Book Review: Atlas Shrugged

This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world—and did. Was he a destroyer or the greatest of liberators? Why did he have to fight his battle, not against his enemies, but against those who needed him most, and his hardest battle against the woman he loved? What is the world’s motor—and the motive power of every man? You will know the answer to these questions when you discover the reason behind the baffling events that play havoc with the lives of the characters in this story.

Tremendous in its scope, 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 composer who gives up his career on the night of his triumph—to the woman who runs a transcontinental railroad—to the lowest track worker in her Terminal tunnels.

You must be prepared, when you read this novel, to check every premise at the root of your convictions. This is a mystery story, not about the murder of a man’s body, but about the murder—and rebirth—of man’s spirit. It is a philosophical revolution, told in the form of an action thriller of violent events, a ruthlessly brilliant plot structure and an irresistible suspense. Do you say this is impossible? Well, that is the first of your premises to check. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/662.Atlas_Shrugged 

"Stop Running from the pursuer who is out to destroy you, since there is no escape from the pursuer who is out to destroy you or from the knowledge that that pursuer is yourself.", Atlas Shrugged.  This seems to be the message of this fabulous book. It has been said in so many ways: we are our own worst enemies. Within each person is the power to succeed or to fail depending on how we 'think'. If we think we can, we can; if we think we can't, we can't. Put another way; those 'who want to' do; those who 'do not want to' don't.  It is as simple as that. Those who 'think they can' make things happen. Those who 'think they can't' wallow in self pity and whine to those who 'make things happen' for an equal portion of the proceeds from the success of those who 'think they can'.  It has been since the beginning of time. Those who 'think they can' need to realize that there is a limit to what is owed to those 'who think they can't'. And those who think they can't - or do not want to do - need to realize that there is a price to be paid for not thinking that they can.