The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, Leonard Peikoff Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Fountainhead
Book Review: A book better than those who hate it, and more valuable
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved TF. It's not perfect and it's not as true-to-life as some books, but neither is the Holy Bible. This books' many enemies attack it with 15-dollar words but the truth is an intellectual is someone who is simply afraid. No one has all the answers, but any die-hard liberal has eaten far more confetti and called it meat than those who realize only You can truly take care of You, not any govt. or bureaucracy.Book Review: A book for rationalists and individualists
Summary: 5 Stars
Why add a review to a list of more than 130 reviews? Just to point out the very fact that unnervingly many people are so deeply touched by this book that they have to share their thoughts of it with others. Not only that, if you scan the list of reviews, you'll find that most reviewers either gave the book a five star score, or one very small star. This is to be expected. "The Fountainhead" is a book of ideas, and very black-and-white ideas at that. The book agitates against commonly accepted philosophies in our society, against the ideals of altruism, spirituality and humility as opposed to egotism, rationalism and pride. A lot of people loathe these ideas, while others find they loathe the society that extolls them.
Personally, I think this is one of the best books ever written. Part of that is that I think the prose and plot are magnificent (although I should add that these elements are very abstract and not everyone will like that). But what makes the book exceptional for me is the philosophy it expresses. The ideas Ayn Rand puts forth are ideas society tries to discourage because they are considered anti-social and therefore a-moral. Rand shows that, based on a philosophy which holds the rights of the individual as sacred, exactly the ideas which are generally considered to be social are a-moral.
Beware, however, that the book is constructed to convince you of Ayn Rand's ideas, not to fairly express ideas that oppose it. For instance, you will find that almost every character that is an incarnation of one of the ideas Rand abhors, is an uncritisizing, sad, weasely, snivelling little creature, while the heroes are invariably shining stars. It's not that Rand cannot defend her ideas objectively, it's just that she has left that for her non-fiction work.
If you are a rationalist, an individualist, or if you feel that society seems to award underachievement and punish productivity, you may very well find that "The Fountainhead" is one of the books you will close in your heart. If not, you should probably leave it alone.
Book Review: A book for your ages
Summary: 5 Stars
891 reveiws - what more be said. This book and Atlas Shrugged should be read before you are 20 and then re-read every 10 years throughout your life. It is amazing what one takes away from each read of these books as their own life changes and matures (college, single, career, married, children, grandchildren, ....). I am 50 and have just finished my 5th read of Atlas Shrugged. Alhtough one needs a break after AS, I feel that The Fountainhead has been peering at me from my bookshelf lately.
THERK
Book Review: A brilliantly-written book supporting individualism and principals
Summary: 5 Stars
Like Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead is one of the finest peices of literature ever written. This book emphasizes the importance of individualism over collectivism, and of sticking to principals. Howard Roark, the hero (arguably modeled on Frank Loyd Wright), is a hard working architect who learns not to compromise with his ideas on architecture. He doesn't believe in designing with architectural styles of the past - Classical, Gothic, Rennasaince - and instead uses a new modern style that hasn't been done before, using new concepts and new technology to create unique buildings.
Although he is a brilliant architect, he refuses to build anything in a historical style, resulting in his expulsion from his college, and later making it difficult for him to get any contracts. Even when faced with closing his business, he still refuses to do work he doesn't believe in.
Peter Keating, on the other hand, is a talented architect who at first becomes wealthy and famous designing buildings in historical styles. He quickly rises to becoming a partener in a great architectural firm, and designs many buildings that are praised by the public. However, he has no talent for designing anything new, and often has to ask for help from Howard Roark. Much of the story revolves around the conflict between the two - Roark would rather create a magnificent builing, but Keating would rather get credit for creating a magnificent building that he didn't design.
The story takes twist with the involvement of Elsworth Toohey, an architecture critic who preaches altruism, and despises any form of sucess, like the buildings of Roark. Dominque Francon, a manipulative woman, gets involved with both Roark and Keating. And Gail Wynand, a very wealthy an powerful man with no principals, becomes great friends with Roark, although eventually he will learn why his lack of principals will ultimately be his demise.
Hoard Roark constantly struggles against the general population, who view him negatively for being selfish and stubborn. He goes through expulsions, bankruptcies, betrayals, but because of his determination he eventually ends up on top - above Keating, Wynand, and Toohey.
The great thing about The Fountainhead is that it still applies to modern life, as individualism and principals are just as important. For instance, John Kerry, like Peter Keating, based his policies on what the public thought was good, and not what he felt was good. And like Peter Keating, John Kerry ended up as someone who will never be on top, and who will soon be forgotten (I'll remove this review if he somehow does get elected in 2008). On a more positive note, many people throughout history, like Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King, had strict principals on what was right, and they did not compromise with their principals, which is why we achieved gender and racial equality. The Fountainhead will continue to be a commonly read book, and the principals of it will continue to be true.
Book Review: A challenging book that will make you think.
Summary: 5 Stars
As time passes I see myself disagree with the philosophy of Ayn Rand more and more, yet her work has challenged me to think and question my own philosphy of life. I am not a hard core objectivist and I am actually a little amazed at how far hard-core objectivist go especial in their challenge of modern physics and quantum mechanics. But this book is a great book is worth examination and questioning. The Fountainheads characters are really amazing and interesting.
Howard Roark the protagonist is a talented college drop out who struggles to become an architect. He refuses to design anything other than to his own design and will not be influenced by the whims of cleints or fads in design. His buildings are prefect in the book and Roark will pay out of his own pocket to fix his mistake in design. And he would rather see a building of his design destroyed than corrupted. Roark is driven by solving problems of design not by fame or fortune.
He is contrasted by Peter Keating who unlike Roark always caves in to be popular opinon by catering to the whims of clients and critics. While Roark is almost uneffected by people, Keating is totally dependent on others for his ideas, dreams and sense of self.
Dominique Frankon is Roarks lover who wants to see him destroyed and tries to destroy him herself. For she is tortured by the fact that everone gives in and compromises themselves. She tries to destroy Roark because see believes that he can not hold out forever against the world and she would rather see him destroyed than live a subservient life.
Gail Wylan is Roarks best friend. Wylan is a newspaper owner who is a tyrant over his empire. He tries at first to control Roark and fails which is what starts there friendship. Wyland is forced to choose between public opinion and Roark in a court case. Wylan must choose bewteen power or intergity.
Toohey is the devil in the form of a critic. He praises those who will give into society and attacks those who will show independence and integrety in their work. He wants to destroy indiviualism and replace it with a dull mediocracy. He wants to control mens minds by making them dependent on his evaluation of the world. He is facinated by Roark while Roark has little fasinatition with him. Toohey knows that he must at all cost destroy Roark.
As I have said Rand will make you think. But challenge her ideas in your own mind. THE PASSION OF AYN RAND by Barbera Branden is an excellent biography for those who love or hate Ayn Rands views.