Publication Date:September 1, 1996 Shipping:Eligible for Super Saver Shipping Promotion:Buy 4 eligible items in the 4-for-3 promotion offered by Amazon.com and get 1 of them free.Terms and Conditions Availability:Usually ships in 24 hours
Worth of money.November 25, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought a used book in good condition. This book arrived very fast and of course was in a better condition than my expectation. I am happy with my current purchase and would like to continue in future.
important novel/philosophical presentationNovember 25, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In the Fountainhead, Ayn Rand presents her philosophy of objectivism told through the lives of her characters. The protagonist is architect Howard Roark who portrays the epitome of the heroic individual standing against mediocrity. The villain is media figure Ellsworth Toohey who is known for raising up what is insignificant and tearing down what is excellent. Don't be surprised if many of the events and dialogue in this book rings true in regard to current events.
I read Atlas Shrugged before Fountainhead and found Atlas Shrugged to be much more compelling and a better presentation of Rand's philosophy. Fountainhead is still worth reading but is not quite as good.
An OK book, not as bad as her later stuffNovember 17, 2008 0 out of 1 found this review helpful
My first thought while reading this book was "Why does Rand hate women so much?" There does seem to be a misogynistic theme throughout the text, which is unfortunate because the story is pretty decent. Like "Atlas Shrugged," the characters here are one-dimensional and not terribly interesting, but Rand writes some good descriptions and the plot is good enough to make you want to finish it. Even though it's clear what her philosophy is in this book, she doesn't beat you over the head with it nearly as much as she does in her other fiction books. That said, you still do get the sense that if you don't agree entirely with how Rand feels about certain things (like, say, the arts), then you are an idiot and are part of the problem. Some authors are masters of subtly, but Rand isn't. She's about as subtle as a picture book for toddlers. If you can put up with this style of writing, then the book shouldn't be a problem. If you like shades of grey and think that the world doesn't exist solely in black and white, you might want to skip this, along with "Atlas Shrugged."
More traditionally novelistic, tells the backstory of Atlas ShruggedNovember 10, 2008 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This novel predates Atlas Shrugged, and sometimes reads like a prequel telling the backstory of John Galt's life before he went on strike in Atlas. In its focus on individual characters, it sharpens the picture of pain and painful consequences to significant choices that drive the character's in Rand's objectivist world, so in some ways is more interesting and readable than Atlas Shrugged. It is more traditionally novelistic and less explicitly philosophical.
FountainheadSeptember 30, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
One of my favorites. Have read it twice. A must read for today's world.
