Read a Book, Read a Book, Read a #$%@*&$#*@& Book! (3 Viewers)

[fountainhead]

Atlas and Fountainhead have, over time, become more and more awful in my mind.

I thought the ideas in them were cool when I was 15-25 yrs old, but now I just think they sophomoric and rather banal. They are poorly developed and are so utterly unfounded in reality.

I'm not sure I could disagree with you more. I've read a bit of Rand criticism, but I have to say this is the first time I've seen 'sophomoric' or 'banal' used to describe her ideas.

Clearly this is a 'to each his own' matter...

 

[nuclearbeef]

I thought Atlas and Fountainhead were great. I'll admit that I listened to them (unabridged) on tape, so I might have had an easier time forcing myself to get all the way through them.

Although they were both marvelous books, I thought Rand could have benefitted from a skilled editor.

She is definitely not afraid to belabor a point...multiple times...from different angles...and one more time to put it another way.

It was awfully preachy, but great, nonetheless.

My 2 cents.

JW

 

[Bomar]

I wish I could focus long enough to read a book... That's why I love the internet. I can read small s*** about a lot ...... a lot of mostly worthless things.

 

[OGBeno]

I wish I could focus long enough to read a book... That's why I love the internet. I can read small s*** about a lot ...... a lot of mostly worthless things.

Are the beers ready sir? I'm there!!

)

 

[OGBeno]

I'm not sure I could disagree with you more. I've read a bit of Rand criticism, but I have to say this is the first time I've seen 'sophomoric' or 'banal' used to describe her ideas.

Clearly this is a 'to each his own' matter...

Rand is basically a soap opera writer. In my mind she was good at getting "grand ideas" out to the masses and to make sure that the people she created in her books were very interesting to anyone who thought that the lives they were living could be something else, something great and fantastical.

Rand was interested in making Roark look like this Thor-like god architect (with FL Wright as an imaginary basis) with Alan Greenspan geekness; Francon is a an archetype of the woman that mean "yes" when she says "no"--all the while with a golden spoon in her mouth.

Ironically, Greenspan is a huge Rand fan. And spoke as she did in cryptic language that debased the reality of a real working human being--out there, on their own, trying to earn a living.

Trust me, I'm not a Marxist, or a socialist, or even a liberal. I actually find--in my mind--what she proposes as being rather worthwhile in an alternate world where everyone wears white and the world is white. That's not our world.

I guess in the end, I liked what she said at a time in my life where I needed what she said. And that itself is worthwhile. Like I said, I think she is a great soap opera writer--she did do her best writing in Los Angeles.

The one book that I really love of Rand's and still do to this day is "Anthem"--where a man and a woman find out the word (yes, it is a word in Rand's world": "I" It's a dystopian book and a great read....you can do it in a night. It's a fun book. Read that and then watch George Lucas's USC Graduate degree film: THX1138... they are one and the same.

Anyway, I digress probably a bit too much for this crowd...

Where is the moonshine??

 

[wngrog]

I'm reading the latest Jeff Shaara book. It's a trilogy on the Civil War "western" campaigns.

#1 was Shiloh

This one is Vicksburg. Unreal.

Next up is Sherman's march to Atlanta.

 

[ntsaint]

I'm reading the latest Jeff Shaara book. It's a trilogy on the Civil War "western" campaigns.

#1 was Shiloh

This one is Vicksburg. Unreal.

Next up is Sherman's march to Atlanta.

Think you and I have a lot of the same reading tastes. You're talking about Chain of Thunder huh? Outstanding book.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD, and hopefully approved by the NSA.

 

[OGBeno]

I'm currently reading "Legends of the American Desert" by Alex Shoumatoff...

Father of our own MUD member "dieselcruiserhead" outside of SLC (Andre Shoumatoff).

Great book if you are interested in the development of the mythology surrounding the deserts of the American southwest.

 

[jrob]

How in the hell do you have time to read?!?

LoL...he's got to give "IT" a rest at some point....

 

[fountainhead]

I guess in the end, I liked what she said at a time in my life where I needed what she said.

Makes total sense.

The one book that I really love of Rand's and still do to this day is "Anthem"

Anthem was my introduction to Rand...probably because it was so short. Her level of understanding of individualism and devotion to it is what made me a fan. The concepts she was developing in Anthem formed the basis of pretty much everything she wrote thereafter. Those are the ideas I take away from Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. I find them neither sophomoric nor banal; I find them completely founded in reality.

On a completely unrelated note, I'm reading this now:

The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor

The jury is still out on this one.

 

[TroutBear]

Well this has been a fun read its ownself . I'm curious to see if Beno fly fishes next - that whole graphite vs. glass vs boo thing ya know.

Enjoyed this one recently John Gierach's The View From Rat lake

 

[MEMCruiser]

http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Horse-Custer-Parallel-American/dp/0385479662

I am almost done with this. Good way to kill 3 days in Hong Kong when there is a typhoon on the way.

 

[ntsaint]

Normally of the opinion that this guy is a little too far right, but the Liberty Amendments by Mark Levin is definitely worth a read.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD, and hopefully approved by the NSA.

 

[wngrog]

American Gun- Chris Kyle (RIP)

Solid.

Whoever was reading "The Outpost", what was your opinion in the end? Deciding whether to put it in the fast read stack or the bedside read stack.

 

[FJ60Cam]

American Gun- Chris Kyle (RIP)

Solid.

Whoever was reading "The Outpost", what was your opinion in the end? Deciding whether to put it in the fast read stack or the bedside read stack.

I read The Outpost. I give it two thumbs up. Not in a fun entertaining way, but in an eye-opening way. I couldn't put it down and read it in a few days.

Afterwards, I had even more respect for the boots on the ground, and less for those that send them.

 

[FJ60Cam]

Killing Pablo - about the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar, head of the Medellin cocaine Cartel. It is ridiculous how much power and wealth that dude built from scratch, and how he evaded capture for so long.

Solid two thumbs up.

 

[FJ60Cam]

On a lighter note...


The Tao of Willie

Funny guide to life by Willie Nelson. 1.9 thumbs up.

 

[wct49]

Killing Pablo - about the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar, head of the Medellin cocaine Cartel. It is ridiculous how much power and wealth that dude built from scratch, and how he evaded capture for so long.

Solid two thumbs up.

Good book.

 

[FJ60Cam]

I liked this book by Bing.

bing west - No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah

Just finished this. Awesome book.

 

[FJ60Cam]

Tried to read the other Bing West book about Iraq, but had to abort mid-book. I just couldn't stay interested. I loved the one above, but this one put me to sleep.

I just finished Rogue Warrior, by Richard Marcinko. I agree with Nolen's assessment. This one makes all the other SEAL books read like a Girl Scout handbook. This one's the real deal. Couldn't put it down.