Anthem
 

Anthem

by Ayn Rand, Leonard Peikoff

Available for the first time in trade paperback--this provocative book is "an anthem sung in praise of man's ego"--from the legendary author Ayn Rand

Anthem has long been hailed as one of Ayn Rand's classic novels, and a clear predecessor to her later masterpieces, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. In Anthem, Rand examines a frightening future in which individuals have no name, no... (read more)

Top tags: fictionphilosophydystopiaayn randscience fiction (all tags)

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Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

2 of 2 members found this review helpful.
SalaciousMind
  • Rated 4 stars

I think what always stood out me was that this book was written in 1937. It made me think - that this was a woman ahead of her time. Reading it as a young girl, a teenager I remember how nearly poetic I thought she had written it. How the desire and drive for individuality and freedom parallelled my own station at the time.

We are taught a duality growing up, taught so many contraditions. Do as were told but strive to be original. In school they want conformity... sheep and cows to...

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Didn’t Like It

Alyson D
  • Rated 2 stars

I read this because my daughter is required to read it for summer reading. I read the Fountainhead many years ago and wasn't fond of that book so I thought it was time to give Ayn Rand another chance.
The book is short, but a bit awkward to read since in the featured society, the word "I" is forbidden and the narrator refers to himself as "we". Others are refered to as "they" since no one is allowed to be alone. It is an interesting premise...sort of in the vain of 1984 though written...

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Community:
  • Rated 3.847477 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 4 stars
 

Newest Comments

  • Summersnow

    summersnow said:

    One of Ayn Rand's early books, We the Living, gave me some insight into her early life experience in Russia and how that shaped her strong reaction against collectivism. She lived through it at it's worst and then saw a naively idealized vision of collectivism becoming popular in the US during her adulthood. I agree that at times her books beat you over the head with her ideas but I think she felt that was necessary to get the idea across. I happen to generally agree with her philosophy so I guess I don't mind the high volume.

    posted Saturday, June 21 2008 ( | view 1 reply )
  • Claire J

    claire j said:

    Jim h, it sounds like you have more of a dislike for the ideas suggested in Anthem rather than the actual book. Like most of her books, Rand encourages readers to think about individualism, so I'm not really sure how much more subtle an author can be with that, you know?

    Furthermore, I think is dangerous to start comparing things to Nazi idealisms. That kind of comparison is exactly how people get riled up about banning books.

    I think if anyone did like this book and is into YA lit, they should check out Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series and Lois Lowry's The Giver (and sequels to Giver).

    posted Thursday, June 19 2008 ( | view 1 reply )
  • ramya.k83

    ramya.k83 said:

    Pretty good. Obviously not quite as powerful as Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged, but it really sums up Ayn Rand's visions for anyone who feels overwhelmed by her larger books!

    posted Wednesday, May 21 2008
  • RamSam

    ramsam said:

    Love love love. Short and quick- but that doesn;t mean it is easy. I fell like I need to stand on a hill and yell... "hey people! we are INDIVIDUALS and we need to PROTECT that!!!!"..... yea, I 'm fired up.

    posted Friday, May 16 2008
  • Alli S

    alli s said:

    One of my fav books. Shorter than her others =]] I'm terrified of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead....

    posted Friday, April 4 2008
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