I've been trying to get through Atlas Shrugged

[kathy88]

For weeks. I keep reading books in between. What's the secret to staying focused? It's become almost a personal vendetta now. I must finish it. I took a second degree in English and read so many books. The only one I've never been able to finish is Moby Dick. That book blew. I don't want to add to that list.

[torchbearer]

I got it on audio book. but i'm on the road a lot.

[kathy88]

I got it on audio book. but i'm on the road a lot.

Great idea. I used to be on the road constantly, but new employment keeps me close to home. I do drive two hours every tuesday, though. I'm ordering it.

[Deborah K]

ROFLMAO!!! Kathy you crack me up girl! Moby Dick "blew"! LOL! Reminds me of a bong my dad used to have back in the day....it had a whale on it and a caption that read: Moby Dick is not a disease.

LOL.

[sailingaway]

I gave up on it, myself. I wanted to love it, but I didn't.

[phill4paul]

Put it next to the crapper. Eventually you'll get through it.

[SewrRatt]

I enjoyed it overall, but Rand inserted a virulently anti-religion rant somewhere towards the end that kind of came out of left field. That was irritating.

[VoluntaryAmerican]

Yeah, I share the feelings of some in this thread. I have a copy that I haven't read, it sits there on my bookshelf eyeballing me saying, "read me".

It just seems too long for someone who already understands the principles of liberty, free market, and cronyism. Why bother?

But I know it's done plenty of good for the Liberty movement.

[idiom]

I couldn't put it down. However I also read right through the twilight saga in 3 days.

[MozoVote]

Plowed through it as required reading in ... not English Lit ... but, a World History class.

[Carehn]

Yeah, I share the feelings of some in this thread. I have a copy that I haven't read, it sits there on my bookshelf eyeballing me saying, "read me".

It just seems too long for someone who already understands the principles of liberty, free market, and cronyism. Why bother?

But I know it's done plenty of good for the Liberty movement.

Its a different perspective on the liberty movement . Its good to be part of the quire and have someone preach to you. Its a constant state of growth you need to be in. I was what I would consider fully awake before I read atlas shrugged and it changed me as did rothbard and others. To this day no other person has influenced my life in such a way as Rand. I simply integrated much of her philosophy into the one I already had under construction.

I strongly suggest this book to anyone who hasn't read it. It focuses strictly on the morality of liberty. Not economics or politics as much as it does morality. Thats one thing I think people miss when reading this book. And those that miss it and love the book I cant stand because its like they never really read it. And those that miss it and hate the book I feel hate it because they missed what its really about.

[fletcher]

Great idea. I used to be on the road constantly, but new employment keeps me close to home. I do drive two hours every tuesday, though. I'm ordering it.

I started listening to the audiobook but only made it about halfway. It's over 60 hours long!

[Brian4Liberty]

Try the movies?

[Carehn]

Try the movies?

[Boss]

Try the movies?

Bad idea. Only watch the movies after reading the book. The first movie can't hold a candle to the compelling power of the book.

---

The first 100-150 pages of Atlas Shrugged are very slow. However, from pages 150-950, I don't know how you possess the ability to willingly put the book down. Then there's a 200 page speech that slows wayy down again, only for the book to conclude quite nicely.

[heavenlyboy34]

Put it next to the crapper. Eventually you'll get through it.

I prefer to read it while washing laundry. Definitely not what I consider a page-turner...but not awful either.

[Boss]

As an aside, one huge advantage I had going for me when I read Atlas Shrugged was that I had never heard of Ayn Rand. I had no biases going into the book. That book was a turning point in leading me to libertarianism. Perhaps if one reads the book already having notions of Rand and libertarianism, the books revelatory powers are a bit muted.

[heavenlyboy34]

Bad idea. Only watch the movies after reading the book. The first movie can't hold a candle to the compelling power of the book.

---

The first 100-150 pages of Atlas Shrugged are very slow. However, from pages 150-950, I don't know how you possess the ability to willingly put the book down. Then there's a 200 page speech that slows wayy down again, only for the book to conclude quite nicely.

INDEED!!! Movies have never been able to live up to the books they are based on. Cinematographers have never been able to capture narrative properly IMO.

[fr33]

I got it on audio book. but i'm on the road a lot.

Yep the audiobook is much easier. I've read it once and listened to it a few times.

[WilliamShrugged]

I started listening to the audiobook but only made it about halfway. It's over 60 hours long!

get this version. 10-11 hours. This is a great version. i have listened to it like 6 times.

http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Shrugged/dp/B000FDJ3D2

[Aratus]

i spent a long weekend in my teens by first reading THE FOUNTAINHEAD and then ATLAS SHRUGGED just so i could boast of it later!

[mad cow]

I liked it,but then I loved Moby Dick.No accounting for taste.

[Suzu]

I couldn't put it down the first time. Have worn out several copies. Listened to unabridged audiobook twice also. All this over a period of about 45 years.

[PierzStyx]

For weeks. I keep reading books in between. What's the secret to staying focused? It's become almost a personal vendetta now. I must finish it. I took a second degree in English and read so many books. The only one I've never been able to finish is Moby Dick. That book blew. I don't want to add to that list.

I feel like saying Moby Dick blew is a double entendre. There is the obvious blowjob joke there. (heh heh She blew MY Moby Dick!) But also I think there is a more subtle joke there. After all Moby Dick was a whale, and whales are famous for blowing water out their BLOW holes. So Moby Dick literally blew as well.

[PierzStyx]

Its a different perspective on the liberty movement . Its good to be part of the quire and have someone preach to you. Its a constant state of growth you need to be in. I was what I would consider fully awake before I read atlas shrugged and it changed me as did rothbard and others. To this day no other person has influenced my life in such a way as Rand. I simply integrated much of her philosophy into the one I already had under construction.

I strongly suggest this book to anyone who hasn't read it. It focuses strictly on the morality of liberty. Not economics or politics as much as it does morality. Thats one thing I think people miss when reading this book. And those that miss it and love the book I cant stand because its like they never really read it. And those that miss it and hate the book I feel hate it because they missed what its really about.

I think you meant choir.

[PierzStyx]

INDEED!!! Movies have never been able to live up to the books they are based on. Cinematographers have never been able to capture narrative properly IMO.

I don't think its that. Its just that movies require a different type of narrative.

[osan]

For weeks. I keep reading books in between. What's the secret to staying focused? It's become almost a personal vendetta now. I must finish it. I took a second degree in English and read so many books. The only one I've never been able to finish is Moby Dick. That book blew. I don't want to add to that list.

If it is any consolation, it took me about 6 months to get through it. Rand had great messages but was not always the best at delivery. A-S could have been written as effectively in about 1/4 to 1/3 the space. Way too much time spent on imagery and so forth, not to mention the endless repetition of the message. If you're going to write a political polemic, don't make it an over-long and redundant novel. Just my worthless opinion, of course.

I liked the messages in the main, but found the sheer volume of the work unnecessary.

[helmuth_hubener]

Keep thinking the word "suspense". Suspense. Atlas Shrugged definitely has suspense. Suspense is an artistic thing and a good thing.

The first time I read it, I was young and I got a bit frustrated with it because I kept asking "when is anything ever going to happen?" The "nothing happening" is "suspense". It doesn't have non-stop action and sword battles the whole way through. But there's a big pay-off in the end. Things really do happen...eventually. It's just got to set you up for it first. And that takes a long time.

[BuddyRey]

The audiobook made it very easy and enjoyable to take in. Listening in 8 to 12 hour chunks per day, it only took about a week and a half. And yes, I did listen to it in 8 to 12 hour chunks...that's how engrossing the story is. Absolutely loved it! In fact, I may have to re-listen soon.

[rhelwig]

I think it helped me that I read her books in order. First Anthem, then We the Living, then Fountainhead, then Atlas. It allowed me to build up to the longer books.

But I would recommend that for your friends with shorter attention spans, have them watch Ratatouille instead of reading the Fountainhead. Its basically the same story, only better written, shorter, and easier to enjoy. Now if only the Pixar guys would take on an improved version of AS.