Atlas Shrugged April 15. I like the timing

[Guest 6.8 AR]

As far as character development, and not being the brightest on this subject by a long shot, I did carry

away after actually having to read it several times, that I got to know things about the characters that I

never get with so many real life interactions, it was overwhelming. But that helped me understand the

other complexities in the book. That book is such a long and dense read, it's almost work, the first time I

read it, but I couldn't put it down. I've read it six times, to date, and still find something I missed earlier.

But I'm one who didn't learn to enjoy a book until I was in my twenties.

Edited March 1, 2011 by 6.8 AR

[Guest mosinon]

When I read it I found it interesting the whole way through. If I didn't I wouldn't have bothered cause I was reading it for fun, not necessarily for the message. That part is a bonus.

I am about to reread it again, I've still got my twenty year old copy. You could read that book fifty times and still find new stuff. Though I will agree that it is somewhat densely written.

I liked it and, as noted earlier, I wouldn't base my personal philosophy off of the book but if someone does it is no big deal. The way this stuff works is that people find something that reinforces the beliefs they already have. It isn't that Rand is really swaying people to her opinion it is that people who shared her opinion found a voice in her writing.

Sadly my personal philosophy seems to be most closely echoed by 1980's national lampoon magazines and Penthouse. But, hey, I am low rent.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I wouldn't know where to start about basing my personal philosophy, although I find so many

things in there I hadn't really thought about in any depth, but it makes me question everything

I think and do more. I would say it has had a huge impact in my life just from reading it. It got

me reading a lot more than I used to. It's a benchmark for me, now. I used to read mostly

Clancy and Dean Koontz type stuff. The last time I went to McKays, I bought everything I could

find by Heinlein. I can thank Suntzu for that one. I guess it's never too late.

[BigK]

Atlas Shrugged was good, but it was also very boring. There was just way too much character development for my taste.

Devoting hundreds of pages to character development is the heart and soul of the book, IMHO. Afterall, it is a person's character that makes them choose right over wrong or in the case of the book...personal responsibility over socialistic ideals. Maybe she could have found a way to explain that the heroes' choices where the only sane options they had in fewer pages, though.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

That was a good way to put that.

I think she was trying to pound her objectivist ideas in to the point they are not disputable.

BTW, an interesting character, Ellis Wyatt, is being portrayed by Graham Beckel, actor/brother

of Ed Beckel, the democrat strategist. Hannity has had them on together and it was hilarious.

I didn't make the connection until the other day. He should be good in that role.