The Fountainhead

By: Ayn Rand

Narrated by: Christopher Hurt

Length: 32 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

One of the 20th century's most challenging novels of ideas, The Fountainhead champions the cause of individualism through the story of a gifted young architect who defies the tyranny of conventional public opinion. The struggle for personal integrity in a world that values conformity above creativity is powerfully illustrated through three characters: Howard Roarke, the genius who is resented because he creates purely for the delight of his own work and on no other terms; Gail Wynand, the newspaper mogul and self-made millionaire whose power was bought by sacrificing his ideals to the lowest common denominator of public taste; and Dominique Francon, the devastating beauty whose desperate search for meaning has been twisted, through despair, into a quest to destroy the single object of her desire: Howard Roarke. Dramatic, poetic, and demanding, The Fountainhead remains one of the towering books on the contemporary intellectual scene.

©1943 The Bobbs-Merrill Company; 1968 Ayn Rand; 1993 Leonard Peikoff (P)1994 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Ayn Rand is a writer of great power. She has a subtle and ingenious mind and the capacity of writing brilliantly, beautifully, bitterly." ( New York Times Book Review)

Wish I read/listened to it sooner!

If you could sum up The Fountainhead in three words, what would they be?

Foundational concept for integrity.

What did you like best about this story?

The degree to which all the characters are fleshed out.

What about Christopher Hurt’s performance did you like?

Made it very easy to keep up with who was talking

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Made me ponder deeply about my own work ethic and integrity.

Classic -tells what a Book can but the movie can't

What did you love best about The Fountainhead?

I like this book. It made me think of the dangers of agreeing with everyone else instead of making up my own mind. I can now think of the origins of housing projects and the dawn of the skyscrapers in NY (fiction or not).

Any additional comments?

In the 1949 movie adaptation of Fountainhead, Ayn Rand would not allow a single word of her screenplay changed. Maybe she’s got some in common with Roark after all.

Seemed longer than I remember, but worth the time

The characters in this book are classic, especially Howard Roark who is certainly in my top 10 all-time if not #1. I want my teenage boys to read this but I'm not sure they can handle the length. I originally read it when I was about 20... it was my dad's favorite book. I really enjoyed it then and I did now as well (at 56), but it seemed longer. It didn't need to be this long. I worry it's a little dated for this generation.

landmark read!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Fountainhead?

Rourke's "Summary and final comments" in the court case must be the climax of the book.

What about Christopher Hurt’s performance did you like?

I could always distinguish which character was speaking from Hurt's slight dramatization - not over-done but sufficiently different for every character. I think it was a brilliant reading.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Man's quest to reach for the heavens.

Any additional comments?

The transition between chapters is sometimes very abrupt with no pauses. This distracts from the closure of certain events and topics and the "same sentence" like transition detracts from the otherwise brilliant reading.

Rand is a genius

This should be required reading for everyone along with Atlas Shrugged. Performance was great but story is unrivaled. Read it and tell others to read it.

Best book I've EVER read- hands down!

Ayn Rand is unarguably one of the best writers in history. This book was entertaining, thought provoking, and educational. A must read for every philosophical mind.

Enjoyed it - except for one thing.

The rapid transition from one chapter to another was jarring. A brief pause would have improved the performance.

Epic story read expertly

Loved it. Couldn't turn it off. mesmerized. Worth the time! Wish it was longer !!

Inspiring story

One of my favorites. I listen to it at least once a year. A good prequel to Atlas Shrugged.

Excellent

I found what i came to look for. Thanks to both the author Ayn Rand for writting this book, also to the amazing voice Christopher Hurt.