I just finished reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, first published in 1957 in the United States. It is a LONG read (over 1,000 pages) centered on the decline of Western civilization, but well worth the effort once you get into it. The story is eerily similar to today’s world, where society stagnates and achievers began to be socially demonized and punished for their accomplishments, even though society had been far more healthy and prosperous by allowing, encouraging and rewarding self-reliance and individual achievement. Atlas Shrugged portrays socialism and communism – any form of state intervention in society – as systemically and fatally flawed.
I knew a long list of successful people had read the book and were fans (President Ronald Regan, banker Alan Greenspan and the Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, who has signed on to star in a forthcoming film based on the plot), and that it was a must read for business people. However, I found her positions on a variety of topics, including sex, politics, friendship, charity and childhood to be fascinating.
The book has seen a resurgence in sales over the past 18 months, eclipsing such rival tomes as Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope. Check it out if you have any long trips ahead of you.
