Or Hayek's, The Road to Serfdom, for that matter... Don't get me wrong, I'm aligned with much of the Atlas Shrugged perspective, but I found the book repetitive and annoying. It would've made a good 400 page book, given the story. Problem be, it's mor ethan double that length. THe speech: do we really need 28 pages of harping?
But then, perhaps it was the "where" of reading that book that is my true source of annoyance. Flint School Aboard... some might know, others can look in Wiki. I am also aligned with much of the message of that institiution - and it helped me in life.
Brooke, you and I need to talk at some point. I've got some good "Ayn" stories for you. Thankfully, I don't think her trajectory is emblematic for most of us on an individualistic path. Remember: Blue Nile is ON ME. Right now, I'm in London after a week in Koln. I look forward to my return to the states. Cheers, mate.
One add: see Whitaker Chambers historical article, via the National Review, on AS. In at least his central assertion, I'd say he was spot on. I've got stories...
It could have been written better and there is repetitiveness in it, as well as some other style type issues, but it's the concepts that are important which far outweigh her writing style flaws making it my favorite book.
Ayn Rand certainly was not perfect. She smoked, likely causing her lung cancer and resulting heart failure, and had a variety of other issues as well. She was a rough, and often abrasive lady coming from a tough childhood in Russia. But you can't let her flaws or the flaws of a writing style detract from the beauty and strength of her writing rationally supported truth.
If someone writes that 1 + 1 = 2, nothing they have done or said can ever take away from the simple truth and beauty of that statement, even if they repeat it multiple times in different awkward ways. The fact still remains a fact, forever.
I read it in five days, nonstop, could not put it down, and overlooked the style flaws because what she was getting at was so important and true.
Now, more than nuff said on my favorite book.
The topic at hand being the beauty of the Albatross, a living force of nature that travels thousands of miles over open oceans to find food for its one chick. Did I mention both parents equally share in sitting on the egg and finding food for its chick once it hatches?
