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Archive 08-19 GR Discussions > Atlas Shrugged *chunky read*

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message 251: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments I'm reading ahead, but this isn't a spoiler - I just love this quote:

...as they praised the virtue of chastity, then ran to see any movie that displayed a half-naked female on its posters...

You GO Ayn!


message 252: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments that is great


message 253: by Marialyce (new)

Marialyce What's that old saying ? "A woman born before her time."


message 254: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments For real, this book is awesome!


message 255: by Marialyce (new)

Marialyce I agree! ...I am also trying to read two others so Laura, if you get a chance read Mudbound by Hilary Jordan. It is simplistic language, but a powerful story.


message 256: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments I was trying to read more than a couple of others too Marialyce, until this one took me by storm a few days ago and I've been able to read nothing else! I'll check that one out, thanks!

(but I'm dying to finish this one so I can get back to books that can be finished before I've forgotten the beginning lol)


message 257: by Emily (new)

Emily (ejfalke) | 576 comments You guys are great to storm through this book. When I read it, I took a months-long break somewhere in the middle because I got so overwhelmed. :)


message 258: by Sheila , Supporting Chick (new)

Sheila  | 3485 comments Mod
Emily, that is the great thing about doing these "chunky reads" as a group. It gives you incentive to plow through it and finish it. If I wasn't reading Atlas Shrugged with this group, I would have put it down a long time ago. :o)

When I read Moby Dick by myself (not in a group) it took me 7 months to finish that book, because I had to put it down and take a break from it frequently. :o)


message 259: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments I agree Sheila, reading it with the group and having everyone comment makes it fun to read and doable.


message 260: by Marialyce (new)

Marialyce I too agree! It is so much the better especially since we are breaking up the task.


message 261: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments I have to say though, I'm starting to get a bit tired of it at this point (chapter 6, part 2). I just wanna smack the dummies who are making everything worse.


message 262: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments Don't tell us you speed reader you!


message 263: by Marialyce (new)

Marialyce I think that would be us! Loved the wedding party scene with Francisco sprouting some really good logical things. Put it down for a bit, Laura, read something else. I find I can just read a certain amount and then must go onto something else. Starting chapter 3 Book 2 today.


message 264: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments See that's the problem. I'm at the point now where I can't read anything else. I just want to know what happens and I'm getting very impatient with over 500 freaking pages to go!

That part with Francisco at the wedding is what blew my mind. His speech totally blew me away because it made me re-think beliefs I've held to be true all of my life. I'm still in the process of reconciling what he said with what I think. This book WILL shift my worldview somewhat - already has.


message 265: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments Book Two Chapter Two

I am just at the wedding part now and thoroughly enjoying it. So far, my favorite lines are when Cheryl goes over to Dagny thinking she is going to put her down. She tells Dagny that she is THE woman in the family now, Mrs. Taggart. And Dagny says, that is okay I am the man.

You gotta love her.


message 266: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments Don't you? Oh, so many truths in this book. It's like watching Judge Judy. Dagny's not afraid to just freaking say it like it is!!! Light years ahead of her time was Rand.


message 267: by Nancy (new)

Nancy Meg wrote: I am just at the wedding part now and thoroughly enjoying it. So far, my favorite lines are when Cheryl goes over to Dagny thinking she is going to put her down. She tells...I am the man"

That as THE BEST LINE!! Hilarious, and truthful.


message 268: by Marialyce (new)

Marialyce Gotta love that Dagny! She didn't get where she is on her looks alone. Yep, Francisco is very much a big element of what Rand's philosophy of life was . As I was reading it, I had to agree with what he said. It was like so true and in your face yet, made perfect sense.


message 269: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments It totally did, the only thing is she assumes everyone reacts solely on the basis of logic, which isn't true. I guess the market does on the whole, but ... there is still the human element that (hopefully) won't step over someone who's hungry in the street or hurting. Her approach is very robotic. But you can't really fault her logic.


message 270: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments Still Chapter 2

So when Dagny asked Lillian if she thought she was having an affair with her, what do you think Dagny would have said if Lillian had said yes????


message 271: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments That's a great question. I just went back and reread that part. I bet Hank would've interrupted right quick tho, before Dagny had a chance to get two words in.

What do you think, Meg?


message 272: by Marialyce (new)

Marialyce I like to think she would say well how insufferably interesting!


message 273: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments I think she would have said, YUP what are you going to do about it?
Rearden was sweating bullets!


message 274: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments Chapter 2 Book 2

new terminology:

aristocracy of pull:
a new group of powerful men who have reached their status not by means of talent or initiative, but by means of political connections. In this chapter, it refers to men like James Taggart and his friends, who seek success by currying favor with the politicians in Washington.


message 275: by Marialyce (new)

Marialyce Gee, We wouldn't know any of those kind of people!


message 276: by Nancy (last edited Jul 29, 2010 04:21PM) (new)

Nancy That was a really interesting chapter. So much to think about. I have to admit I very much dislike partisan politics. For all of its rhetoric, I fear it is more about self-preservation and power than truth. I don't believe much of anything anymore and don't think I will ever know what is accurate. Neither do I think we can assign blame or success when what has brought us to this point is rooted much farther back than any one presidency or congress. And the effects of our decisions will reach so much farther into the future. Everything is clouded by personal gain, media manipulation, so amny issues. We still live in an aristocracy of PULL!! I think I am a moderate. My beliefs don't fall clearly along any one party line. I am fiscally or economically more one and socially more the other. *sigh* Sorry - rambling.


message 277: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments Me too Nancy.


message 278: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments and to think this was written so long ago


message 279: by Marialyce (last edited Jul 29, 2010 06:05PM) (new)

Marialyce First published in 1957. That was fifty-three years ago. Seems in many ways like it could have been published last month.

"Atlas Shrugged received largely negative reviews after its 1957 publication, but achieved enduring popularity and consistent sales in the following decades. In the wake of the late 2000s recession, sales of Atlas Shrugged have sharply increased, according to The Economist magazine and The New York Times. The Economist reported that the fifty-two-year-old novel ranked #33 among Amazon.com's top-selling books on January 13, 2009"

I found this in Wikipedia. I thought that last sentence was totally amazing. So, I guess we are not the only ones finding this book to be an amazing read!


message 280: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments that is pretty amazing!


message 281: by Marialyce (new)

Marialyce If no one has mentioned it yet, Lillian is just despicable.


message 282: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments I agree, she is awful!


message 283: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments Yup. She and Dagny are polar opposites. I think all of Rand's characters are extremes though. There's no one you don't love or hate here.

Does anyone else just really wanna know what happens? I finally gave up trying to finish this book fast, but I just really wanna know how it ends.


message 284: by Marialyce (new)

Marialyce Laura, relish the moments and keep on building up that anticipation. :) We just have about 600 pages to go!


message 285: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments Yeah yeah....crazy bricks! I keep swearing off them, then another one bites me in the buttocks!


message 286: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments Yes Laura, but you are building good muscles along the way


message 287: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments True. My arms are killing me anyway from flapping my arms on that kooky fly like a bird game on the wii fit plus. I'll beat hubby or die trying.


message 288: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments funny, that one is hard.


message 289: by Nancy (last edited Jul 30, 2010 06:43AM) (new)

Nancy YES! I really want to know what happens. But books this size and depth are kind of overwhelm at times - so I appreciate the forced pacing. Good because it forces time to reflect. I don't know that I could read more and digest it all. But part of the is school starting, my father's imminent move, funerals and weddings popping up unexpectedly in my musician schedule this week... My calendar gets intense and then when the reading is intense- I get FRIED!!


message 290: by Meg (new)

Meg (megvt) | 3069 comments Just do it slowly Nancy! Overwhelmed is a horrible feeling. I hope you are enjoying the book though.


message 291: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments ugh, i was listening in the shower and now wanting to blitz through it again. *sigh*

I wish we could find out how many words are in this book. It may not be longer than Count in pages, but I bet in words it tops anything I've ever read. Each page takes a loooong time to read.


message 292: by Nancy (new)

Nancy Definitely Meg - the overwhelm is because it is so good and there is so much there. I don't want to miss the intricacy of the writing by going too fast!


message 293: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_...

Wow. 540,000 words. One of the longest novels EVER. But not THE longest.


message 294: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments Nancy wrote: "Definitely Meg - the overwhelm is because it is so good and there is so much there. I don't want to miss the intricacy of the writing by going too fast!"

I'm way too far gone for that Nancy. lol. I know I'm missing stuff, but only because I'm not taking notes anymore and I'm gonna forget stuff. I think this is a book that if you don't take notes, there are details you'll forget.


message 295: by Marialyce (new)

Marialyce I keep on using sticky notes to mark stuff I find impressive. Lots and lost of sticky notes have been used on this book!


message 296: by Sheila , Supporting Chick (last edited Jul 30, 2010 07:59AM) (new)

Sheila  | 3485 comments Mod
What I don't understand is why, if this is the #33 book on Amazon (I think someone posted that a few days ago) and if this book has 540,000 words, but that article says they saved pages by printing in small font, why doesn't the publisher make an different edition of this book with a bigger font? I would find it much easier to read if it were a larger book (a larger paperpack, not mass market size) or if it were a hardcover. As a mass market paperback, with tiny font print, it is really tiring for me to read. Plus you can't lay it down on a table to read, you have to sit and hold it and try force the pages open. Annoying to me. :o)


Nancy, don't worry about getting behind. I am as far ahead as many of the others. I'm just ready to start Chapter 2, Book 2. But I'm going to keep plugging along. :o)


message 297: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments Sheila, I bought the book from Amazon, and it is a large paperback! Just like what you're looking for. Otherwise, I couldn't do it.

http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Shrugged-...

It's 9 x 6 x 2 inches.


message 298: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments It's now #98 in books overall, #3 in Classics.


message 299: by Sheila , Supporting Chick (last edited Jul 30, 2010 08:11AM) (new)

Sheila  | 3485 comments Mod
Dang! I got the wrong copy! :o)
I ordered my copy from Powell's a year or two ago, and ended up this the stupid mass market paperback, 6 3/4" by 4" by 1 3/4 inches. How many pages are in the bigger paperback. This mass market one has the story itself end on page 1069, then there is some added stuff about the author and about objectivism.


message 300: by Laura (new)

Laura (apenandzen) | 1445 comments 1168 pages, then there's two "about the author" pages after that.


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