectivism as reifying form into the objectof perception itself, and in attacking this idea argues against a theory which Objectivismopposes.His error is based on a misunderstanding of what it is to perceive something in-a-form.He believes that Rand wishes to argue that weperceive things in a *different* form; different, presumably, from the one which they possess ontheir own.But since form is the means by which we perceive a thing, there is no form which athing is in other than the one in which it isperceived.Erickson performs a similar reification of thenotion 'unit', which is again simply the external object of awareness under a certain perspective.After about the middle of the book, Erickson'sprose becomes very garbled and the quality ofargument - already dubious - suffers.He movesinto various technical issues in the sciences and economics which are inappropriate to a book onphilosophy.He argues against the Einsteinianview of the relativistic nature of space and time on purely *a priori* grounds, hardly the way toapproach empirical questions.Even so, his arguments are not successful.The book's coveradvertises a solution to the problem ofuniversals, but I must confess I could not findit.He introduces God into his speculations withno more attempt at proof than the claim that"Atheism is getting to be out-of-date" (p. 219) The philosophy which he attempts to present underthe name "Factivity" lacks an analysis of, amongother things, facts.The book has two virtues.The first is itsgeneral fair-mindedness.Erickson is willing to adopt ideas from Rand and seems to have nopsychological axe to grind; he even intervenes on her behalf early in the book, making decentarguments for her position which she never herself made.The second is his comparison between Rand and the Marxist tradition, especially Lenin. While Erickson is not the first to make thiscomparison, he provides new and intriguingreferences and points of similarity. ... Read more

Book Description
An excellent overview of Ayn Rand's life, novels, and philosophy of Objectivism, author Chris Matthew Sciabarra offers insightful examinations into Rand's early intellectual influences, her fictional themes and characters, her stance as a public philosopher, her political activism, and much more. Also contains a comprehensive bibliography. ... Read more

Book Description
Originally appearing in the long out-of-print Who is Ayn Rand?, Nathaniel Branden's updated essay illuminates the underlying principles of Rand's “Romantic Realism.” With supporting examples from We The Living, Anthem, The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged, Dr. Branden unravels Rand's seamless integration of theme, plot, characterization, and style—and ultimately to her vision of life “as it might and ought to be.” ... Read more

Customer Reviews (126)

We The Living tells a facinating tale of life under the early soviet system
In her self-proclaimed near-autobiography, Ayn Rand writes of the tumultuous time after Russia's fall to Soviet rule through the lives of a few individuals stuck in it.The descriptions of daily life, the frustrations of everything from heating to food to dealing with corrupt bureaucracy, give a realism to the time period and conditions that aren't so easily conveyed in history texts.While people tend towards caricatures, as can be typical in Rand's work, the core of humanity within them, both high and low points, clearly shine through.

It's a love story gone all wrong as Kira, the young woman who wishes to design bridges but won't ever achieve that goal under the red boot of socialism, watches the man she loves succumb to the dehumanizing effects of the system which surrounds and controls them.Other characters, friends and relatives of the main characters give the story a great deal of depth.

This book does not fall prey to the excess wordiness that Atlas Shrugged did.There are not redundant speeches which take up dozens of pages.I'd not re-read this book without a box of tissues handy.Whether or not you tend to agree with Rand, this is an excellent book which gives a deeper understanding to a particularly unique and dark period in history.

Perspective from a Christian fan of Ayn Rands books
I read Anthem in High School, Atlas Shrugged recently and today I just finished We the Living. I consider myself an Ayn Rand fan tho I'm no cult follower. I love her views on individualism and capitalism tho we part ways when it comes to belief in God. As a Christian and a capitalist I appreciate the rights of the individual and I think most Christians can agree with her on that. She feels that sacrificing herself for a deity is foolish where I feel that you sacrificing for others can be an end in itself and further one's own life positively. I don't believe that I should sacrifice for another at the point of a gun, i.e. the government telling me that my money really belongs to someone else and I think Christians and objectivists can agree on that point.

So for Christians out there, I think you can take away from this book ideas that are beneficial without endorsing her anti-God beliefs. Also I think the story is fantastic and easier to get through than say Atlas Shrugged. I highly recommend both books by the way. Enjoy!

Read the others first
If you read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead before you read this book then you will truly be able to appreciate We the Living. While there are whole sections in Atlas and Fountainhead that are purely sermons about objectivism, we the living takes the points of those sermons and incorporates them in the story. Kinda weird since this came first if I am not mistaken. I am recomending them all, but this one demonstrates the point in a much better way, since no one likes to be beat over the head with a concept like she does with Atlas and The Fountainhead.

Please enter a title for your review
This book might reward a long attention span but dull is really all I can say about it. The writing is typically cryptic, leaving it up to the reader to fill in the blanks, but generic banal detail fills up most of the space on the pages.
The characters lifestyles are inactive, the environment never changes, and the relationships between the characters never get very complex although the relative lack of detail about the characters natures and motives always seems to want to keep you guessing. With every character in the book I was consistently thinking maybe there's more to them but there never was. Edited down to a quarter of it's length this book could have been a more engaging narrative and still maintained the value in it's depictions of everyday living in oppressive USSR society, but even then Kira's tragic romances, which were romantic for about ten seconds before they lost their lustre, would still seem pointless.

Accessible
As others have written, this novel is story driven.It's not filled with polemics.Primus Stoves are also mentioned frequently. ... Read more

Book Description
The year 2005 marks Ayn Rand’s Centennial Year.

Ayn Rand’s classic tale of a future dark age of the great “We”—a world that deprives individuals of name, independence, and values—anticipates her later masterpieces, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A True Anthem
True to form, Ayn Rand uses words with an exact meaning.This short story presents the devotion/loyalty to the philosophy of Objectivismaccurately.

Anthem is a great place to start when learning about Ayn Rand.

An Inspiring Tale of Individualism & Human Triumph
Anthem is an outstanding introduction to the fiction writing of novelist and philosopher, Ayn Rand.I first read Anthem as a freshman in high school and it had a profound impact on my thinking.Rand is a truly talented writer and anyone reading this book will certainly feel inspired to read her more advanced novels, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.Anthem is a must read for any serious thinker. ... Read more

Book Description
The year 2005 marks Ayn Rand’s Centennial Year.

The astounding story of a man that said that he would stop the motor of the world—and did. Tremendous in scope, breathtaking in its suspense, Atlas Shrugged is unlike any other book you have ever read.

“A writer of great power. She has a subtle and ingenious mind and the capacity of writing brilliantly, beautifully, bitterly.”
—The New York Times ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Required Reading for the Sane
This must rate as one of the literary classics of the 20th century for Rand's philosophical insights and facility for cinematicly descriptive writing, an amazing feat for a Russian-born author writing in her second language.The application of Randian philosophy to current events, politics, and cultural climate leads one to the conclusion that Rand was more right than we'd like to admit.

The rating is for the ideas; the novel that is wrapped around them would rate just a little lower, knocked down by too many long monologues to express those ideas, especially a 50-page one at the crucial climax of the book that should have involved dialogue, action, and crises.

Still, this book packs such a vast array of (I think its safe to say) dangerous ideas that it can't be ignored.In fact, 50 years later, the ideas that have been ignored are glaringly obvious in current economic, political, and cultural loose thinking and the rotten fruits that have arisen from it.I felt as though I was watching Rand script some of the wrong-headed events I've witnessed in working around government projects the last several years.

Obviously, as a Christian, I can't agree with Rand's core idea that morality is only a result of rational or internal values (objectivism, as this philosophy has become known).God is the creator and source of all morality.

I do think that Rand is close to the truth in saying that the fall, the eating of the fruit of the tree of good and evil, made man his own moral compass.Rand believes that that event made man an Objectivist.I believe that event made us fallen sinners, because seeing good and evil, we are unable to always choose the good, thus we are inherently sinful and in need of God's miraculous salvation.Rand does not believe in the possibility of miracles or the need for salvation.

This should be required reading for politicians who want to enhance the "public welfare" or raise taxes so that government can "invest" in charity and other good deeds, and for those of any stripe who believe that they can act in the "public interest" by forcibly expropriating private property.

Rand's ideas have attained "cult" status; in fact, check my review of Jeff Walker's book "The Ayn Rand cult", as I plan to read his book next, whose back-cover blurbs promise to expose Objectivism as "a classic cult."

Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged is a timeless classic about an industrialist with the weight of the world on her shoulders. After completing the book, I began to reflect on the interdependance of each member of society and the duty we have to one another. Ayn Rand changed the way I think about capitalism and economics. Interesting sub plots.

What a book
This book has influenced my life and the way I view the world and events.The second most influencial book in my life (the Bible being the first) I have read this book over and over.I can see why she would have a cult following.I would highly recommend reading this book for everyone.

Good book hampered by bad editing
Let me start off by stating that this is a book worth reading. In it, Ayn Rand propounds her philosophy of Objectivism (politically similar to Libertarianism) which, as she states, has the following core principles:

"My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."
--Ayn Rand

There's not much to fault in those principles; and, it's easy to envision the benefit that could accrue from espousing them. Even the story itself has appeal: it takes place within an extremely socialistic society whose economy is foundering because all of its great industrialists are disappearing.

My problem with the book, and what made it, at times, almost torture to get through, is that the action of the story happens between a seemingly interminable series of long repetitive speeches expounding Rand's philosophy. For example, toward the end of the book, a character gives an uninterrupted speech of almost 70 pages; and, even more exasperating than the sheer length of the speech is the fact that it's essentially just a reiteration of points made earlier in the book by other characters -- and earlier in the speech by the character himself. This book would've been made considerably better if several hundred pages of tedious pontifications had been culled from it.

A celebration of human normalcy
It is difficult to find a book of fiction that has caused so much controversy as this one, and its critics have a degree of zeal that is matched by its defenders. It is a gigantic philosophical tome, with characters that many have scoffed at as being larger than life, as representing a sterile view of the human psyche, and as being naïve and sophomoric in its world view. Hated in general by both conservatives and liberals, those who love the book envy those who are approaching it for the first time. It is a book for optimists; a book for those who love and celebrate life. But above all it is a book for normal people, because in the final analysis, even though its author may have viewed its characters as representing statistical outliers, as rare and distinctive visionaries who epitomize high intelligence and creativity, it represents what it means for a human to be normal.

It is abnormal and an aberration for humans to want to organize themselves in a socialist state with no personal rights and no freedom to make their own way. It is abnormal and an aberration for humans to wage war and destruction against themselves and others. It is abnormal and an aberration for humans to avoid responsibility for their actions and blame others for their failures. It is abnormal and an aberration for humans to hypothesize an imaginary deity and prostrate themselves in contemplation of it. It is abnormal and an aberration for humans to serve others without question and with no mutual respect. It is abnormal and an aberration for humans to sit still, to lose their kinetic energy, both physical and mental, and not overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.

Humans are in a state of normalcy when they create, build, think, and prosper, and unashamed when they are doing so. This novel, now appearing in print for fifty years, asks the reader to contemplate what would happen if the most creative and industrious of humans were to withdraw from society and leave it to those who took on the grotesqueness of inaction, envy, and sterile diatribes of socialist thought. It asks the reader to contemplate what it takes to have a productive, healthy, comfortable, technological society. Whose intelligence and entrepreneurial alertness are in full operation in such a society and what are the consequences if these are extinguished by the voluntary withdrawal of those who possess them?

The philosophical dialog one can find in this book has drawn the ire of many an academic philosopher and politician. The reviews of the book when it was first published fifty years were probably the most vituperative of all in print. But vehemence towards the book has not extinguished its relevance or its power to instigate critical reflection. It is an alternative view of ethics, one that dignifies human individuality and self-interest. It is an ethic that abhors the initiation of force and worships human ingenuity. The philosophical dialog inked on its pages is a testament to the center of human optimism, and it is a perfect reflection and celebration of human normalcy. ... Read more

Product Description
Atlas Shrugged is the "second most influential book for Americans today" after the Bible, according to a joint survey conducted by the Library of Congress and the Book of the Month Club. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

a great book
A great book.Don't be put off by its length - it is very interesting throughout and worth the time.

Just The Facts
Just to clarify:

I am holding this set of audiobook in my hands (I just ordered it and received it). I just wanted to clarify a few things for the benefit of other Rand fans about this particular release.

It is the COMPLETE, un-abridged, audiobook of the COMPLETE Atlas Shrugged. For some reason, the title of the Amazon listing says "II part", which I assume means that is in 2 parts, which it is. But, you get BOTH of the parts with this purchase.

It comes in two cardboard boxes, plastic-wrapped together, labeled "Part I of II", and "Part II". Each box holds 21 audio CDs. The disks indicate "Tracks every 3 minutes", and it looks like it's a 3 minute average, not exact (the tracks are of various lengths, always *around* 3 minutes); so the chapters do not correlate one-to-one to tracks.

The disks also indicate that this was published by Blackstone in 1991. So, my hunch is that this is a commercial re-release of the version that has been in limited availability as the "Library Version" for some time. The box indicates that it was digitally re-mastered in 2007.

It sounds good. It's a bit different since I'm so used to Edward Hermann from the cassette audiobooks. But the funny part is that either Hurt or Hermann must have listened to the other, because many of the verbal characteristics of the characters are the same. It's oddly comforting if you have heard Hermann's version...

Thanks Blackstone... I can't wait for the Fountainhead un-abridged audio that comes out in about a month!

Which one is the full version?
I love this book!It is my favorite of all time.I listened to the abridged version narrated by Edward Herman and it was nothing less than superb.People nowadays have lost touch with what makes things tickin this world and Ayn Rand is turning in her grave.I have been a political spectator for too long now and it is time now for me to lower my blood pressure and go back to dreaming about the human potential.I hope there is still hope.

I now want the unabridged version and I have doubts on which one to buy??I don't want to buy only half , especially the second half as the previous reviewer stated.Can someone enlighten me on which of the three versions is which?

Those who preach selflessness do it for selfish reasons
In today's political clime Rand's writing is must reading. We are currently experiencing a resurgence in the war on the individual, with Hillary Clinton dropping quotes right and left that sound remarkably similar to statements made by Stalin and Lenin. Enough is a enough. Those who preach collectivism are trying to subjugate you. Those who preach altruism typically have their hand in someone else's pocket. As Rand says in Atlas Shrugged, "public welfare" is the banner that looters hide behind. Here Rand argues that capitalism is the ONLY just political system. The problem with many conservatives, as Rand saw them, is that though they defend capitalism they usually ground their defense in some vague notion of "God-given rights." Since religious beliefs are not rationally defensible this move greatly risks placing reason on the side of the anti-capitalists. No, Rand said, we must do what's right because it's right and not because we are told to or want to get into heaven. We must defend capitalism not because of some bizarre notion of being mandated by a supreme being but rather because it is the only political system that allows man to rise to his potential, to choose for himself, to bargain with others freely and to exercise his volition. Liberals who defend "minorities" (all the while ignoring that in one out of three of the most populated counties in America today whites are actually the minority) while engaging in collectivist attacks on "the cult of the individual" and "egoism" must contend with Rand's statement that one cannot claim to defend minorities while attacking individualism, for the smallest minority is ALWAYS the individual. People always act with selfish reasons. In order for charity to even be of any help the recipient must selfishly accept the charity. Bad competition, which levels the playing field by inhibiting the performance of rivals, drags achievers down to the mean. All the good such achievers can do for society as a whole is then eliminated, as in the "Anti-dog-eat-dog" agreement in this book. Good competition, in which people compete by perfecting their own skill and knowledge, improves everyone. Even if you are beat by someone else you are left more knowledgeable and able. I only have one question: Where is Galt's Gulch? I would like to move. This novel, originally entitled The Strike, is brilliant. The Fountainhead was about the individual vs. the collective, and this is about the producers vs. the parasites. What if the reviled "rich," those who produce the amenities others take for granted or expect the "government" to pay for, all went on strike? What then? By the way, if you like this book you will probably also like a book called Camp of the Saints. Check it out.

I love the party scene in this book. Rand perfectly points out the ultimate irony of parties: A party is supposed to be a celebration, but those who have done things worthy of celebration typically are not the kind of people who find any enjoyment in parties, whereas those who love partying are not the kind of people there is anything worth celebrating about!

The point of this book was ably made by Jon Hanson, author of a nifty little book called Good Debt, Bad Debt. The point is this: NEVER in history has there been a society that was socialist BEFORE it went capitalist. This has never happened because it would be impossible. It can only be the other way around. FIRST capitalists must BUILD and MAINTAIN a society BEFORE socialists can come and leech off of it parasitically. Socialists don't build or produce anything. They only appropriate. This is why socialism can only follow capitalism. Further, if the last remnant of the capitalist elements of society completely disintegrate, the entire structure collapses. It's not the socialists that keep things going, they just feed off of open sores.

Great book, only it is the second part
The book is great and the lecturer is very clear. However, I thought it was the complete novel, but this is the second part only and I have been having trouble to find part No. 1. ... Read more

Book Description
The original CliffsNotes study guides offer a look into key elements and ideas within classic works of literature. The latest generation of titles in this series also features glossaries and visual elements that complement the familiar format.

CliffsNotes on The Fountainhead explores the modern classic that made Ayn Rand famous. The book carried forth the author’s anti-communist ideals and conviction that individuals should not allow their lives to be dominated in any way by the beliefs of others.

Following the story of architect Howard Roark as he attempts to achieve success on his own terms, this study guide provides summaries and critical commentaries for each part within the novel.  Other features that help you figure out this important work include

• Personal background on the author, including a look at the philosophy she termed “Objectivism”
• Introduction to and synopsis of the book
• In-depth analyses of a broad cast of characters
• Critical essays on the author’s writing style and more
• Review section that features interactive questions and suggested essay topics and practice projects
• Resource Center with books, film and audio recordings, and Web sites that can help round out your knowledge

As Roark's designs create a rub against the acceptable styles of the day, he continually is faced with selling out to the masses. But continually he refuses, and his career becomes one marked by his capacity to hold fast to his own intellectual and artistic innovation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Penetrating Insight
Bernstein provides a penetrating insight to this brilliant novel of ideas.Included are:a brief synopsis, a list of characters, a character map, critical commentaries on each of the four parts (with glossaries of important terms), detailed analyses of the major and minor characters, and an essay on Ayn Rand's writing style.There are even review questions, essay questions, and practice projects.The only complaint I have is that Bernstein doesn't describe the differences between the novel and the movie script--and there are differences.In some respects, Objectivist philosophy is an outgrowth of (and considerable improvement over) Nietzsche's philosophy.Bernstein points out on p. 59 that Rand kept a quote from Nietzsch at the head of her manuscript which says that there is "some fundamental certainty that a noble soul has about itself, something which is not to be sought, is not to be found, and perhaps also, is not to be lost."

great companion to Fountainhead
This book really helps a reader see "the big picture". I read it when I was about 60% of the way through the book when I grabbed the Cliff Notes. It's a good way to do it; I wouldn't have been able to grasp the overall concept of Fountainhead without it.

Very Helpful
Bernstein clears up many misunderstandings or deliberate distortions by unsympathetic critics. Rand's style of writing may be jarring to those who prefer Naturalism. It is worth reading or re-reading Rand with a guide and/or commentary. However, don't deprive yourself of the experience of entering and immersing yourself in Rand's world, which requires reading the novel. Use the guide sparingly as clarification is needed. Unfortunately, Bernstein sometimes refers to future events in chapters not yet read - be forewarned.

Very helpful.
Dr. Bernstein is becoming a prolific writer. This helpful assistance for those studying The Fountainhead will not dissapoint. I could've used this more than twenty years ago, when first reading that wonderful novel. Be glad it's available for you today.

A huge surprise
I have read the Fountainhead many times and I was pleasantly surprised by this cliffs notes summary and analysis of the book.It includes a short biography of Ayn Rand but the bulk of the book is spent on detailed goingover of Ayn Rand's plot, theme, and characters.It is fascinating to readan intelligent analysis of the characters I love.The gems of the book arethe two critical essays; The Literary Integration of the Fountainhead andAyn Rands Writing Style.This book is written by an Objectivist authorand is definately worth buying. ... Read more

Book Description
The first, full-length analysis of Ayn Rand's most widely-read work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A brief but wonderful discussion of a masterpiece
I concur with Tibor Machan who writes at The Daily Objectivist website:"The bulk of Den Uyl's analysis shows that not only is Ayn Rand's book inspiring, as art often ought to be; not only is itphilosophically meaty, as many classic novels surely have been; not only isit a brilliantly crafted story in which complex lives of characters developin intriguing ways-but it is also a literary masterpiece, however much themajor players in the literary culture may have ignored and sometimesdemeaned it.Den Uyl's tone of understated respect and admiration isanything but fawning. Sadly, we have come to expect works on Rand'sachievements-an example is the authorized documentary "A Sense ofLife"-to be mostly uncritical, with shamelessly little if anyattention to possible problems. Or else we see angry denunciations, whichgive Rand credit for nothing at all, let alone literary merit. This gentlebut exacting discussion is a complete relief from both Rand partisanshipand Rand bashing."

A measured and very insightful treatment
Den Uyl has produced a unique treatment of this controversial book by its controversial, iconoclastic author.It is measured, analytical, showing a low-key but unobtrusive passion for his subject.The novelties of theanalysis are wonderfully developed and will surprise many.Finally, no onewill be able credibly to just dismiss Rand's writing any longer -- Den Uylhas identified The Fountainhead's merits without fawning or worship, basedsimply on the work's literary attributes.

At last academia is acknowledging a masterpiece!
This slim volume is authored in the cool, precise, meditative voice of academia. Den Uyl places Rand's novel inits literary, cultural, and philosophic context. He makes an interesting case for Dominique actuallybeing the character most readers have the most in common with, and so,relate to the best. But most important, Den Uyl concludes his work byacknowledging that The Fountainhead is actually the mythical "GreatAmerican Novel" that so many literary types are always moaning for.Well, here it is, live and in-person, Den Uyl says, calling it the perfectnovel about what is most essential to America: individualism. Nice to seean academic Ahab finally harpoon the "Great American Novel!" ... Read more

Book Description
The stunning centennial editions of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, featuring the artwork from the original first editions, in a collectible boxed set.

“A writer of great power. She has a subtle and ingenious mind and the capacity of writing brilliantly, beautifully, bitterly.”
—The New York Times ... Read more

Book Description
Is religion's appeal rooted in irrational ideas? Or does it also offer people positive values? Mr. Bidnotto argues that despite its irrational content, religion addresses valid human needs - needs that Objectivists have too long neglected. Drawing upon Ayn Rand's aesthetic theory and historic examples, this popular, path-breaking talk demonstrates that Objectivists have crucial lessons to learn from their philosophical rivals. ... Read more

Book Description
Life is a value-seeking enterprise requiring a positive focus. But because of today's conventional ethic, it is difficult for most people to think of morality apart from a perspective in which virtues are treated as ends-in-themselves. Mr. Bidinotto offers an inspiring account of what it means, psychologically and ethically, to be value-focused in our work, or love, and in our social interactions. ... Read more

Book Description
To show the depth and striking originality of Ayn Rand's conception of human greatness, Dr. McCloskey compares ATLAS SHRUGGED with Homer's Odyssey as an expression of Greek values and with the Gospels as an expression of Christian values. In the process, McCloskey shows how Rand both used and transformed the epic tradition in literature. ... Read more