Ayn Rand
Atlas Shrugged
Long enough to keep you busy for a while. or you can always use it as a door stop. Big, huge enough to hold any door open, in any wind or tropical storm.
some say she plagiarized it. Yet it was a Best Seller, unlike the obscure person she may have somewhat plagiarized. Now into a movie, if you don't like reading. comes in 3 exciting movie parts, holding you on the edge of your seat.
theme; "The mind on strike" usually it's labor and not professionals who go on strike, although doctors and more often teachers have struck before. maybe its more accurate theme is the super intelligent most creative on strike.
prophetic about the demise of US railroads. Economist Sam Peltzman published endless transportation & safety articles, nominated for the Nobel. Pelzman used to have a copy of Atlas Shrugged on his office desk. Peltzman is known in economics for the "Peltzman Effect" where safety regulations cause more deaths than the deaths they prevent. Rand's Atlas Shrugged hero, Reardon, invensts a new stronger steel banned irrationally by the government as unsafe. It's a battle between government and heroic inventions. Rand might have considered Dr. Fauci in that 1st category.
If you're an engineer, you'd like her magnum opus. Rand made her 3 Atlas Shrugged heroes former students who were engineers. They double majored in philosophy. Her hero in the Fountainhead also was a dual engineer/architect. (The Howard Wallowitz type engineer, not the train on rails type, although Sheldon's choo choo trains played a big part of Atlas Shrugged)
Her book The Fountainhead made a bigger box office movie. patterned after an eccentric architect, plus an infamous rape scene, and bombing of a low income rental property as theater audiences cheered, and subsequent criminal trial. The Fountainhead starred Gary Cooper playing Howard Roark (patterned on architect Frank Lloyd Wright)
Did Dr. Ron Paul name his son, now Sen. Rand Paul after Ayn Rand? Did Ayn Rand name her major hero John Galt after Edith Galt, Woodrow Wilson's wife?
Economist Ludwig von Mises, teacher of Nobel laureate F.A. von Hayek, called Ayn Rand the most intelligent man in the world. not sure why he used "man" but Ayn liked hearing it.
When the Libertarian party was formed. the founders wondered why Rand wasn't there. USC Philosophy Professor John Hospers their 1st presidential candidate, who won 1 electoral vote, was a personal friend of Ayn Rand.
She was unique, major historical figure, regardless what you may think of her.
Philosophers said she was a good writer but poor philosopher. Writers said she was a good philosopher but poor writer. She had her own new philosophy "objectivism" based mostly on Aristotle. She even uses quotes from Aristotle for chapter headings in Atlas Shrugged. philosophers actually love Aristotle, but for some reason shy off on Ayn Rand. She also incorporates some Nietzsche, who also shows up in philosophy textbooks and courses, as a major classical philosopher, but very controversial, also certifiably insane.
Paul Ryan prior Republican house leader, liked Ayn Rand. So did former Fed Reserve Chairman Allan Greenspan, and other economic advisors such as Martin Anderson. Greenspan used to attend Rand's seminars in New York City.
She's also known for her book, "The Virtue of Selfishness." Ridiculed by bleeding heart liberals and altruists. Yet she plays word games, redefining words. her idea of 'selfishness' is illustrated by the heroic wife who dives into a lake filled with alligators, to save her husband who is drowning. Something Benthan utilitarian altruists would recoil from. She was opposed to entry into the Vietnam War, as she viewed it as altruisitc with no selfish reason for being there. Yet she opposed leaving Vietnam, as she saw that as betrayal of those who trusted & relied on us. Nixon invited her to a space liftoff at Cape Kennedy, due to her belief in the unlimited potential of the human mind
Ayn Rand supported abortion, She was a feminist. before feminism's infancy, before the libertarian party took a pro abortion position. She was an atheist, openly anti-Christian, especially anti-Jesus (far too altruistic for Rand). She was a radical capitalist against all taxes. She wrote Capitalism the Unknown Ideal, with a defense of the gold standard and Big Business. Unusual juxtaposition of views, compared to today's very political polarization.
Or try Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 2010 Nobel Prize Literature winner, who wrote comedy in Spanish. Far more humorous than Ayn Rand. Hard to see any humor in Rand. Lots of irony though.
Vargas-Llosa's Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter stands out for unusual humor. La Tia Julia y Escribidor. Made into a movie too.
He did other genres as well. Murder mysteries, political thrillers, literary modernism & post modernism, drama, action, historical novels,revolting revolts. Something for everyone. A man for all seasons. La Ciudad y los Perros (literally: The City and the Dogs.)
Latest book Dream of the Celt about world humanitarian Roger Casement, framed & hung by the British, an historical novel.
