Atlas Shrugged

By: Ayn Rand

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 62 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Peopled by larger-than-life heroes and villains, charged with towering questions of good and evil, Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand’s magnum opus: a philosophical revolution told in the form of an action thriller—nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.

Atlas Shrugged is the "second most influential book for Americans today" after the Bible, according to a joint survey of five thousand people conducted by the Library of Congress and the Book of the Month Club in 1991.

In a scrap heap within an abandoned factory, the greatest invention in history lies dormant and unused. By what fatal error of judgment has its value gone unrecognized, its brilliant inventor punished rather than rewarded for his efforts?

This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world—and did. In defense of those greatest of human qualities that have made civilization possible, he sets out to show what would happen to the world if all the heroes of innovation and industry went on strike. Is he a destroyer or a liberator? Why does he have to fight his battle not against his enemies but against those who need him most? Why does he fight his hardest battle against the woman he loves? The answers will be revealed once you discover the reason behind the baffling events that wreak havoc on the lives of the amazing men and women in this remarkable book.

Tremendous in scope and breathtaking in its suspense, Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand's magnum opus, which launched an ideology and a movement. With the publication of this work in 1957, Rand gained an instant following and became a phenomenon. Atlas Shrugged emerged as a premier moral apologia for capitalism, a defense that had an electrifying effect on millions of readers (and now listeners) who had never heard capitalism defended in other than technical terms.

©1985 Eugene Winick, Paul Gitlin and Leonard Peikoff (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

The best book ever written

Second time reading it, first as an audio book. Atlas shrugged is one of those books you have to read from time to time the gauge how much more our world has become like Ayn Rand's dystopian vision. It's scary at times to see hope accurately she predicted it. we can't say we weren't warned.

Scott Brick never disappoints, the performance was excellent.

Great story!

Interesting story. Perfect all around. Instant classic. Had me wanting more after learning about everyone.

Could have been written yesterday!

A lot of folks wouldn't attempt an epic journey this big. They might say it is boring and sometimes tedious. I wouldn't want this book to be any different than it is. Every page is descriptive and riveting. Written by someone who lived the scenario before immigrating to freedom. I've read and listened to this book 6 times and will again.

Quick read for 63 hr audiobook

1. Highly recommend this Scott Brick version. He does a great job that helps keep voices straight when there’s multiple people talking in a section.
2. Book goes by quickly. Didn’t feel like 63 hours except for Galt’s 3 hour speech near the end. That speech felt like 10 hours, but the story picks back up.
3. Book is most interesting in seeing the psychological perspective of the various characters in the book. Reminds me of some of the books on old titan’s funded by Rockefeller and such except this is unapologetic.
4. I liked how the book didn’t describe the government in the U.S. It’s only described in the way the characters view the government - each characters relationship to their fellow citizens. No use of names like democracy and socialism.

A must read!

This book should be mandatory reading for every student in every school across the globe!

the best

this is the best book I've listened to. it's long, but boy is it good

Fun Fiction

I thought this was a fun book, and am amazed that people try to make this work of fiction into a political movement. It just a piece of fiction.

A real slog but worth it

I love Ayn Rand's books. but she tends to go on and on and on. I wish that the end could have been a little closer to the beginning. That said, if you follow today's news, you will see evidence of Directive 10-289 everwhere.

Holy Sh*t

I’ve never read anything like this. It blew my mind. The content of this novel has plagued, haunted, excited, invigorated, challenged and inspired me for the past week. I expect it will continue to do so for years to come. My every free moment was spent listening(no exaggeration). All I want to do is listen to it again.

Who is John Galt?

This book is long and takes dedication to get through. some parts are dry while some are exciting. All characters being voiced by one person for 60 hours wore me out a bit too.