Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

(review by Julie)
Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand is another classic novel that is referenced far more often than those who have not read it realize (Who is John Galt?). It was first published in 1957 but it's just as relevant, if not more relevant today than it was then.

The book is about Rand's philosophy which she calls 'Objectivism'. In the novel, the thinking men and women, after being told what they can and can not do, go on strike and the world falls apart without them. To me, it's mostly an anti-socialism sort of book.

What I take with me from this book is how destructive an entitlement mentality is. We all need to assume we will have to work for what we get. We need ensure there are sufficient incentives in our society to encourage people to create.

Like many people, I have a love-hate relationship with Ayn Rand. In some things, she is so right that I want to force everyone who can vote to read her book, but then in other areas I'd like to shake her into seeing how wrong she is. So, I give the book 4 stars out of five and I think everyone needs to read it (or at least some abridged version of it). I'd love to discuss the book with others and how it applys to our world today.