The Fountainhead

Hands down, no equivocation, this remains my favorite book since first reading it 33 years ago, and despite decades spent reading everything else I get my hands on. Essentially a "fairy tale," Rand's tight prose, economy of words, deft weaving of multiple plot lines and disparate characters, present a world not as it is but as it should be. Though the novel's primary...more

Hands down, no equivocation, this remains my favorite book since first reading it 33 years ago, and despite decades spent reading everything else I get my hands on. Essentially a "fairy tale," Rand's tight prose, economy of words, deft weaving of multiple plot lines and disparate characters, present a world not as it is but as it should be. Though the novel's primary characters, Roark and Toohey, might be subject to criticism as too two-dimensional, too B/W, it's their relationships and interactions with the story's other characters - those inhabiting the "gray areas" - who create the "Rand dynamic" necessary to explore and convey her philosophy of Objectivism, while simultaneously crafting a masterwork of fiction that can be read on multiple levels. Dominique and Keating, two sides of the same coin, struggle throughout to prove "worthy" in heart, mind and soul to the ideals exemplified by Roark. One fails, one succeeds. And few characters in American fiction rival the tragic fortune of Gail Wynand, someone who sensed the correct path early in life but cast his lot poorly when he chose power... In an age when society values the politically correct, homogenization and subservience of individuality and personal desire to that of the herd, for the "greater good," during a time when nothing is anyone's fault and personal responsibility remains a scarce commodity, Rand's novel resonates more profoundly today than when it was released in 1943.   hide

The main character Rourke isn't a real person he doesn't act like a real person. Rand tries to say that selfless people are really power hungry and evil at the same time while the selfish people are shown as good because they only think of their self. This book is completely unrealistic and does nothing other then try to show Rand's belief that everyone should be selfish. She does...more

The main character Rourke isn't a real person he doesn't act like a real person. Rand tries to say that selfless people are really power hungry and evil at the same time while the selfish people are shown as good because they only think of their self. This book is completely unrealistic and does nothing other then try to show Rand's belief that everyone should be selfish. She does this through making out the good guy as being selfish and likable while having him win in the end. I'm also not really sure what being selfish has to do with not having any emotion, in real life it seems that selfish people are far angrier and meaner then people that care about others.   hide

not likes the book pretty much until i had read upto 450 pages....but definately after that the book gradually takes up speed and the a certain story comes into existence....this is when you get the courage to read the remaing book through...The character of dominique is definately not among the ones i like....its like she is more confused rather than firm....Don't get why she need to marry...more

not likes the book pretty much until i had read upto 450 pages....but definately after that the book gradually takes up speed and the a certain story comes into existence....this is when you get the courage to read the remaing book through...The character of dominique is definately not among the ones i like....its like she is more confused rather than firm....Don't get why she need to marry two people if she could have been with roark all through out...But roaark is definately one of the most strong ,ethical and independent characters that i have ever gone through....   hide

Ayn Rands Fountainhead is THE ultimate and intimate fiction. This book for me defends egotism and tells me the value of my work as I to am a Artist. I love it not just due to this but also due to powerful characters in it and their relationship in between. Especially Gail Wynand and Howard Roarks First one on one conversation in GW's office. That power cannot be written to make people...more

Ayn Rands Fountainhead is THE ultimate and intimate fiction. This book for me defends egotism and tells me the value of my work as I to am a Artist. I love it not just due to this but also due to powerful characters in it and their relationship in between. Especially Gail Wynand and Howard Roarks First one on one conversation in GW's office. That power cannot be written to make people understand them but must be read. A must read if u havent and if you have keep reading it dozens of time I am sure everytime there will arise a new perspective.   hide

Thoroughly enjoyed the read as I was looking for some philosophy, though I hadn't been familiar with that of Rand. Personally, I connected well with her ideas...to an extent. Like most all philosophical ideologies, Rand is a purist. Her characters are "black" and "white"...supreme and inferior. Rand focuses narrowly on individualism as an ideal for humanity and disdains...more

Thoroughly enjoyed the read as I was looking for some philosophy, though I hadn't been familiar with that of Rand. Personally, I connected well with her ideas...to an extent. Like most all philosophical ideologies, Rand is a purist. Her characters are "black" and "white"...supreme and inferior. Rand focuses narrowly on individualism as an ideal for humanity and disdains all forms of collectivism that it seems she is unable to grasp the Human as an inherently social creature. Also like most philosophers, she seeks to dismantle and destroy the ideologies she believes to be inherently corrupt. What she fails to recognize is that it is not the Ideal that is corrupt...it is Human that is inherent to corruption and even the purest ideologies are not immune to human corruption. Perhaps the worst human corruption is that which evolves in the subconscious of the idealist. Ayn Rand herself is corrupt in her own philosophy. Her Individualist; her Hero could not achieve his mastery without the commissions...the approvals...of others. Rand herself is corrupt in the mere fact that she pursued the publishing of her works...withstanding the rejection of 12 publishers before being approved by one in the case case of The Fountainhead. If the individualist finds happiness in his / her work without the need of society's stamp of approval...why publish? Any philosophical literature should be read with an open mind. The ideas are useful, but we cannot strive to live Black and White.   hide

I like this book so much because Rand makes me think even though I don't agree with many of her beliefs. Roark is a wonderfully different protagonist, and I felt for him even though he's nothing like me. Rand has that talent to connect the reader with characters you probably wouldn't understand if you met in real life. I love it!This book really made me think, and that's why I...more

I like this book so much because Rand makes me think even though I don't agree with many of her beliefs. Roark is a wonderfully different protagonist, and I felt for him even though he's nothing like me. Rand has that talent to connect the reader with characters you probably wouldn't understand if you met in real life. I love it!This book really made me think, and that's why I liked it. Ayn Rand's theory of objectivism is a too extreme for me to agree with, but she brings up some good ideas to consider. It's long-winded for sure, but most of it was a really interesting read and kept me wondering what was going to happen to the characters.   hide

I'm not a Randroid, and I don't find Objectivism to be a truly legitimate philosophy. Ayn Rand takes too many pages from the books of Aristotle, Nietzsche, Hediegger, and Mises but doesn't really do anything truly original or enlightening with it. Despite all of that... I love this book. I was unfamiliar with the works of the previously mentioned individuals (besides...more

I'm not a Randroid, and I don't find Objectivism to be a truly legitimate philosophy. Ayn Rand takes too many pages from the books of Aristotle, Nietzsche, Hediegger, and Mises but doesn't really do anything truly original or enlightening with it. Despite all of that... I love this book. I was unfamiliar with the works of the previously mentioned individuals (besides Aristotle) when I read this, and though I've moved away from Rand to the point of rejection and she isn't even one of the better Russian novelists... but outside of 1984 and Thus Spoke Zarathustra, no book has influenced me to pursue knowledge and individual triumph more than this one. It has a lot of sentimental value to me, and it doesn't need a team of editors like Atlas Shrugged did.   hide

Its a book which made me notice the architecture of buildings whereever i go... a really uplifting book with such a perfect depiction of contradictions and duality we so often witness and feel ununderstandable......just after the character and philosophy of the roark u find urself carry away in the description of the society, u feel the injustices done to him, u protest for him, u feel his...more

Its a book which made me notice the architecture of buildings whereever i go... a really uplifting book with such a perfect depiction of contradictions and duality we so often witness and feel ununderstandable......just after the character and philosophy of the roark u find urself carry away in the description of the society, u feel the injustices done to him, u protest for him, u feel his confidence and all in all u love his character . Then the lead gal seems so much above these traps of world , with a clarity u can never even imagine off......n u know that pain need not always be devastating, it can strenthen ur will, it can be a saviour, it can be a mystery to watch, it can be a detachment to shun away.......i really loved this book.........   hide

I feel like Ayn Rand gets 90% of things really, really well--enough to justify her popularity, but is missing a crucial 10%. It's all justice, but there is something to be said for mercy. Still, I wish our politicians would read and understand her works. I'm also curious about how The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged totally ignore children and the family. It's as...more

I feel like Ayn Rand gets 90% of things really, really well--enough to justify her popularity, but is missing a crucial 10%. It's all justice, but there is something to be said for mercy. Still, I wish our politicians would read and understand her works. I'm also curious about how The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged totally ignore children and the family. It's as though the main characters live in a vacuum that doesn't take into account the crucial element of the family in society, nor the effects their behaviors in that regard.   hide