Atlas Shrugged

I listened to this book on Audible, and it's a long listen. It is a story I found to be a bit confusing, unbelievable in places, dramatic, interesting, and .. did I say it is long? It is long - and the monologues are ... long.
I am in the middle with this one where I didn't love it nor did I hate it.

A brilliant-thinking man devises a way to confound the world's system that is very messed up anyway, his intention being to start over to make a better world. There is a woman who is involved with a couple of big players in all this - although she is not aware of it at the time. There is conflict, bitterness, underhandedness, social upheaval, an uprising, much destruction of railroads which are extremely important, and so on. Some seems current.

For 40 years I was too intimidated to read this--and I'm done!!!! Loved it!!

Definitely not for everyone, and at over 1000 pages it's quite a commitment of time to get through. Very interesting look at the railroad industry and while I can't see politicians ever realistically ever being able to get away with the crop they get away with in this book, it's definitely a book that makes you think! I skipped over some of the heavier psycho babble near the end, it was a bit much even for me, but I still loved this book. Definitely recommended!

There is a reason this book has maintained strong sales despite periodically negative reviews. Critical to this text is an anti-government, anti-church ideology that permeates the story. Atlas shrugged is a compelling fictional account of a dystopian future in which many of the worlds producers are simply disappearing. As producers disappear, society falls apart. A pervasive government, heavily entrenched in private business operations, creates an unworkable economic system, which is destined to fail. Who will save them...Perhaps John Galt. The better question might be are they worth saving? What you decide, after reading this book will tell you much about yourself.

Interesting philosophy couched in a not so interesting book. There is a speech in the middle when I thought to myself: When is this rant going to end?

After all the hype about this book, I was anxious to read it, but sadly it did not live up to my expectations. Some good ideas on pro-capitalism, but using this story as a forum to support free markets, moral consciousness, etc., isn't very effective. Bottom line is the story is too unbelievable to be taken seriously.

Atlas Shrugged explores what could happen if the makers and hackers of our world stopped. What if they got sick and tired of the society, government, family claiming what they created for the betterment of society and just called it quits? Is it their moral duty to carry the world on their shoulders?

Pedantic, cynical and repetitive.

A great book that everyone should read. She gets a little long winded during the speach, but the book has a great story line.