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Yupster

(14,308 posts)

78. I really like the imagery near the beginning of the book

Mon Apr 3, 2017, 07:57 PM

Apr 2017

One of the characters (Eddie Willers?) talks about the first time he ever felt betrayed.

There was a giant tree in his neighborhood growing up and the kids climbed it and it was there forever and would be there forever. Then one day lightning struck the tree and when it fell, it was seen that the tree was mostly hollow and dead and had no strength at all, just a shell. It was the first time he was ever betrayed.

I still think of that little vignette as pretty powerful.

If you reead it there are 25 page speeches. You'll get the idea in the first two pages. Feel free to skip the next 23 pages.

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Honest question: Is there any literary merit to Atlas Shrugged as a book, its message aside? [View all] Tommy_Carcetti Apr 2017 OP

I picked it up and found it unreadable. Cary Apr 2017 #1

It consists of words, printed on paper and bound like other books. forgotmylogin Apr 2017 #64

Cute Cary Apr 2017 #74

Heck no. forgotmylogin Apr 2017 #75

Oh. Sorry. Cary Apr 2017 #77

No. H2O Man Apr 2017 #2

The only value I can imagine is finding a first edition at a yard sale and selling it. Vinca Apr 2017 #3

No. exboyfil Apr 2017 #4

I tried to read it once or twice... Wounded Bear Apr 2017 #5

I can only speak for "The Fountainhead," malthaussen Apr 2017 #6

No. potone Apr 2017 #7

I've previously said, if you like the superhero genre and treat it as such, you can like it. stevenleser Apr 2017 #8

I read Atlas Shrugged PatSeg Apr 2017 #13

I think that's why Libertarian types try to get young people to read it. They might fall for it. stevenleser Apr 2017 #20

that's exactly right. "intellectualism" in the right-wing is an endless search for unblock Apr 2017 #26

And it all was wrapped in PatSeg Apr 2017 #28

At that age, most people are trying to define themselves... Wounded Bear Apr 2017 #60

Yes PatSeg Apr 2017 #65

Yep, a normal part of human emotional development is the separation phase. kcr Apr 2017 #83

Yes, that explains a lot PatSeg Apr 2017 #84

I think you're exactly right. There's a reason they appeal to very young people. nolabear Apr 2017 #23

I liked it too.... Mellomugwump Apr 2017 #44

I read it radical noodle Apr 2017 #9

There's "writing" and there's "typing". HughBeaumont Apr 2017 #10

I read it in HS HAB911 Apr 2017 #11

She is a facile writer and the characters, LisaM Apr 2017 #12

It's the follow-up to Fountainhead, a book which goal is to attack American Community Values. TheBlackAdder Apr 2017 #14

I didn't think so ismnotwasm Apr 2017 #15

I'd say her character-building is among the worst traits... regnaD kciN Apr 2017 #59

when I was a young teen OriginalGeek Apr 2017 #16

This message was self-deleted by its author TEB Apr 2017 #17

Atlas Shrugged was okay. Dr. Strange Apr 2017 #18

Rands fiction sucks for the same reason so much sci-fi written in the past twenty years sucks LanternWaste Apr 2017 #19

Honest Answer: No regnaD kciN Apr 2017 #21

No. It's crap. The Velveteen Ocelot Apr 2017 #22

No. Mme. Defarge Apr 2017 #24

No. no_hypocrisy Apr 2017 #25

Compare and contrast edhopper Apr 2017 #27

I used to sign my s/w as John Galt. rickford66 Apr 2017 #33

Type type type type .... PsychoBabble Apr 2017 #36

No. If you have time for a giant slog, read War and Peace, the complete works of Tolstoi, pnwmom Apr 2017 #29

No. missingthebigdog Apr 2017 #30

John Rogers said it best. Foamfollower Apr 2017 #31

Was going to post that myself. SchrodingersCatbox Apr 2017 #37

Sorry, I don't get it. What are orcs? nt LAS14 Apr 2017 #52

Orcs are creatures in [i]The Lord of the Rings[/i] Jim Lane Apr 2017 #80

Thanks! Nice of you to take the time for a good explanation. :-) nt LAS14 Apr 2017 #82

LOL irisblue Apr 2017 #67

The Unabomber's manifesto was much more coherent and concise. hunter Apr 2017 #32

At age 20 I read it and thought it was great. In my 30s I read it again. It's pure crap. n/t Binkie The Clown Apr 2017 #34

Better than L. Ron Hubbard. dalton99a Apr 2017 #35

Nope. Hubbard was a craftsman of penny-a-word-pot-boiling space opera. Rand is simply deranged... hunter Apr 2017 #61

Shout out to a fellow PKD fan! malchickiwick Apr 2017 #63

Tried reading it in my twenties. Awful. Didn't get very far. SwissTony Apr 2017 #38

Depends on the definition you use. SomethingNew Apr 2017 #39

This message was self-deleted by its author ymetca Apr 2017 #40

It makes the "Left Behind" series look like Tolstoy hatrack Apr 2017 #41

Not a bit. 6000eliot Apr 2017 #42

it's about as intellectually stimulating as is reading the ingredients to a bag of Doritos. Javaman Apr 2017 #43

No. And I studied literature. WinkyDink Apr 2017 #45

No colsohlibgal Apr 2017 #46

I find anything by Carl Haissen to be imminently more intellectual reading. Atman Apr 2017 #47

Well, I would hope so. Tommy_Carcetti Apr 2017 #48

Read it twice... Baconator Apr 2017 #49

Yes and no. LAS14 Apr 2017 #50

The title is pretty great imagery Jonny Appleseed Apr 2017 #51

It's Great!! As a cure for insomnia or as a chloroform substitute. malchickiwick Apr 2017 #53

I'd have to ask my high school self, and he'd say "No. But I only read about four pages." (n/t) Iggo Apr 2017 #54

Not really, I finished it in silly giggles Warpy Apr 2017 #55

Not really. haele Apr 2017 #56

LOL! Great quote. nt eppur_se_muova Apr 2017 #58

An insight into the mind of a Libertarian. guillaumeb Apr 2017 #57

Romance Novel for Certain Types of Men delisen Apr 2017 #62

Friedrich Hayek and William Buckley both found it unreadable. bigmonkey Apr 2017 #66

And those two wrote some of the biggest shit piles on the planet! TheBlackAdder Apr 2017 #72

2 hardback copies held up the couch in my first college commune. irisblue Apr 2017 #68

No it's pretty useless Worktodo Apr 2017 #69

A very personal experience was born of Any Rand's books Alice11111 Apr 2017 #70

No. MountCleaners Apr 2017 #71

NOOOOO. It is terrible sharedvalues Apr 2017 #73

No merit if you're a grownup. jzola Apr 2017 #76

I really like the imagery near the beginning of the book Yupster Apr 2017 #78

Sweet Jeebus no! Adrahil Apr 2017 #79

It's the kind of thing Truman Capote used to call 'creative typing'. Aristus Apr 2017 #81