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Kalidurga

(14,177 posts)

84. Other...

Sun Aug 12, 2012, 07:40 PM

Aug 2012

I read about 10 pages maybe 100's no really it was probably just over 10 pages or so. It was the worst drek I have ever read. It's sort of the Shades of Grey for conservatives and libertarians. I hated it passionately. I have never thrown a book across the room, but in a rage after being numbed from the neck up I mustered up enough strength to heave the book across the room.

This was before I knew anything about the book other than people said it was a very good book and a classic. Well I generally like reading classics. Classics are often very good books with an uplifting message or a profound warning. Perhaps this book falls in the later category, that if you are a selfish prick, odious books like Atlas Shrugged with appeal to you.

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Has anyone in DU actually read 'Atlas Shrugged' by Ayn Rand? [View all] Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 OP

Read it in the 70's Xipe Totec Aug 2012 #1

Same here. A boring, dreary view of society. No redeeming qualities Hoyt Aug 2012 #12

My first big philosophical disagreement with my first GF was over the Fountainhead Xipe Totec Aug 2012 #26

Read it in the 60s Warpy Aug 2012 #102

no point datasuspect Aug 2012 #2

Some consider it important to be familiar with literature that influences others - for example Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 #6

i consider my time very valuable datasuspect Aug 2012 #18

You might be surprised mrs_p Aug 2012 #107

Exactly -- "vile and stupid. " Hoyt Aug 2012 #111

+1 Shankapotomus Aug 2012 #53

Yeah, but the Bible is entertaining ProudToBeBlueInRhody Aug 2012 #105

When a few people told me I really should read this awesome book, gkhouston Aug 2012 #3

Yes and that's many hours of my life I'll never get back catbyte Aug 2012 #17

30something years ago OriginalGeek Aug 2012 #4

50 something years ago. Same opinion. trof Aug 2012 #16

For sure OriginalGeek Aug 2012 #48

Several times, actually. Always tried to make sense of those long soliloquys, kestrel91316 Aug 2012 #5

Read it in high school as an assignment. xmas74 Aug 2012 #7

Read it and the Fountainhead as an adolescent and loved them both. cbayer Aug 2012 #8

This message was self-deleted by its author seaglass Aug 2012 #37

Dont forget to add Leon Uris to the list tibbiit Aug 2012 #47

Don't forget the complete works of Krishnamurti and Balzac's "In Search of the Absolute"! Walk away Aug 2012 #60

Yes, I admit I was fascianted with one of Uris' works - the Haj Panasonic Aug 2012 #104

Couldn't get into Hesse, but remember Castaneda very, very fondly. cbayer Aug 2012 #49

Riich on.. (being open) cilla4progress Aug 2012 #77

Read Fountainhead, then started AS and got queasy. dogknob Aug 2012 #59

Thinking back on it, I think it was the strength of the female characters that cbayer Aug 2012 #61

I tried, years ago, The Velveteen Ocelot Aug 2012 #9

DITTO Skittles Aug 2012 #14

Same here. madamesilverspurs Aug 2012 #20

+1 hifiguy Aug 2012 #54

Me as well. Lone_Star_Dem Aug 2012 #70

I opted out after 5 pages. hay rick Aug 2012 #97

I have tried numerous times, and just can't get through 50 pages Heddi Aug 2012 #10

I Read all her books riverbendviewgal Aug 2012 #11

wow. I read Atlas shrugged. started "fountainhead" but the long speeches did me in Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 #22

I can't believe you missed out on the Fountainhead...This should help! Walk away Aug 2012 #62

About 4 seconds too long. Great find. Hoyt Aug 2012 #112

Read it when I was, like, 15, in 1965 frazzled Aug 2012 #13

I never even heard of Rand or this particular title until the recent past. MrSlayer Aug 2012 #15

Is Arnold in it. ? dipsydoodle Aug 2012 #19

Read it in the 60's Progressive dog Aug 2012 #21

So did I Retrograde Aug 2012 #79

I read it almost to the end lunatica Aug 2012 #23

Got about 200 pages into it and gave up. Curtland1015 Aug 2012 #24

I read the Wikipedia article on it n/t krispos42 Aug 2012 #25

lol Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 #28

8th grade literature class Scootaloo Aug 2012 #27

Fascist propaganda about "superman" Faygo Kid Aug 2012 #29

If I didn't have a job, bills to pay and actual responsibilitites I might think about reading it. bluestateguy Aug 2012 #30

Hell, I don't have a job TexasTowelie Aug 2012 #39

When I was a teenager two books I read early alarmed me Atlas Shrugged and Mein Kampf. gordianot Aug 2012 #31

Read it in it's entirety, 3 years ago. Butterbean Aug 2012 #32

When I was 17-18 years old I read all of her fiction. Tried to pick it up not long ago and found it patrice Aug 2012 #33

I like the .. sendero Aug 2012 #34

Read it as a work of fiction, Downwinder Aug 2012 #35

I read it as a teenager and thought it was wonderful! Speck Tater Aug 2012 #36

talked to too many people caught in its idiotic circular logic. unblock Aug 2012 #38

I read it between terms at University, urged by a fellow worker, but quit 20 pages from the end. . . Journeyman Aug 2012 #40

I read it in the late 60's or early 70's graywarrior Aug 2012 #41

Maybe that's why you read it MrMickeysMom Aug 2012 #106

I've watched documentaries proud patriot Aug 2012 #42

I tried to read it. Mutt22 Aug 2012 #43

Read it a few years ago and don't see why it makes such an impression on people sammytko Aug 2012 #44

+1 mrs_p Aug 2012 #109

Sadly, I read all of them, once upon a time... MyshkinCommaPrince Aug 2012 #45

Rand eyeofnewt Aug 2012 #46

Other: saw the gawd awful movie flamingdem Aug 2012 #50

I agree with you;the movie is a campfest Tom Ripley Aug 2012 #83

Haven't read it. But I did read 'Anthem' in HS RZM Aug 2012 #51

I saw a high school friend become an insufferable, monomaniacal libertarian klook Aug 2012 #52

Or as i like to call it, "Hugless Shat" Warren DeMontague Aug 2012 #55

No one has posted my favorite video yet: Starry Messenger Aug 2012 #56

Nor mine: Shankapotomus Aug 2012 #58

No but here's The Fountainhead Guy Whitey Corngood Aug 2012 #57

I read a couple of pages when I was in 7th grade, HereSince1628 Aug 2012 #63

Best review of Atlas Shrugged ever!!! thelordofhell Aug 2012 #64

I attempted to. I never did manage to read the whole thing. PDJane Aug 2012 #65

yes ... including the 200 page monologue ... zbdent Aug 2012 #66

No. It's not that well known in the UK. LeftishBrit Aug 2012 #67

no. should i? eom ellenfl Aug 2012 #68

that's your call. Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 #120

I was given a choice for a report...... Rain Mcloud Aug 2012 #69

Thanks for telling your story. mia Aug 2012 #94

Atlas Shrugged AND The Fountainhead. Blue_In_AK Aug 2012 #71

I don't have to read Mein Kampf.... sendero Aug 2012 #72

I read everything she wrote about 15 years ago treestar Aug 2012 #73

Sure, read it and some of her others. MadrasT Aug 2012 #74

Ayn Rand and L. Ron Hubbard Yavin4 Aug 2012 #75

+1 Johonny Aug 2012 #87

Had "Fountainhead" forced on my by Randite in High School, malthaussen Aug 2012 #76

Yes and it was awful on several levels. byeya Aug 2012 #78

Read "The Fountainhead" at the prompting of a woman I was crazy about........ A HERETIC I AM Aug 2012 #80

Did skim over it, as a friend was really into the book and other Proles Aug 2012 #81

Yes, I once was a teenager Tom Ripley Aug 2012 #82

Other... Kalidurga Aug 2012 #84

I tried, but couldn't get through it. It's fucking awful...nt SidDithers Aug 2012 #85

This was one of those books I forced myself to read LadyHawkAZ Aug 2012 #86

it was a hs graduation gift eShirl Aug 2012 #88

That is not a world I want to live in Generic Brad Aug 2012 #89

Yes ismnotwasm Aug 2012 #90

Read all of her works, Atlas Shrugged and Fountainhead several times. Nt stevenleser Aug 2012 #91

Read all of Rand's books in high school, almost 40 years ago. A year in Europe Vidar Aug 2012 #92

I read it in High School to win an essay competition that I never submitted. vaberella Aug 2012 #93

I read the Ms. Magazine review of Ayn Rand years ago. That was enough for me. McCamy Taylor Aug 2012 #95

Read it in 78- I was a randian Objectivist,I'm ashamed to say. w8liftinglady Aug 2012 #96

There really should be an option for "Skimmed the Wiki entry for it". Poll_Blind Aug 2012 #98

Read it years ago. Brigid Aug 2012 #99

i was unable to finish the 1st page. pansypoo53219 Aug 2012 #100

and I was recruited KT2000 Aug 2012 #101

Why would I read that shit Panasonic Aug 2012 #103

Have read it cover to cover several times and have an autographed copy. n/t Tansy_Gold Aug 2012 #108

Kept falling asleep burrowowl Aug 2012 #110

Tried to read it a few times, but it was just so absolutely boring and pedantic Zorra Aug 2012 #113

It's a very difficult book to get through. Not because it's difficult to understand, mind you. Marr Aug 2012 #114

Started to read it in college AnnieBW Aug 2012 #115

kick eShirl Aug 2012 #116

Thanks. I'm amazed that so many DUers have read it from cover to cover. Wonder what the % Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 #119

I read about 15-20 pages HappyMe Aug 2012 #117

Got through about 20 pages and fell asleep. hobbit709 Aug 2012 #118