Atlas Shrugged by Any Rand → Start Date: May 16th, 2015

[Matty]

& I have to say my favorite characters in this book so far, is Dagny & Hank lol

[Vicki]

I love Dagny!! I do not want to read 70 pages in one day, at least not when I'm reading other books too.

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

ack. playing catch up :)
I have started! I'm almost done with...ugh, chapter 1. yikes.
Tomorrow, I have to stay off my feet so I'll be reading.
I hope to catch up

[Vicki]

Good luck, Trisha! We are both really liking it so far. Hope you do, too!

It is just a little bit difficult for me because I am still using an audiobook because I still have not gotten my book at the library. But this type of book because it is so philosophical and deep in so many places, I would much rather be reading the words than listening to them because I can't go back and check things that I missed, etc. but I love the audio version as well. I would just like to have the book to go along with it.

[Matty]

How is the audiobook Vicki?:o I kinda felt like listening to some of it while reading along with the book? I wasn't sure cus I've never listened to audiobooks before (well only in school when we have to read along but that doesn't count lol) (x

[Vicki]

I LOVE it and the reader is excellent! I recommend you add it to your reading. It's helpful too when you are driving or cooking etc. and you can get even a few extra pages read here and there that you wouldn't otherwise.

[Matty]

I'll probably listen to it when I'm driving then!(: or cleaning, cooking etc. (x lol

[Vicki]

Let me know what you think!

[Matty]

Will do!(:

[Vicki]

Finished Ch. 8 yesterday and totally forgot about this book today so not sure if I'll get any read tonight. I think I'll pick it back up tomorrow because I'm tired. LOL

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Dagny!! I was so impressed with her when (view spoiler)[ she had the press conference! LOL She made sure to tell them that even though the average railway line only has a 2% profit, SHE plans to make a 20% profit. LOVE IT! She's so confident and in that day and time she was definitely a leader in women's progress! (hide spoiler)]

I wonder about Reardon's (view spoiler)[character. I didn't like how he said he was going to "skin the public" for 25%. (hide spoiler)]

Dagny had the (view spoiler)[guts to disallow her brother to attend the opening of the John Galt line. By having Eddy Willers represent the Taggert Transcontinental Line, she shows a lot of trust in him. Right? Or do you think she had another reason for offering that honor to him? (hide spoiler)]

I couldn't believe that (view spoiler)[they finally had sex! LOL I was like whoa!! The problem is that I don't want to say anything because I did listen to part of ch. 9 and the "afterward" is something I really want to talk about but I'm afraid I'll spoiler it! So I'll save it for my post tomorrow. (hide spoiler)]

BTW I have one of my granddaughter's graduation ceremonies to attend tomorrow night, so I am not sure if I'll get to it tomorrow either, now that I think of it. My problem is all I have still is the audio. My book is still on hold and I'm number 1 in the queue, but it STILL isn't even in transit so I'm pretty frustrated! I'm the kind of person who needs to look back at the pages to remind myself who did what or what I wanted to comment on.

[Matty]

I'll probably read ch.9 today lol but I know on Friday I probably won't be able to read because I have to go to my sister's graduation:o & hopefully the book arrives at the library soon!

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Yikes just through 2 chapters
I have a horrible new antibiotic which is just making me feel sick - all the time
Reading hasn't been easy ugh. Hopefully I'll get another chapter tomorrow :)

So glad you guys are liking it. On phone so I can't read spoilers .....

[Vicki]

Trisha, so sorry you're feeling yucky! I I sure hope you feel 100% for Disney World!

What is your first thought about the book? Do you think you're in going to enjoy it?

[Vicki]

Finished Ch. 9 but have to run to work so I'll post more later.

I hated (view spoiler)[Reardon's response and all that he said to Dagny AFTER they had sex. I'd be bawling. LOL I didn't like that Dagny was okay with his harsh words and STILL offered herself to be his release! I get it that she must love sex with him and has not had a man before, but I hate that she is all right with being NOTHING but sex to him, at least he says so. (hide spoiler)]

I was cracking up when (view spoiler)[they had sex again. I don't know about that Hank! Dagny is definitely good for one thing to him for sure. LOL (hide spoiler)]

Gotta go...I'll add more later.

[Matty]

Vicki wrote: "Finished Ch. 9 but have to run to work so I'll post more later.

I hated [spoilers removed]

I was cracking up when [spoilers removed]

Gotta go...I'll add more later." I just finished chapter 9, & I agree!! I don't really get how she could be alright with that? Hopefully something changes lol

[Vicki]

I'd love to have some philosophical discussions or at least post our thoughts on some of the philosophical ideas that come up.

For example, in chapter 9 Mr. Taggart (view spoiler)[meets that one girl (forget where) and he tells her that he does not like any people. She eventually tells him that she has heard that great men are always unhappy and the greater they are the more unhappy they are.

She ends up asking him why he is so unhappy and his response ends up being a bunch of talk about Reardon. He mentions that Reardon only invented his metal for profit, not for the greater good of the people. Then he leads into a discussion of Dagny, saying she did not do things for the good of people either but because she enjoyed what she did and because she enjoyed it, it wasn't any good. LOL I don't really think he cares about the good of the people but I think he is very jealous of both Reardon and Dagny.

Then Taggart says that Reardon didn't invent the metal but he stole the invention from a poor man and then killed him! I wonder if that were true. Honestly I don't like Reardon so I could see him being underhanded like that. But I'm not so sure about murder. (hide spoiler)]

Taggart actually admits that he does not (view spoiler)[like his own sister because she thinks she is good and no one has the right to think they are good. Here is the philosophical statement I wonder what you girls think about: When a man thinks he is good, that is when he is rotten. (hide spoiler)]

I am conflicted about that statement because of a few things: (view spoiler)[My response is, in part, faith based. I am Christian and believe in God and therefore I would say that "none is good but God." However, by human standards I do believe myself to be a good person. Meaning I am honest, kind, giving, nurturing, and those things that I believe to make a person good. BUT I am human so I also can have a proclivity to pre-judge or get angry and so on. I'm sure there are people who are "better" that me based on acts of kindness or generosity, etc. and there are people not as good as I am based on the same things. (hide spoiler)]

Lest you think that is conceited of me, I don't mean to say that I am (view spoiler)[better than another human being. I only mean better in the sense that I earnestly try to DO good and do acts of kindness. I by no means think I am better than ANY OTHER PERSON in this world. I do think that someone who thinks they are GOOD in the sense of better than others is "rotten" to a degree. LOL Meaning they are misguided. Haha! How is that for "PHILOSOPHICAL"? Ayn Rand I am NOT! LOL (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

okay, I'm going to try to actually catch up tonight
that's about 150 pages

yikes. I have one book to read 50 pages on and then I'll move to this one :)
I'll post comments to your spoilers Vicki !!

[Vicki]

Awesome! I can't wait to read your thoughts. It's 150 hefty pages for this book. I like my 2 chapters a day lol

[Vicki]

Finished Part I

I will post later. Just got back from my granddaughter's graduation.

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

OMG

I'm so so sorry guys.
I just don't think I'm going to be able to continue with this one.
Disneyworld is coming up and then back to back camps. I just don't think I'll get anywhere in it

and honestly, I keep falling asleep reading. Ugh, I want to read this so bad. I'm sorry :(

[Vicki]

No worries Trisha. Enjoy your trip!!

[Matty]

Enjoy your trip Trisha! & Vicki are you still going to be reading it?:o

[Vicki]

Yes, I've already read too much to give up! Lol But I have a headache today so I'm not going to read any of it today.

Are you continuing it?

[Matty]

Same here! I'm going to continue lol Although I couldn't read today because I went to my sister's graduation & tomorrow I'm going to visit my other sister because she had a baby, However I will definitely continue!(:

[Vicki]

Awesome! I'd never have tackled this if it hadn't been for it being a buddy read!

Congrats on your new niece/nephew.

[Matty]

Same here! Oh my gosh if you were going to stop reading it, I might have also D: idk I just feel better knowing someone else is also reading it & that I'm not the only one tackling this monster book D: lol

[Vicki]

I'll be so happy to complete it because I'll feel such a sense of accomplishment! Lol

[Matty]

I forgot to say thanks!(: haha my sister was due yesterday!(: & yes same here! I just want to finish it lol

[Vicki]

So did your sis have a girl or boy?

[Matty]

She had a girl(:

[Vicki]

Awe how cute. :)

[Vicki]

I've had an ongoing headache for 3 days now. Just talked to the advice line and due to high blood pressure, too, they are having a doctor call me today (mine is on break). So I've not read anymore of this, but I DO plan to finish it ASAP! How about you?

[Matty]

I was planning on reading a chapter today, so I could finally get to part 2! However I also started reading another book (Scarlet) but that shouldn't take too long lol don't know if I'll be able to read tomorrow because I'm going to visit my sister again(the who had the baby), because my other sister hasn't seen her yet & she wanted me to go with her lol but yes I will be reading a chapter today & I hope you feel better Vicki!

[Vicki]

Thank you, Matty. Have you finished Part I yet? Or where did you leave off?

[Matty]

I'm on the last chapter before part II

[Vicki]

Okay :)

[Matty]

Finally on Part II !

[Vicki]

YAY! I definitely won't be reading any of Part 2 tonight. It's 8:30 PM here. How about where you live?

[Matty]

As of right now 9:55 PM lol, are you on the west coast too?:o

[Vicki]

Matty wrote: "As of right now 9:55 PM lol, are you on the west coast too?:o"

Yes, central California, about an hour from Sacramento. You?

[Matty]

Vicki wrote: "Matty wrote: "As of right now 9:55 PM lol, are you on the west coast too?:o"

Yes, central California, about an hour from Sacramento. You?" No way, same!!! :O well except from where I live it's like 2-3 hours from Sacramento, somewhere around there lol(x

[Vicki]

I'm in the middle of IV. The Sanction of the Victim. I haven't read in a few days, but I AM going to finish! It is slow going, like about 5% a day for me when I am actually reading it.

Are you still going to read it? I don't want to post much if I'm finishing it alone. LOL

[Vicki]

Matty, are you still in this with me?

[Matty]

I think I'm going to have to put the book down for awhile/:

[Vicki]

Okay I just got to Account Overdrawn" 43%