Atlas Shrugged

By: Ayn Rand

Narrated by: Christopher Hurt

Length: 52 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

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

This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world - and did. Is he a destroyer or a liberator? Why does he fight his hardest battle not against his enemies, but against the woman he loves?

Tremendous in scope, breathtaking in its suspense, Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand's magnum opus and 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.

©1957 Ayn Rand, 1985 renewed Eugene Winick, Paul Gitlin, and Leonard Peikoff, Introduction 1992 Leonard Peikoff (P)1991 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Epic in Scope, Simplistic Characters

Ayn Rand and Atlas Shrugged both come with a lot of baggage. Some people love it, others loathe it.

Bottom line, this story is epic in scope. I've read the book before, and now my wife and I are listening to it together every chance we get. We discuss the ideas, talk about the characters, and often laugh at the two-dimensional characters.

Yes, it's true. This book's plot is amazing, and thoroughly enjoyable on a lot of levels. It truly is a classic. However, a lot of the writing makes us laugh out loud. Especially in discussing sex and relationships.

Selfish business people are held up as heroes. They have no faults. Sensitive, empathic business owners and gov't types are all portrayed as sniveling losers. Everything is black and white; none of the characters are complex, although many are fascinating. I find myself wanting to chat with Hank Reardon or Dagny Taggart, or bounce business ideas off them.

If you've got the patience, this book is worth the listen. Even if you consider yourself to be liberal and fear big business more than big government, this book is a fascinating read.

Although I don't believe in the absolutes that Rand puts out there, it did "rewire" my brain, and allowed me to view current events through an additional point of view. It challenged me to defend some of my deep-seated beliefs, and even discard a couple.

And isn't that the kind of challenge that's worth your time?

Timeless entry of capitalism

I never tire of comparing this book and the ongoing problems the world economies have today. There are so many comparisons that I won't even begin to go into them. The author has a unique way of driving her point home. There are times that I felt as if I was at the dentist and the dentist keeps telling me over and over what they are doing and as if I didn't understand them they have the assistant drive home the same point.
The characters are believable but at times seem to be whiny,arrogant,insecure,belligerent, indignant,self-centered and heroic. You want Dagny to win but you also want her to fail sometimes. Things just seem too easily bought and without any red tape or hoops to jump through. I am a business man who cannot seem to jump these hurdles as smoothly as these characters, nor can I drop a wad of cash to get anything I am working on a top priority. It just doesn't work that way. That said, I still enjoyed the backbone of the story...work hard, stay true to your convictions, be honest, fair and above all keep your word as a business person and you will reap your reward. The drawback to this philosophy is there are always those with the opposite intentions of yours willing to do whatever it takes to remove and halt any success that you may achieve.
I give this book a 5 star for inspiration, 4 star for storyline and writing, yet only a 3 star for accuracy in government and the workings of the checks and balance system. (Where was the President, Senate, Congress in this book)? I do recommend this book to anyone who understands the business world or those who are thinking of starting a business. It is, after all a classic piece of literature that seems to cover any global, economic or time frame. A very long listen, it took me 4 and 1/2 weeks to listen to the unabridged version on my 2 hour commute each day. It will remain in my library forever to be replayed when then next stock market crash or Enron fiasco happens.

This book ROCKS!

The book is wonderful - it's now my favorite book of all time, and I'm sorry I had to be 41 before I found it. The reader is very good too, changing his voices to give each character a unique sound is a challenge in such a long, diversely populated book.

The audio quality, however, is truly lousy. There is a distracting echo and in some places it makes an abrupt sound like a tape skipping fast-forwarding, and you lose a word or two. This was the third Audible book I purchased, and I must admit, I'm now afraid to buy more. Audible did offer to let me download a different copy with another reader when I complained...but the fact that they clearly know this problem exists and yet they continue to sell the book makes me distrustful of a company I had formerly loved.

Great

This book can serve as a great tool of motivation, especially to someone who may think that they are overloaded with work. The characters are remarkable in that they know how to work hard to get what they want, not a hand-out, but a true accomplishment. My personal struggles in business were dwarfed, and momentum of accomplishment followed. I still miss the characters and look forward to someday being reunited with them again.

great pick!

I have read this book at least twice but listening to is was a whole different experience. The narrator did a fantastic job with all of the different characters, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys intelluctual growth.

Highly Recommended

My brother-in-law recommended this book to me and I will always be grateful to him for it. Since listening I have made my own brother and two more brothers-in-law listen and I just gave a copy to my father as well. When my kids are old enough, they will listen to it too. I also offer a $50 bonus to any of my employees who read it and can tell me who John Galt is. Now stop reading and start downloading.

Our Reality

This book, written in the 50's, tells you all you need to know about the current (2008) way things are going politically and where we will end up. And maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be one of the 'producers' secluded with like minded individuals away from our feckless and inept government types.

It speaks more truth than fiction

A must read!! Well written and a frightening warning of what American would/can come to if the government's socialistic tendencies and heavy appetite for growth,reach, and dominance are not kept in check. It is one of my favorite books of all time, not because of it's literary style, but because of the lessons that are taught.

Long but GREAT!

This book is one of the best books I have read (listened) to in a long time! It is great for those who like to think! A lot of ideas and information is put into this book!

Read it if you want to understand the insanity

of today's conservative political thinking. Current events reflect the same one dimensional and myopic thinking of Rand, in which wealth, greed and profit are Gods and all humane activities are only the feeble efforts of those who are completely selfish and self-serving (unlike the industrialists) at their core. Huh? Well, that's Rand's view. Her characters are black and white and one dimensional for the most part. Hank and Dagny are into BDSM (not unexpected for those inclined to fundamentalist thinking) and Wesley of course is one of the most disgusting supposed "liberals" ever created.
While one might have to withhold judgement to finish reading this monster, I found it quite enlightening in the end. This is the mind set we face in trying to bring about a more equal and humane world. And unlike Rand's fictitious scenarios where the poor industrialists are driven into hiding to remain productive because of the liberals who really aren't liberals... it sure helped me understand the prevailing myopia of the conservative movement in the US. Unfortunately for those of us who don't adhere to one dimensional propaganda... they may soon have their way as they march the country to anarchy or feudalism. Either way, the architects bent on destroying democratic republics will ultimately find they aren't as far up the food chain as they think...and their fantasy as represented in this book will never evolve because it is the nature of power to subjugate all but a few.
Ultimately, if you want to understand how the conservative movement could stand so firm on so many absurd democracy killing issues... here's your bible.