Ayn Rand and Anthem

By hidden_raven6223

Just wrapped up Ayn Rand’s novella *Anthem*. I’ll say she’s a really strong author and I enjoyed reading it, but the story feels pretty run-of-the-mill for her. It’s basically a dystopia where everything is decided by committees and the whole thing is about one guy trying to break out of a system that bans individuality. As a knock against Socialism/Communism it’s kind of fun to think about, like a “what if” scenario, and that part held my attention. I’m also curious what other people think of her books in general. I grew up with Goldwater/Reagan conservative parents, so I was encouraged to read her stuff when I was a teenager. I did read *Atlas Shrugged* though, and even though it’s written well, I found it a little too in-your-face for me. You usually hear pretty negative things about her online, and a lot of people seem to rank her as a pretty weak author. I don’t really agree with all that though. She definitely sticks to her politics and philosophy, and her female characters aren’t usually great (especially in *Anthem*), but her writing style is honestly impressive. I also see a lot of critics talk like the books “celebrate selfishness,” and to me that feels more like criticism of what the plot is arguing than criticism of the actual book. So yeah—I’m wondering what everyone’s take is on her. Did you have a similar experience, or did you avoid her because of the usual chatter? I’m not rushing to finish *Atlas Shrugged*, but I am interested in giving *The Fountainhead* a shot.