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Post by bladestarr on Jul 31, 2008 22:31:56 GMT -5
Okay, so I finally bought that most famous of all Objectivist books, Atlas Shrugged. I've been told for YEARS that I should read it because apparently it matches my personal philosophy perfectly.
I ran into a problem. I got to page two and had to put the book down.
Out of the two pages that I read, the plot moved nowhere at all, and 3/4ths of the two pages were filled with detailed descriptions of the ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT.
I HATE authors that write down every little detail. I prefer authors that tell us the MAIN two or three details so that we know what's going on in a scene, and then let us fill in the rest with our own imaginations.
Please Lissa, please please please, pretty please tell me that is is not how the whole book goes, and that it's just a fluke and that I'll be able to read the rest of the book without having everything described to me in excruciating detail?
Pretty please?
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Post by Lissa on Aug 1, 2008 4:06:16 GMT -5
I will admit that the first chapter is really slow, and once you get past the first ten pages or so it picks up. That said, the book is a freaking tome. How much did you expect it to move in two pages?  Personally, I much prefer the beginning of The Fountainhead, which starts off with a naked man on a cliff, but hey. Such is life. Just watch out for the 70 page speech 2/3 of the way through the book. |
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Post by bladestarr on Aug 1, 2008 7:52:29 GMT -5
But what I really need to know is that not every page is filled with room/location descriptions.... I can handle speeches that convey ideas and philosophies. I can't handle someone telling me exactly what I'm seeing and spoiling the fun of making it for myself.
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Post by pfrsue on Aug 1, 2008 8:02:50 GMT -5
I dredged through at least ten pages, maybe as many as fifteen, before my brain hurt too much to go on. No offense, Liss. I just...couldn't.
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Post by Lissa on Aug 1, 2008 20:23:04 GMT -5
None taken- I didn't write the book. I have to admit, I tried to start it, put it down for a year, and then picked it up out of boredom in China because it was one of the two English books I'd brought with me and I'd finished The Three Musketeers.
Phil, I honestly couldn't tell you. I really can't. I don't necessarily consider setting a bad thing, depending on the use, and unless it's what I'd call truly excessive (Victor Hugo and the French countryside, Tolkien and the hobbit party), I don't really notice it. I liked it- it's up to you to determine if you'll like it as well.
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Post by bladestarr on Oct 14, 2008 23:03:37 GMT -5
Update: About halfway through the book now (Page 447) and I'm hooked. I've learned to skim past all of the excessive environmental and emotional descriptions and just read the MEAT of the story, and it truly is amazing so far. I just got done reading Hank Rearden's speech at his trial, and I was cheering inside.
I AM Hank Rearden. Who is John Galt? I honestly really don't care at this point, Rearden is the hero of the book so far as I'm concerned.
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DTH
Ghostbuster
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Posts: 582
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Post by DTH on Oct 16, 2008 5:59:45 GMT -5
What I want to know is, who stole your body and what are you doing to get it back? Your avatar freaks me out!  |
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Post by bladestarr on Oct 16, 2008 9:03:39 GMT -5
What I want to know is, who stole your body and what are you doing to get it back? Your avatar freaks me out! Oh, you didn't know? It's what happens to you when you read too much Ayn Rand!  |
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DTH
Ghostbuster
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Posts: 582
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Post by DTH on Oct 16, 2008 11:40:40 GMT -5
Run for the hills!
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Post by rabidmonkeys on Dec 3, 2008 0:31:57 GMT -5
I'm not sure what Objectivism is exactly.... I've been curious about Ayn Rand's political philosophy. Somehow I have this idea that its similar to Libertarianism?
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dex
Ghostbuster
So what colour is the sky in your world?
Posts: 343
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Post by dex on Dec 3, 2008 14:53:51 GMT -5
I'm not sure what Objectivism is exactly.... I've been curious about Ayn Rand's political philosophy. Somehow I have this idea that its similar to Libertarianism? Not quite. Ayn Rand stands for nap time; however she opposes pacifiers and bottle feeding. Where's your education, sir? |
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Post by rabidmonkeys on Dec 3, 2008 15:33:15 GMT -5
lol.. Ayn Rand's ideas don't seem to have much of a presence in academia... of course academics don't know everything either..
I've just started playing Bioshock, but supposedly its a story based on her ideas.
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