In it, rand dramatizes the main tenets of objectivism, her philosophy of rational selfishness. It is a long book, but i would recommend it to serious readers. She explores the ramifications of her radical thinking in a world that penalizes human intelligence and integrity. All atlas shrugged artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a 30day moneyback guarantee. The story is set many decades in the past and focuses on a rail executive who finds herself in a world where business leaders are disappearing. Support the book and the 2011 atlas shrugged movie with this atlas shrugged tshirt that will let everyone know that you support individuals like john galt, who believe that people, not government, should be in control of societys destiny. Atlas shrugged simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Endowed wlargerthanlife characters and charged with towering questions of good and evil, atlas shrugged is a revolutionary epic. In 1991 the book of the month club and library of congress asked readers to name the most influential book in their lives. Rands first novel was we the living 1936 and was followed by anthem 1938, the fountainhead 1943, and atlas shrugged 1957.
The goal of this article is to provide a summary of the types of economic issues found in atlas shrugged. Atlas shrugged by ayn rand, first edition abebooks. After reading the fountainhead and atlas shrugged by ayn rand in 20052006, my life has been changed for the better. Atlas shrugged author sells 1,000,000 books in 2012 irvine, calif.
As passionate as it is profound, atlas shrugged is one of the most influential novels of our time. A towering philosophical novel that is the summation of her objectivist philosophy, ayn rands atlas shrugged is the saga of the enigmatic john galt, and his ambitious plan to stop the motor of the world, published in penguin modern classics. The book is extremely long and does get become unnecessarily long and repetitive at points, but is still a good read nonetheless. As of this writing, atlas ranks 124th on amazons sales charts. It was first published in 1957 in the united states. Choose your favorite atlas shrugged designs and purchase them as wall art, home decor, phone cases, tote bags, and more. A fine copy of the book in a slipcase with only marginal flaws. Atlas shrugged is divided into three parts, with ten chapters in each part. The book sold 445,000 copies in 2011, the secondstrongest sales year in the novels history. Mar 27, 2009 books atlas shrugged is absurd but strangely compelling.
This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of. According to a 1991 survey done for the library of congress and the book of the month club, atlas shrugged was mentioned among the books that made the most difference in the lives of 17 out of 5,000 book ofthemonth club members surveyed, which placed the novel between the bible and m. The astounding story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the worldand did. Feminist interpretations of ayn rand by mini reisel gladstein 46. Atlas shrugged is an impassioned defense of the freedom of mans mind.
Atlas shrugged is one of those books that divides its readers. The best reason to read atlas shrugged is that it is culturally significant. Her first real success was the fountainhead rejected by more than ten publishers before publication in 1943. I believe that claim is a reference to a 1991 survey conducted by the library of congress of 2,000 book of the month readers, so take that as you will. But as recently as 1991, a survey by the library of congress and the book of the month club found that readers rated atlas as the secondmost.
Total sales of ayn rand books perhaps 40 million galts gulch. The novel made the new york public librarys list of best books of the century in 1996, and radcliffe publishing ranked it 92 out of the top 100 novels of the 20th century. Inscribed by rand on the front free end paper prior to the october 10 release date. Ayn rands analogy specifically referenced in the books are that the industrialists and geniuses of the world essentially carry the entire. One of the most influential business books ever written is a 1,200page novel published 50 years ago, on oct. Greece, germany, and a realworld version of atlas shrugged. The popular author of atlas shrugged and the fountainhead has sold 1,000,000 copies of all of her titles in 2012. In addition to atlas shrugged designs, you can explore the marketplace for ayn rand, john galt, and objectivism designs sold by independent artists. Humphrey 1890 1970 started his career as a lawyer, but transitioned into the m. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read atlas shrugged. Atlas shrugged is a novel by ayn rand, first published in 1957 in the united.
And a new book, ayn rand and the world she made by anne c heller doubledayrandom. How many copies of atlas shrugged have been sold answers. After all, her books especially atlas shrugged have been hugely influential, exposing countless people to a libertarian message. My ayn rand craze was in the late seventies when i was a professor of biblical studies at bethel college. The book sold 445,000 copies in 2011, the secondstrongest sales year in the. So if you think, as the economist suggests, that sales of atlas shrugged in the united states were pushed up by the british bailout of northern rock and the u. Atlas shrugged is one of the most profound books ive ever read. Many characters question who he is, but he isnt named until the third way through the first book. In atlas shrugged, she shows that without the independent mind, our society would collapse into primitive savagery. All in all, over 40 books have been published by or about ayn rand. About atlas shrugged cliffsnotes study guides book. Atlas shrugged and the fountainhead were number 1 and 2 respectively on the modern. It was with the publication of the fountainhead 1943 and atlas shrugged 1957 that she achieved her spectacular success. It is the story of a manthe novels herowho says that he will stop the motor of the world, and does.
Rands fourth and last novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing. Atlas shrugged by ayn rand, the fountainhead by ayn rand, anthem by ayn rand, we the living by ayn rand, and the virtue of sel. Her notable works included the fountainhead 1943 and atlas shrugged. Tremendous in scope breathtaking in its suspense, atlas shrugged is unlike any other book you have ever read.
The 23 most expensive books sold in 2016 businessinsider. Atlas shrugged is not very good literature, despite the amazing sales. The events that surrounded rands life, notably the rise of communism in russia, heavily influenced her work. Opening with the enigmatic question who is john galt. Total sales of ayn rand books perhaps 40 million galt. May 18, 2009 so if you think, as the economist suggests, that sales of atlas shrugged in the united states were pushed up by the british bailout of northern rock and the u. Irvine, ca ayn rands atlas shrugged sold more than 500,000 copies in 2009, more than double the previous record set in 2008, reports penguin usa, publisher of the four american editions. Ayn rands atlas shrugged rare books experts at bauman.
Atlas shrugged and the fountainhead were number 1 and 2 respectively on the. According to brook, atlas shrugged, her most famous novel, has sold more copies in the first four months of 2009 than it did for all of 2008 and in 2008, it sold 200,000 copies. Rand sold her first screenplay in 1932, but nobody would buy her first novel we the living 1936 a melodrama set in russia. As a kid, i read atlas shrugged three or four times, starting in sixth or seventh grade, all while attending catholic schools in orange county, california. Rand, author of the bestselling novels, the fountainhead and atlas shrugged. Atlas shrugged has sold around 7 million copies since it was published, which puts it at around half as many copies as the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. This book should be required reading for everybody for a book published over half a century ago it it. She started a new philosophy known as objectivism, opposed to state interference of all kinds, and her follow.
More than twenty million copies of her books have been sold. Here is the longoverdue obituary for the unbridled greed glorified by atlas shrugged and the prophet of profit. Atlas shrugged is absurd but strangely compelling books. Dagny taggart, vice president in charge of operations for taggart transcontinental railroad, seeks to rebuild the crumbling track of the rio norte line that serves ellis wyatts oil fields and the booming industrial areas of colorado. Atlas shrugged by ayn rand best 100 novels top 100 novels.
Ayn rands literature of capitalism the new york times. The wall street journal has an interesting column that asks whether ayn rand, the famous libertarian novelist and philosopher, is a net plus for the freemarket movement. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. Ayn rands atlas shrugged places in the top 20 on the. Apr 27, 2009 according to brook, atlas shrugged, her most famous novel, has sold more copies in the first four months of 2009 than it did for all of 2008 and in 2008, it sold 200,000 copies. Ayn rand, russianborn american writer whose commercially successful novels promoting individualism and laissezfaire capitalism were influential among conservatives and libertarians.
Rand set out to explain her personal philosophy in this book, which follows a group of pioneering industrialists who go on strike against a corrupt government and a judgmental society. All four of her novels made the top ten of the controversial list of the 100 best novels of the 20th century. The best price on the market for signed atlas shrugged. And we might as well tally the books by the brandens and the reply to them. Atlas shruggedstructure wikibooks, open books for an open. Website with comprehensive list of individuals mentioned in atlas shrugged. Published in 1957, ayn rands atlas shrugged is set in a dystopian and impoverished united states, in a communist world system. Atlas shrugged shows that rational thinking is mankinds survival instrument, just as the ability to fly is the survival tool for birds. Atlas shrugged is a book by the russian american writer and social philosopher ayn rand. Chapter 1 the theme summary eddie willers, special assistant to the vice president in charge of operations of taggart transcontinental railroad, is accosted by a bum on the streets of new york city, who asks him, who is john galt. Atlas shrugged includes elements of science fiction, mystery, and romance, and it contains rands most extensive statement of objectivism in any of her works of fiction the book depicts a dystopian united states.
Im politically leftleaning and read atlas shrugged prior to the rise of the tea party. Peopled by largerthanlife heroes and villains, charged with towering questions of good and evil, atlas shrugged is ayn rands magnum opus. By 1984 more than five million copies of atlas shrugged had been sold, and in a 1991 library of congress survey americans named it second only to the bible as the book that had most influenced their lives. Born february 2, 1905, ayn rand published her first novel, we the living, in 1936. All atlas shrugged canvas prints ship within 48 hours, include a 30day moneyback guarantee, and arrive readytohang with preattached. She died on march 6, 1982, in her new york city apartment.
Buy atlas shrugged canvas prints designed by millions of independent artists from all over the world. Tremendous in scope, breathtaking in its suspense, atlas shrugged stretches the boundaries further than any book you have ever read. Shop for atlas shrugged art from the worlds greatest living artists. The mind is the source of wealth to begin with, atlas shrugged masterfully depicts the role of individual initiative and creativity in economic progress. Atlas shrugged has sold around 7 million copies since it was published, which puts it at around half as. Two of her books, atlas shruggedand the fountainheadcombined have sold more than 12 million copies in the us. I try to read 3050 books a year, ranging across the board and including a lot of psychology and sociology. Apr 21, 2005 atlas shrugged, a modern classic and rands most extensive statement of objectivismher groundbreaking philosophyoffers the reader the spectacle of human greatness, depicted with all the poetry and power of one of the twentieth centurys leading artists. The atlas shrugged book club begins, polarized but polite. It is easy to predict from the gross sales numbers that anyone who volitionally buys atlas shrugged, the fountainhead, or anthem, will buy the other two. In a perverse way, im glad that there are places such as greece and illinois. I got interested in the book after seeing the two films. There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteenyearolds life.
I am reading the entire book to compare the movie to the book. Published in 1957, atlas shrugged was ayn rands last and most ambitious novel. Atlas shrugged no longer ranks among americans top ten favorite books. For the first time, combined annual sales of ayn rands four novels totaled more than 1,000,000 copies. The ayn rand companion by mimi gladstein and chris matthew sciabarra 45. More than twice this many copies of atlas shrugged have been sold. Sep 27, 2007 atlas shrugged sales on amazon in the first nine months of this year are already almost double the total for 2006. All our books are sanitized for your protection before mailing.
From the worlds largest selection of rare, signed and manuscript ayn rand in private hands. Not all fiction written in prose is a novel even accounting for length, just as not all. It is a mystery story, not about the murder of a mans body, but about the murderand rebirthof mans spirit. In her story, rand let freemarketers john galt, dagney taggart, and their accomplices return triumphant from their strike to remake the world in the image of godless selfinterest. The novel made the new york public librarys list of best books.
The novels title is a reference to atlas, a titan of greek mythology, who in the. Atlas shrugged tshirt who is john galt shirt, atlas. It tells the story of what would happen if industrial leaders went on. Book summary the story of atlas shrugged takes place in the united states at an unspecified future time. In one survey from 16 years ago, atlas shrugged was ranked second only to the bible as the book that influenced people most. Thirty years after her death, novelistphilosopher ayn rand is still selling a lot of books, a million to be precise. Atlas shrugged 1957 is a mystery story, ayn rand once commented, not about the murder of mans body, but about the murderand rebirthof mans spirit. Rands fourth and final novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing.
Atlas shrugged presentation copy ayn rand first edition. Humphrey with the compliments of our mutual friend john c. Buy atlas shrugged book online at low prices in india atlas. Apr 29, 2014 atlas shrugged no longer ranks among americans top ten favorite books. Yes, almost 9 million copies of atlas shrugged have been sold. Atlas shrugged by ayn rand meet your next favorite book. Atlas shrugged project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Atlas shrugged ayn rand first edition signed rare book. It continues to sell hundreds of thousands of copies a year, more than 50 years after it was published and more than 30 years after the death of its author. The book explores a number of philosophical themes that rand would subsequently develop into the philosophy of objectivism. Mar 12, 2011 atlas shrugged has sold around 7 million copies since it was published, which puts it at around half as many copies as the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. In all of her major novels, ayn rand presents heroes and heroines who are brilliant thinkers opposed to either societys pressure to conform or a dictatorial governments commands to obey. But to understand the authors sense of urgency, we must have an idea of the context in which the book.
Her distaste for communism and collectivism in all forms is apparent throughout atlas shrugged. And in various scholarly books examining atlas shrugged, including those by. Is atlas shrugged the second most popular book next to the. It was rands longest book and the last fiction book she wrote before writing nonfiction.