Buying The Fountainhead

'The Fountainhead' tells the story of the very creative architect Howard Roark. Roark is attacked by 'second-raters' as Rand terms such individuals. Here Rand is on target. Creative people are attacked and do face uphill battles all the time. There is a great melodramatic story here and if Rand had concentrated on creative types versus 'second raters' and developed the social setting with some concrete goals of the second raters rather than emphasized their philosophical 'mind set' and stopped there 'The Fountainhead' would have been a much better novel. For example the architectural critic is apparently a hidden power in New York City and this is believeable, i.e. that there are powerful behind the scenes opionion setters but as presented the architectural critic is more a meglomaniac than a persuasive force in a social setting with a concrete goal gained by destroying Roark. From 'The Fountainhead' it is not clear why the architectural critic, the chief Evildoer, has any influence at all.

All the talk by Rand about egoism and altruism is ludicrous. Socrates was an egotist but certainly was all for serving Athens, for serving others. The distinction doesn't cut the way Rand thinks the distinction cuts. And of course a libertarian world, an Ayn Rand world isn't all that great for individuals. There is an excellent melodramatic novel here but it is still encased in marble.Get more detail about The Fountainhead.