The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand: Book Review

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I read The Fountainhead when I was in high school and remembered the main message of the book but not many of the details about it. It’s based on individualism vs. collectivism philosophies. I had a very limited knowledge of these principles of course when I was that old but now after just finishing the audiobook I have a deeper appreciation and a solid grasp of what they mean.

The Fountainhead was written before Atlas Shrugged but the story and plot have the same messages. Both are great books but Atlas Shrugged takes collectivism to the national extreme while the FH shows how one individual struggles against it. Atlas Shrugged is Rand’s masterpiece but The Fountainhead is a great primer to begin with before you tackle AG if you haven’t read either book.

Ayn Rand even though she defined herself as an atheist defines man’s spirit to work and achieve for his own selfish reasons as a spiritual experience in its self. She was a firm believer in American’s founding principles and in both books she demonstrates how the people who believe that self sacrifice and giving to others in many respects leads to the exact opposite result of what the meaning of charity really is.

Rand’s books we’re a prediction of what our country has now become but she said it wouldn’t be too late to change course if we only had the individual will to do so. You read the headlines everyday and watch as a big centralized federal government becomes more and more intrusive on our individual rights and freedoms and begin to wonder if we can return to a nation of individualism or not.

I wish that Atlas Shrugged was required reading for every high school senior in America so they understand that collectivism is not the answer. It’s a very intimating book to pick up and read, over a 1000 pages but it’s the best example ever written of what can and will happen if the government becomes the ultimate authority it our lives.

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