I have lost track of the number of time I read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. The first time I saw the book was in my cousin’s place and I could not read it because I did not have the time or the inclination at that point. (another crucial reason not to read was my cousin simply refused to give it but that’s off the record)!!!. I was in engineering College and you know as vast our interests are, reading such a thick book was just not one of them. After I read the ’’behind the cover’’ theme, my determination sealed the deal not to read it.
Three months later my eyes fell on the book again. It caught my fancy and I just had to read whether hell or high water. Needless to say I pinched it!!! That started my journey into Ayn Rand’s philosophies.
The story is based on America of the Early 20th century. The book questions our beliefs, ethics and the subjects of morality. What are these that we speak of? By what standards are people judged? Who are they to judge us and what right do we have to judge others? Is living for oneself egoistic, is our lives meant for others to enjoy? The book has brought out the qualities that a man requires to live. It also shows a stark contrast between the looters who want everything unearned and a person who lives his life on his own competency and expects other competent men to live theirs the same way.
The character of John Galt which has been picturised in the book is a man who loves his life so passionately that he refuses any substitute. He revolts against the world whose moral ethics to help everyone based on their needs and penalties based on abilities starts the destruction of production for the necessity of need. What would happen to this world if the mind was removed? Atlas Shrugged gives a visualisation of this world where men of productive genius remove their mind from the market.
Central Characters like Dagny Taggart, Henry Reardan, Eddie, have been described as heroes of a forgotten age whose moral ethics and will to work far surpasses the imagination of todays’ world. Their relentless energy to keep the business as usual no matter what the odds are inspires the readers. One can also find the flaw in the ways of working of the looters and their characters such as Jim Taggart, Wesley Mouch etc are so well created that what you feel for them is pure hatred.
Each character in the book evokes a different response and the book evokes a whirlwind of emotions from the readers. I suggest everyone who wants to know the meaning of his or her own life read this book. Its truly awesome
I finally bought my own book for about Rs. 250 in 1999 and have kept reading it ever since.
Other books to read by the same author are Fountainhead and We the Living . I still have to read The Anthem. Reviews on Fountainhead later.
Lemme know how u found the book. Happy reading folks and to those who found it boring, Well Who is is John Galt?? ;---)