We the Living

Just days before twenty-one year old Alisa Rosenbaum escaped Leninist Russia to sail for the United States, she was enjoined by a friend to tell the world that "Russia is a huge cemetery and we are all dying." We The Living, by that same young emigre, writing now in English and calling herself Ayn Rand, was the result. It is the most accurate portrayal of life in the late workers' paradise ever committed to words. It is also a compelling work of art, and harbinger of the greatness to come.

Though the least explicitly philosophic of Ayn Rand's novels, We The Living was for me, because of its emotional intensity, the most difficult to read. Kira's relationships with Leo and Andre, her perseverance vis-a-vis the hopelessness of her situation--her struggle to breathe in a wretchedly airless environment--were nearly more than I could bear.

Listen, cry, learn, and rejoice. If you are not already familiar with the works of Ayn Rand, this is a marvelous place to begin.

I have sort of a love/hate relationship with this book. It is so intense and maddening, although I believe it is an accurate portrayal of Russia during the post Bolshevik Revolution times. Ayn Rand was such a powerful writer. After finishing this book I had to get a lighter one.

Ayn Rand stands head and shoulders above most authors in her ideology. She understood what makes the world work-best. As to literature We The Living was her best effort. I feel that because she lived most of it, the story was easy to write because it was her story.
Mary Woods reading of Ayn Rand's novel/bio was marvelous with her accent just where it should be and still be easy listening, Great job all around on this one.

This novel is one of my favorites. Rand was able to depict the despair of living under a totalitarian regime very well. Coming from Soviet Russia myself, I can say that not many things have changed from birth to collapse of the Communist State.

The only thing I didn't like was the production. The narrator reads without any emphasis, and at times way too fast. One will probably get more out of reading it, rather than listening to this production.

Ayn Rand's first novel, and definitely not a disappointment. A great person versus state story that kept me interested.

It's been a long while since I have been so disappointed and chagrined by the ending of a story. There was not a single story line or character ending that resolved the way I would have hoped or wanted. It left me heart sick and sad. When it ended, I couldn't believe that could possibly be the end. Her other books have had a more hopeful ending. Guess this one just blindsided me.Even so, it is an AMAZING story of love, unrequited love, sacrifice, endurance, courage ... the list goes on. Not to be missed.

Have not read other books with such a completely developed love story. Others fall short of the depth in this story.

Her characterizations of women were pretty good. There are a lot of very different men in this book with lots of variations in their personalities that didn't quite translate for me in her reading of them.

Yes.

None.

I have read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead before I found this book and the three of them fit together perfectly. Anyone that has enjoyed any of Rand's book should read this one too.
The narrator does a good job and does not distract from the story.

You cannot beat Ayn Rand - all these years later and her work is still pertinent, engaging and addictive.

I loved Atlas Shrugged. I loved Anthem. So I was looking forward to We the Living with great anticipation.

Unfortunately, the characters in this novel grated. Of the three main characters, the only one I respected was the Communist. :-!

Of the other two, one got on my nerves for the last third of the novel and I hated the third before even halfway through.

For all of her realism, Rand seemingly REALLY gave in to the notion of Romantic Love in this novel . . . utterly unlike the mature decisions made by Dagny and others in Atlas Shrugged.

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Production value in this one was superb. Mary Woods is a *fantastic* reader and, if I am tempted to get another book and see she is the narrator, that will tip the scale.

Great characterization, recognizable differences between characters, inflection, singing! All were some of the best I've ever heard.

Brava, madame. Brava!

I will. I appreciate Kira very much. I would hope to have the balls she has if I were in a similar situation.

Anna Karenina because there are some love triangle parallels, but overall, We the Living can't really be compared to another book.

When Andrei thinks more of Kira after she explains why she has done what she did.

Are you kidding?! I cried myself sick!

Ayn Rand's work is precious. It should be required reading for college freshmen at the latest.