I think if you look at it as three books it would be easier to get through. Book one ends with the conclusion of the first run of the John Galt Line. Not sure exactly where to end Book two. Perhaps with Dagny’s discovery of the hidden valley but I’m not sure where that falls in relation to the end of the book, and then Book three being from that point to the end.
I doubt I’d read the thing through again, I mostly read it because I’d read The Fountainhead (and I only read that to see if it was as swoony as the movie, which is pretty damn swoony) and got AS at the same time for like five bucks to fulfill a book club subscription, but I certainly don’t regret reading it. I don’t give it the philosophical weight that Randians do and I don’t agree with the outlines of Objectivism but if one has the time to devote to it, it’s not a bad way to pass some time.
I agree. I certainly found the story interesting. The endless speeches less so. If only there was the odd sliver of humour!
Yes. The most memorable part for me has always been at the very end when John, Ragnar and Francisco look at one other as they’re flying over New York City and all the lights go out.
You mean Rearden speculating that when the strike ends, Dagny will rebuild her railroad and charge him a fortune to ship his goods… but he’ll be able to pay them, doesn’t cause you to laugh in the purest and noblest expression of human joy?
[sub]Commie…[/sub]
Yes, but ***she, herself ***made the cuts. She once commented that she fought tooth and nail with her editors, about changing so much as a comma in her manuscripts.
And I’m sure that whoever does the AS screenplay will omit the character of Francisco d’Anconia, who was Rand’s favorite.
I’m no fan of Ayn Rand’s prose, politics, philosophy, or psyche, but yeah, any book can become a good movie if you just leave enough of it out. LOTR, case in point.
None of her heroes/heroines were plain looking; that would have contradicted her concept of “romantic realism.” The only plain-looking characters in AS were the mini-hero-wannabes, like Eddie Willers and Cheryl.