Ayn Rand is one of the most brilliant writers I have ever read. Atlas Shrugged is absolutely phenomenal. I consider myself a pretty intelligent person, and I feel proud just to have been able to fully understand the by-play in the story. Just conceptualizing the type of genius it would require to actually CREATE a work of this sort leaves me completely astounded. Have any of you ever read it?

I've read it, I felt she could have seriously used a better editor, I had to set the book down and read several other books before I could bring myself to finish it, just to forget for a time the philosophy she pounds relentlessly through every page, by page 600 I understood what she was saying (she'd said it about 35 times before, in exhausting detail, showing how and why things wouldn't work in any other way than her philosophy), it was a good book, and it has some good ideas, taken with a grain of salt of course, I read it about 5 years ago tho, so i may have matured more since then, but it's one book I would not reread if you paid me.

it's also interesting to note that the book is mentioned in the South Park episode, Chickenlover, Officer Barbrady reads it at the end, and forever gives up on reading, because of that one novel.

I've read some of Ayn Rands works as well. My interest was initially aroused when her name came up while I was reading the biography of Alan Greenspan (which is titled 'Alan Shrugged'). I was blown away, and it started my interest in economics and my belief in free market capitalism. I also recommend The Fountainhead.

I've always considered Rand to be quite preachy, though I agree almost 100% with her political viewpoint.

For another writer with a similar slant (and a much more enjoyable read) try L. Neil Smith's first few novels, starting with "The Probability Broach". Excellent parallel universe story with a Randish political viewpoint, plus a healthy dose of "everybody needs to wear a gun".