Member Reviews

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  4 of 4 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 0 stars

  “I went through a serious Rand stage in my early twenties. I think lots of people do. There is something about Rand's perspectives on the individual, and the individual's relationship to society, that seems to resonate with people on the cusp of their adulthood.
  
  And then you outgrow it. If you're lucky and smart. Rand's philosophy is, in the end, misanthropic. There is, one must finally discover, no virtue in selfishness. And John Galt cannot exist.”

  kalkiwendy wrote this review Saturday, August 4 2007. ( reply | permalink )
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  4 of 4 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 2 stars

  “I once heard Gloria Steinem say that Ayn Rand was smart, but had no sense of humor. After reading this, I can believe she didn't have a sense of humor. I can't imagine she was that smart--at least about human nature. The people who really think that Ayn Rand's view of Utopia would really work are seriously naive or possibly mentally ill. Atlas Shrugged is mildly intresting as a story, though overlong. As a blueprint for Utopia it is laughable.”

  Theophania wrote this review Friday, July 13 2007. ( reply | permalink )
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  3 of 4 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 1 stars

  “This book is ludicrous. It's not only poorly written, simplistic, repetitive, and patronizing, but tends to come across as propaganda.
  
  I think Atlas Shrugged has done so well because it feels nice to be told that we should be even more self-centered than we already are. If you're interested in her views, some of her interviews are available on youtube. ”

  Thomas G wrote this review Sunday, October 28 2007. ( reply | permalink )
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  2 of 3 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 4 stars

  “Socialists beware: you will not relish this book. I think that is the main reason I loved this book so much. Sometimes the truth hurts people. This book was a fascinating read and glimpse into the mind of a great, visionary author. Rand is a ruthless exposer of things as they really are, although I'd hate to be her child =).”

  greenmom wrote this review Friday, December 7 2007. ( reply | permalink )
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  1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 1 stars

  “Helpful hint for those who find either great writing or realistic concepts in this book... the emperor has no clothes.”

  Darla W wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
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  1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 1 stars

  “I wish I could give this pile less than one star. It is quite possibly the most awful, self-serving book I've ever read. Ayn Rand rambles and writes terrible through hundreds of pages of trying to prove her own inane theories. She's nothing but an overrated romance novelist with no sense of pace or timing. I read this because it's so highly regarded, but was amazed to find that it's absolutely horrendous.”

  Ryan H wrote this review 13 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
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  1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 4 stars

  “There is lots of really great stuff in here, but you have to take it with a grain of salt. You know Ayn didn't believe in evolution?
  
  She was anti-racism 40 years ahead of the civil rights movement, but she believed helping each other was a sin. (which I take to be an over-reaction to the exploitive communism of her native Russia)
  
  Like I said, grain of salt. ”

  greg t wrote this review Tuesday, October 30 2007. ( reply | view 4 replies | permalink )
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  1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 1 stars

  “Dump Atlas Shrugged and its intellectual snobbery. Read "Origin of Virtues" by Matt Ridley in stead. You'd do yourself loads of good. [br/][br/]Ridley has the advantage of several more years of science/thinking, has done his research thoroughly and, most importantly, is very aware of his limitations.”

  Saravanan wrote this review Monday, October 29 2007. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink )
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  1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 5 stars

  “How the world SHOULD work, but of course not how it really does. Tough to start, but wow what a great cast of characters and clever story. I've bookmarked, dogeared and highlighted numerous passages in the book to refer back to from time to time. This is one of the most thought-provoking books I've ever read.”

  tsteele93 wrote this review Saturday, October 14 2006. ( reply | permalink )
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  1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

  • Rated 4 stars

  “An amazing book. I personally identified with the character's struggles and the philosophy they were struggling to accept and adopt. I think people with either love the book or really dislike it.”

  Eric wrote this review Friday, September 22 2006. ( reply | permalink )