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Atlas Shrugged (volume 2 of 3) | 
 enlarge | Author: Ayn Rand
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
Category: Book
List Price: $83.95
Buy New: $52.89
You Save: $31.06 (37%)
New (4) Used (6) Collectible (1) from $14.80
Avg. Customer Rating:  1541 reviews
Sales Rank: 1898877
Media: Audio Cassette
Edition: 12 Cassettes
Number Of Items: 12
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 6.8 x 2.5
ISBN: 0786102330
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780786102334
ASIN: 0786102330
Publication Date: December 1991
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: PART 2 OF 3. Brand New! UNABRIDGED audiobook on CASSETTE direct from the manufacturer. Sturdy vinyl case.
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Product Description
Published in 1957, Atlas Shrugged was Ayn Rand's greatest achievement and last work of fiction. In this novel she dramatizes her unique philosophy through an intellectual mystery story that integrates ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, politics, economics, and sex.
Set in a near-future U.S.A. whose economy is collapsing as a result of the mysterious disappearance of leading innovators and industrialists, this novel presents an astounding panorama of human life-from the productive genius who becomes a worthless playboy...to the great steel industrialist who does not know that he is working for his own destruction...to the philosopher who becomes a pirate...to the woman who runs a transcontinental railroad...to the lowest track worker in her train tunnels.
Peopled by larger-than-life heroes and villains, charged with towering questions of good and evil, Atlas Shrugged is a philosophical revolution told in the form of an action thriller.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1536 more reviews...
 Cautionary Tale and Eeriely Accurate Prognostication of Economy Collapse October 8, 2008
I read that book about seven years ago because I was intensely curious about Ayn Rand and her books. So many people waiting for the bus or riding one seemed to be into her books so I bought a hardback edition and started reading it. I could not stop reading it and turning the pages. When I came to the last page, I was so terribly disappointed that the marvellous story had to come to the end. I WANTED MORE!!!
That book made me see how the material value is determined and how it is diminished by the intensive governmental intervention as well as the corporate interference.
The strong parallel between the society as depicted in the 1957 book and the society in reality is astoundingly accurate. You owe it to yourself to read this book as to understand the financial crisis of 2008 better.
Ayn Rand does understand the economy and its ramification on the modern society so splendidly. She also told it very brilliantly.
I shan't reveal who is John Galt and what is the "motor" that moved the world.
good book October 6, 2008
I only got half way through before life got in the way. It was an interesting read and I'm hoping I can get back to it soon.
She (author) nailed it! Written for Today! October 5, 2008
A long read, but Ayn Rand tells the story of today's America. Politicians stay in power by redistributing wealth. Achievement is penalized, mediocrity is rewarded, and the country spirals down. Hmmm, sound familiar?
Loved it. Gave copies to all of our six children.
A must read...truly. Especially in this election year.
Misunderstood October 4, 2008
The very instant you hear someone saying "She thinks so-and-so because in the end it's better for humanity" stop the conversation, because that person has either not read the book, or did not read it closely.
Ayn Rand's philosophy attempts to destroy the common trends in modern and contemporary philosophy who claim either there are no moral absolutes, or there are no absolute truths in reality. The claim is that in both instances there are absolutes, and we can know them.
Yes in this novel the characters are unrealistically good at everything, (good looking, can fly airplanes, incredibly intelligent, etc. etc.) Many people have taken this to be a sign of naivety in her writing. To those people I suggest you look at your premises of what constitutes "naive." Ayn Rand tries repeatedly to show that excellence is something to be loved, not flaws.
This sort of theme is present in all Greek epics, and in fact to the Greeks the very definition of "Hero" is something absolutely indistinguishable from what we typically see in our culture today. To the Greeks, heroism was practically synonymous with today's highly successful businessman. They attained wealth, and fame/glory. Yet the very same literary minded people who attack Atlas Shrugged for this precise theme will write entire dissertations on Greek epics, usually in extremely high regard.
The difference is a change of setting, and the philosophy of the person reading the book. She wanted to bring back the values which brought out the best in an individual, where all around her were novels which said that people are to be loved for their flaws, and that one should be GUILTY for loving something for how good it is.
This is only one aspect of the book, but an important one.
As for the economic themes, if you disagree with anything said in the book I only have to direct you to the American economy today. Banks are being seized and sold by the government, hundreds of billions of dollars (forcefully seized from its citizens) being spent to bail out banks (And should I add that in the beginning the banks were forced to take on these subprime loans, or else be sued for 'economic discrimination' and face other fines/legality issues. I know no other way to determine who to give a loan to except for 'economic discrimination' ) Smoking bans for private property, private property seizures.. the list goes on.
I think it's very unfortunate that people will read this book and leave it with such a deep rooted misunderstanding of it, when I approached this book I thought that I understood Ayn Rand's philosophy (at the time I was a libertarian) but I realized that I had everything absolutely wrong, and I had to go on a personal quest to figure out right and wrong practically from the beginning. This book changed me from pragmatism, (The exact antithesis of "absolute" the most subjective philosophy to exist) and showed me a way to live my life and be supremely happy with my accomplishments. I've never been happier in my life, and I only intend to continue accomplishing and bettering myself. Why? because I want to.
That's what this book has done for me.
 drivel October 3, 2008
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
Atlas Shrugged works as a Fantasy Mystery or Detective Story. Ms.Rand succeeds at projecting the Russian Revolution of her homeland onto America, then reacting to it. To do this she had to drastically misunderstand American history.
The book does have some redeeming qualities. None of the protagonists have degrees in finance or economics. The Protagonists seem mostly to be mechanics, skilled hacks, and engineers. Rand developed the prototypes of many soundbytes used by coldwarriors and ideologues like Reagan and Greenspan.
The gospel of Ayn Rand's Objectivism is best discovered by analyzing her design of the Galt's Gulch civilization. What does it take for a civilization to exist to Ayn Rand's standards of freedom and capitalism? It has to have strict control over who is allowed to enter. The citizens must refuse to trade or commit commerce with all civilizations and individuals who do not live up to their standards of freedom. A hard currency of gold is used, yet somehow banking must also be possible. There must be engines that output more energy than is put into them(the laws of physics will rearrange themselves for you if you are "rational" enough). Objectivist Privateers must have better artillery and ships than national militaries. People who design air planes have tall lean physiques. Less than a days wages can pay for lectures from the top intellectuals and professionals. You can rent your friends car for a solid gold nickel, without having to sign release forms and provide proof of insurance.
Atlas Shrugged can serve as an inspiration for Iraqi Insurgents wishing to sabotage Iraqi civilization just to get rid of the people who don't live up to their standards of freedom and morality.
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