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Liberal_in_LA

(44,397 posts)
Sun Aug 12, 2012, 05:22 PM Aug 2012

Has anyone in DU actually read 'Atlas Shrugged' by Ayn Rand? [View all]

Just wondering. It's discussed so much but I'm the only one I know who's read it from cover to cover. It was required reading for some Econ class I took decades ago.

once a decade, I'll see a "who is John Galt" bumber sticker.


72 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
Yes, I've read it from cover to cover
30 (42%)
kinda read it, skipped over the long boring speeches
11 (15%)
skimmed it
1 (1%)
haven't read it but aware of the contents
10 (14%)
haven't read it at all
15 (21%)
Other
2 (3%)
haven't read 'Atlas Shrugged' but read 'the fountainhead' or other Rand book
3 (4%)
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Read it in the 70's Xipe Totec Aug 2012 #1
Same here. A boring, dreary view of society. No redeeming qualities Hoyt Aug 2012 #12
My first big philosophical disagreement with my first GF was over the Fountainhead Xipe Totec Aug 2012 #26
Read it in the 60s Warpy Aug 2012 #102
no point datasuspect Aug 2012 #2
Some consider it important to be familiar with literature that influences others - for example Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 #6
i consider my time very valuable datasuspect Aug 2012 #18
You might be surprised mrs_p Aug 2012 #107
Exactly -- "vile and stupid. " Hoyt Aug 2012 #111
+1 Shankapotomus Aug 2012 #53
Yeah, but the Bible is entertaining ProudToBeBlueInRhody Aug 2012 #105
When a few people told me I really should read this awesome book, gkhouston Aug 2012 #3
Yes and that's many hours of my life I'll never get back catbyte Aug 2012 #17
30something years ago OriginalGeek Aug 2012 #4
50 something years ago. Same opinion. trof Aug 2012 #16
For sure OriginalGeek Aug 2012 #48
Several times, actually. Always tried to make sense of those long soliloquys, kestrel91316 Aug 2012 #5
Read it in high school as an assignment. xmas74 Aug 2012 #7
Read it and the Fountainhead as an adolescent and loved them both. cbayer Aug 2012 #8
This message was self-deleted by its author seaglass Aug 2012 #37
Dont forget to add Leon Uris to the list tibbiit Aug 2012 #47
Don't forget the complete works of Krishnamurti and Balzac's "In Search of the Absolute"! Walk away Aug 2012 #60
Yes, I admit I was fascianted with one of Uris' works - the Haj Panasonic Aug 2012 #104
Couldn't get into Hesse, but remember Castaneda very, very fondly. cbayer Aug 2012 #49
Riich on.. (being open) cilla4progress Aug 2012 #77
Read Fountainhead, then started AS and got queasy. dogknob Aug 2012 #59
Thinking back on it, I think it was the strength of the female characters that cbayer Aug 2012 #61
I tried, years ago, The Velveteen Ocelot Aug 2012 #9
DITTO Skittles Aug 2012 #14
Same here. madamesilverspurs Aug 2012 #20
+1 hifiguy Aug 2012 #54
Me as well. Lone_Star_Dem Aug 2012 #70
I opted out after 5 pages. hay rick Aug 2012 #97
I have tried numerous times, and just can't get through 50 pages Heddi Aug 2012 #10
I Read all her books riverbendviewgal Aug 2012 #11
wow. I read Atlas shrugged. started "fountainhead" but the long speeches did me in Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 #22
I can't believe you missed out on the Fountainhead...This should help! Walk away Aug 2012 #62
About 4 seconds too long. Great find. Hoyt Aug 2012 #112
Read it when I was, like, 15, in 1965 frazzled Aug 2012 #13
I never even heard of Rand or this particular title until the recent past. MrSlayer Aug 2012 #15
Is Arnold in it. ? dipsydoodle Aug 2012 #19
Read it in the 60's Progressive dog Aug 2012 #21
So did I Retrograde Aug 2012 #79
I read it almost to the end lunatica Aug 2012 #23
Got about 200 pages into it and gave up. Curtland1015 Aug 2012 #24
I read the Wikipedia article on it n/t krispos42 Aug 2012 #25
lol Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 #28
8th grade literature class Scootaloo Aug 2012 #27
Fascist propaganda about "superman" Faygo Kid Aug 2012 #29
If I didn't have a job, bills to pay and actual responsibilitites I might think about reading it. bluestateguy Aug 2012 #30
Hell, I don't have a job TexasTowelie Aug 2012 #39
When I was a teenager two books I read early alarmed me Atlas Shrugged and Mein Kampf. gordianot Aug 2012 #31
Read it in it's entirety, 3 years ago. Butterbean Aug 2012 #32
When I was 17-18 years old I read all of her fiction. Tried to pick it up not long ago and found it patrice Aug 2012 #33
I like the .. sendero Aug 2012 #34
Read it as a work of fiction, Downwinder Aug 2012 #35
I read it as a teenager and thought it was wonderful! Speck Tater Aug 2012 #36
talked to too many people caught in its idiotic circular logic. unblock Aug 2012 #38
I read it between terms at University, urged by a fellow worker, but quit 20 pages from the end. . . Journeyman Aug 2012 #40
I read it in the late 60's or early 70's graywarrior Aug 2012 #41
Maybe that's why you read it MrMickeysMom Aug 2012 #106
I've watched documentaries proud patriot Aug 2012 #42
I tried to read it. Mutt22 Aug 2012 #43
Read it a few years ago and don't see why it makes such an impression on people sammytko Aug 2012 #44
+1 mrs_p Aug 2012 #109
Sadly, I read all of them, once upon a time... MyshkinCommaPrince Aug 2012 #45
Rand eyeofnewt Aug 2012 #46
Other: saw the gawd awful movie flamingdem Aug 2012 #50
I agree with you;the movie is a campfest Tom Ripley Aug 2012 #83
Haven't read it. But I did read 'Anthem' in HS RZM Aug 2012 #51
I saw a high school friend become an insufferable, monomaniacal libertarian klook Aug 2012 #52
Or as i like to call it, "Hugless Shat" Warren DeMontague Aug 2012 #55
No one has posted my favorite video yet: Starry Messenger Aug 2012 #56
Nor mine: Shankapotomus Aug 2012 #58
No but here's The Fountainhead Guy Whitey Corngood Aug 2012 #57
I read a couple of pages when I was in 7th grade, HereSince1628 Aug 2012 #63
Best review of Atlas Shrugged ever!!! thelordofhell Aug 2012 #64
I attempted to. I never did manage to read the whole thing. PDJane Aug 2012 #65
yes ... including the 200 page monologue ... zbdent Aug 2012 #66
No. It's not that well known in the UK. LeftishBrit Aug 2012 #67
no. should i? eom ellenfl Aug 2012 #68
that's your call. Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 #120
I was given a choice for a report...... Rain Mcloud Aug 2012 #69
Thanks for telling your story. mia Aug 2012 #94
Atlas Shrugged AND The Fountainhead. Blue_In_AK Aug 2012 #71
I don't have to read Mein Kampf.... sendero Aug 2012 #72
I read everything she wrote about 15 years ago treestar Aug 2012 #73
Sure, read it and some of her others. MadrasT Aug 2012 #74
Ayn Rand and L. Ron Hubbard Yavin4 Aug 2012 #75
+1 Johonny Aug 2012 #87
Had "Fountainhead" forced on my by Randite in High School, malthaussen Aug 2012 #76
Yes and it was awful on several levels. byeya Aug 2012 #78
Read "The Fountainhead" at the prompting of a woman I was crazy about........ A HERETIC I AM Aug 2012 #80
Did skim over it, as a friend was really into the book and other Proles Aug 2012 #81
Yes, I once was a teenager Tom Ripley Aug 2012 #82
Other... Kalidurga Aug 2012 #84
I tried, but couldn't get through it. It's fucking awful...nt SidDithers Aug 2012 #85
This was one of those books I forced myself to read LadyHawkAZ Aug 2012 #86
it was a hs graduation gift eShirl Aug 2012 #88
That is not a world I want to live in Generic Brad Aug 2012 #89
Yes ismnotwasm Aug 2012 #90
Read all of her works, Atlas Shrugged and Fountainhead several times. Nt stevenleser Aug 2012 #91
Read all of Rand's books in high school, almost 40 years ago. A year in Europe Vidar Aug 2012 #92
I read it in High School to win an essay competition that I never submitted. vaberella Aug 2012 #93
I read the Ms. Magazine review of Ayn Rand years ago. That was enough for me. McCamy Taylor Aug 2012 #95
Read it in 78- I was a randian Objectivist,I'm ashamed to say. w8liftinglady Aug 2012 #96
There really should be an option for "Skimmed the Wiki entry for it". Poll_Blind Aug 2012 #98
Read it years ago. Brigid Aug 2012 #99
i was unable to finish the 1st page. pansypoo53219 Aug 2012 #100
and I was recruited KT2000 Aug 2012 #101
Why would I read that shit Panasonic Aug 2012 #103
Have read it cover to cover several times and have an autographed copy. n/t Tansy_Gold Aug 2012 #108
Kept falling asleep burrowowl Aug 2012 #110
Tried to read it a few times, but it was just so absolutely boring and pedantic Zorra Aug 2012 #113
It's a very difficult book to get through. Not because it's difficult to understand, mind you. Marr Aug 2012 #114
Started to read it in college AnnieBW Aug 2012 #115
kick eShirl Aug 2012 #116
Thanks. I'm amazed that so many DUers have read it from cover to cover. Wonder what the % Liberal_in_LA Aug 2012 #119
I read about 15-20 pages HappyMe Aug 2012 #117
Got through about 20 pages and fell asleep. hobbit709 Aug 2012 #118
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