Scouring Books: Atlas Shrugged

Atlas Shrugged
by Ayn Rand

Originally published in 1957, this is perhaps one of the giants of 20th Century literature. It was also one of the most popular books of the early recession a few years back, or so I noticed while working in a bookstore, even before the feeble movie was made (the first part was released earlier this year). I was always slightly aware of Rand's presence in the world of literature, but had never had a real reason to factor her into my own experience. A friend of mine in college once listened to an audiobook of Shrugged, and I experienced a little of it with him (later on, another acquaintence provided me with a similar taste of Jack Kerouac's On the Road; I guess books about transportation of some kind make ideal traveling material). When I started working in a bookstore, it was hard to overlook the giant Rand volumes, and so I eventually picked this one up. I saw a Gary Cooper version of The Fountainhead before discovering that perhaps most readers of Ayn Rand are of a peculiar political bent, as Rand herself was. Whether or not her ideas actually have merit might remain to be seen, once I actually read this one.

Bookshelf status: unread so far.