Anthem by Ayn Rand Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Anthem
Book Review: An Introduction to the Philsophy of Ayn Rand
Summary: 4 Stars
Anthem reveals the basic philosophical and political idealogy of Ayn Rand. I wish I had read this book years ago, before I read and loved The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Instead, I read it recently because my granddaughter had to read it for her sophomore English class, and I enjoy discussing books with her.
In Anthem, Rand clearly explains her premise that capitalism, not socialism, is critical to a financially healthy society. The hero, thinking clearly for himself,has no desire to simply follow orders. He decides to think for himself, even risking an unknown future to follow his dream. The outcome of his decision inspires hope in the reader.
Excerpts from this book would make a strong statement on the editorial page these days, with our economy so bleak and the prospect grim for the near future. In fact, Ms. Rand's Anthem would seem to be the antidote to government "helping" everyone who needs something, instead of the individual helping themselves. Our grandchildren will be burdened with these issues. We should take note of the insight and inspiration found in Anthem, an old book with a pertinent theme for today.
Sherry Dolgoff
Book Review: Anthem
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a grest book for all ages and it inspires young and old to do better in life. if you are just looking for a good book to read this is the book for you. THis book is a classic and a must have for any book going readers. The book starts out in a little village with a man writing in in journal but for him to write in a journal is agaisnt the law. Not only that for him to be alone is agaisnt the law. Throughout the whole book he is treated badly just because he is smarter than everyone else. He loves a woman but even that is illgel. What is even worse he has to work with a whole buch of half brain nitwits for aliving. If you read this book i will praise yu what more could you ask for? Not much i thought so. The book has a great ending so read it today.Book Review: Anthem
Summary: 5 Stars
The book came quickly and in perfect condition. Thank you so much for the great service.Book Review: At least its short.
Summary: 2 Stars
Anthem is Ayn Rand's second-best book; the first is We the Living. Written in the '30's when she was still an artist, Anthem and We the Living share the virtue of actually belonging to the genre to which the author assigned them, meaning that both were novels. After that, with Fountainhead and Atlas shrugged, Ayn Rand produced long-winded, didactic, histrionic polemics on political economy which the author mislabeled as novels.
I read all four when I was in the army during the '60's, and I was initially impressed. (Maybe it was the context.) Even then, however, it was clear that the quality of Rand's work as fiction deteriorated, eventually quite sharply, as the year's went by. I remember reading Atlas Shrugged, including her 80+ page disquisition on money as the one true measure of value and thinking "this is fiction, yes, but in the form of ham-handed pamphleteering, not art."
Ayn Rand's style might best be characterized as manifesting an unwavering commitment to functional redundancy -- the same ideas over and over again, barely clothed in minimally varying fictional dress from one book to another. It's as if she was afraid the reader wouldn't get it the first time, or the second, or maybe not even the third. Perhaps she gave up on fiction in favor of essays because she underestimated her readers' ability to identify themes, understand metaphors, and discern the big picture.
Anyhow, she made tons of money, gained a large and devoted following, and her books are still selling. Go figure.
Book Review: Ayn Rand Rocks!
Summary: 4 Stars
It's all about individuality. I've read "Anthem" again and again, and always, through it, acquire renewed strength of purpose. If you view life with a sense of detachment you'll enjoy these 59 pages. The last few pages, however, seem to drift from the central theme.