It was first published in 1957 in the united states. The story of atlas shrugged takes place in the united states at an unspecified future time. No book is included in this listing, however we may have the original book available for sale in our store under a different listing. Atlas shrugged is a huge sprawling dystopian novel that combines economics, science fiction, philosophy, and intrique. As with her previous novel, she had trouble finding a willing publisher. Topics about this book topics that mention this book. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Tremendous in scope and breathtaking in its suspense, atlas shrugged is ayn rands magnum opus, an electrifying moral defense of capitalism and free enterprise which launched an ideological movement and gained millions of loyal fans around the world. Ayn rand the decisions of a few industrial leaders shake the roots of capitalism and reawaken mans awareness of himself as an heroic being.
But to understand the authors sense of urgency, we must have an idea of the context in which the book was written. It was rands longest book and the last fiction book she wrote before writing nonfiction. Its this great moment of socialism defeating the pathetic capital oh, wait, thats lord of the ring, a book about people getting things done because its the right thing to do to help everyone, this is atlas shrugged, a book about people throwing tantrums if they arent making enough money off the labor of others. Opening with the enigmatic question who is john galt. Why did he have to fight his battle, not against his enemies but against those who needed him mostand his hardest battle against the woman he loved. Rands fourth and final novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing. Buy a cheap copy of atlas shrugged book by ayn rand. Due to the success of rands 1943 novel the fountainhead, she had no trouble attracting a publisher for atlas shrugged. For this 35th anniversary edition of atlas shrugged, however, i have selected, as a kind of advance bonus for her fans, four typical journal entries. The dust jacket has creases, tears, closed tears, extremity wear as is clearly shown in the pictures.
A towering philosophical novel that is the summation of her objectivist philosophy, ayn rands atlas shrugged is the saga of the enigmatic. About atlas shrugged cliffsnotes study guides book. Atlas shrugged is a book by the russian american writer and social philosopher ayn rand. This is the rare and highly desirable first editionfirst printing of atlas shrugged, and the book is complete. Henry known as hank rearden is one of the central characters in atlas shrugged. The longest novel is artamene ou le grand cyrus, originally published 164954 in ten parts, each part in three volumes. Ayn rands libertarian rant is unpleasant, daft and deeply flawed. Peopled by largerthanlife heroes and villains, charged with towering questions of good and evil, atlas shrugged is ayn rands masterpiece. Atlas shrugged by ayn rand 1957, hardcover for sale online. Indeed, this rating sorely tests me and tests all the standards that i set for myself when evaluating books. The graphic novel will most likely be published in three. The story centers on dagny taggert, granddaughter of the founder of taggert transportation. The designer and artist is bosch fawstin with a script by him and amy peikoff, adapted from the novel.
Atlas shrugged is ayn rands philosophy poorly disguised as a novel. Digital rights management drm the publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free software in order to unlock and read it. The novel made publishing history by becoming a bestseller within two years purely through word of mouth. Atlas shrugged is one of those books that divides its readers. For years, rands message was attacked by intellectuals whom her circle labeled dogooders, who argued that individuals should also work in the service of others. Instantly, ayn rand became the champion of individualism. For sale is a brand new facsimile reproduction dust jacket for the 1st edition of atlas shrugged by ayn rand. This is the story of a man who said that he would stop th. Atlas shrugged 1957 was her greatest achievement and last work of fiction.
Nov 02, 2011 one finds oneself virtually under an indefinable compulsion to keep reading once caught in the mesh of sheer story telling as ayn rand weaves the strands of her fantasy. Much of the book s third division is given to his broadcast speech, which presents the authors philosophy of objectivism. Atlas shrugged new edition audiobook, unabridged publisher. As i recall, atlas shrugged did not become the novel s title until miss rand s. Simply enter the coupon code randatlas at checkout. Get 15% off when you order 5 or more of this title for your book club.
Atlas shrugged is the second most influential book for americans today after the bible, according to a joint survey. In a scrap heap within an abandoned factory, the greatest inven. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Atlas shrugged sparknotes literature guide sparknotes literature guide series by rand, ayn, sparknotes and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
The bobbsmerrill company finally accepted the manuscript in 1943, and, two years later, it became a bestseller through word of mouth. Atlas shrugged includes elements of science fiction, mystery, and romance, and it contains rands most extensive statement of objectivism in any of her works of. Atlas shrugged is a trilogy of american science fiction drama films. Id like to read this book on kindle dont have a kindle. Atlas shrugged is an impassioned defense of the freedom of mans mind. Original green cloth, gilt title over blue on spine, gilt initials on front cover. Atlas shrugged, a modern classic and rands most extensive statement of objectivismher groundbreaking philosophyoffers the reader the spectacle of human greatness, depicted with all the poetry and power of one of the twentieth centurys leading artists.
Dagny taggart, vice president in charge of operations for taggart transcontinental railroad, seeks to rebuild the crumbling track of the rio norte line that serves ellis wyatts oil fields and the booming industrial areas of colorado. The story is set many decades in the past and focuses on a rail executive who finds herself in a world where business leaders are disappearing. Publishers first state dust jacket in very good condition, light toning to spine, closed tear along front seam. Let me warn new readers that the passages reveal the plot and will spoil the book for anyone who reads them before knowing the story. Atlas shrugged is absurd but strangely compelling books the. Rands fourth and last novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing. Graphic novel based on atlas shrugged to be published.
Atlas shrugged includes elements of science fiction, mystery, and romance, and it contains rands most extensive statement of objectivism in any of her works of fiction the book depicts a dystopian united states. In this novel she dramatizes her unique philosophy through an intellectual mystery story that integrates ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, politics, economics, and sex. Atlas shrugged is the second most influential book for americans today after the bible, according to a joint survey of five thousand people conducted by the library of congress and the book of the month club in 1991. Atlas shrugged simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
With one part of reason, one tries to reject the grim horror of the portrait she draws of the final bastion of the once free world falling into a new sort of dark ages. This novel is the setting for the authors philosophy of objectivism. A towering philosophical novel that is the summation of her objectivist philosophy, ayn rands atlas shrugged is the saga of the enigmatic john galt, and his ambitious plan to stop the motor of the world, published in penguin modern classics. But as recently as 1991, a survey by the library of congress and the book of the month club found that readers rated atlas as the secondmost. Atlas shrugged is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the worldand did. In an early discussion about the difficulties of publishing a controversial novel, random house president bennett cerf.
Atlas shrugged is a modern classic, a philosophical novel deeply rooted in ayn rands. In this novel she dramatizes her unique philosophy through an. In due course, all of ayn rands writings will be published. The story of a man who said he would stop the motor of the worldand did. Atlas shrugged by ayn rand, first edition, random house. Atlas shrugged peopled by largerthanlife heroes and villains, charged with towering questions of good and evil, atlas shrugged is ayn rands magnum opus. The rear dust jacket hinge is splitting as is shown in the pictures. Atlas shrugged project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The book is extremely long and does get become unnecessarily long and repetitive at points, but is still a good read nonetheless.
Born february 2, 1905, ayn rand published her first novel, we the living, in 1936. By 1984 more than five million copies of atlas shrugged had been sold, and in a 1991 library of congress survey americans named it second only to the bible as the book that had most influenced their lives. Atlas shrugged what were reading nowthought provoking, honest and insightful. At last, ayn rands masterpiece is available to her millions of loyal readers in trade paperback. Work is well underway on a new graphic novel based on ayn rands atlas shrugged, to be published in the next couple of years by new american library nal, a division of penguin random house with the approval of leonard peikoff. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. It is a philosophical revolution told in the form of an action thriller.
This is a list of the novels over 500,000 words published through a mainstream publisher. To produce atlas shrugged, rand conducted research on the american. Published in 1957, atlas shrugged was ayn rands greatest achievement and her last work of fiction. It is important to me to be fair and to purge my own inconsistency and hypocrisy whenever i find it. The book is atlas shrugged, ayn rands glorification of the right of individuals to live entirely for their own interest. Published in 1957, atlas shrugged was ayn rands greatest achievement and last work of fiction. In atlas shrugged, she shows that without the independent mind, our society would collapse into primitive savagery. Atlas shrugged is the second most influential book for americans today after the bible, according to a joint survey conducted by the library of congress and the book of the month club. It was with the publication of the fountainhead 1943. With this acclaimed work and its immortal query, who is john. This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor.