In 1961 at age 24 while starting a career in Wall Street banking, I was floundering intellectually in a rented basement apartment struggling desperately to make sense of basic philosophy and the obvious contradictions in politics when I saw a physically small woman challenging the physically large titans of American Industry and National Media Men on a TV public affairs panel. I did not recognize her name but watched her grow physically before my eyes as she questioned and answered the challenges and criticisms of these men who seemed to shrink in size before her robust responses. She spoke with clarity, simplicity, profundity and strength without wasting a word. By contrast they waffled and garbled unintelligible explanations of their points of view. They were only clear in their distaste of this woman.
That moment changed the direction of my life. I called the station to find her name. I rushed to the library to read Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, both non-stop. Those novels changed my life. It was for me already true that I admired capitalism and its entrepreneurism, its incentives and rewards for individual excellence and effort. But it was Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged that codified the principles and explained how and why they work and are a benefit to all. Atlas Shrugged gave me the foundation to understand and to articulate the meaning and importance of independent rational thinking, of acting on one’s own reasoning in pursuit of one’s own happiness, and the meaning of pride and the pleasure in doing one’s best whether it was well enough or not.
Atlas Shrugged provided me with the fuel to strive to succeed, to continue when I didn’t, with the explanation of why dedicated effort in one’s career was a worthy ideal, and with the knowledge and understanding of how and why critics of individual effort will never understand and never experience the pride and joy of self-achievement. In a nutshell, Atlas Shrugged is not only one hell of an inspiring story but the concrete portrayal of a complete systemic and very livable philosophy. Thank you, Ayn Rand.

"Atlas Shrugged" is a story about the greatest mystery there is--man himself, and why the individual is the most precious thing there is. It's a book about me, you, and freedom--the freedom to think and to trade the best of my efforts for the best of yours.

Atlas Shrugged is a futuristic story from 1957 of an America where a "social justice" utopia is established. The resulting loss of freedom and economic collapse are a chilling warning of the predictable result. For America, the future is now...

The original title of Atlas Shrugged, The Strike, gives us a clue to what Ayn Rand saw as the theme of the book. It is a period of time when the men and women of ability purposely withheld their labor of mind and body in order to set our nation back on the path a few men who had gained political power had diverted it from. This is the story of how the strike played out over 12 years.

If you have ever been proud of what you accomplished; if you have ever smiled when you received a well-earned a paycheck; if the actions of many politicians in Washington, locally, or around the world strike you as legitimized insanity; if others have insulted you because of your achievements; if there have been times you wondered "what right does anyone have to demand what I made?" Then, the epic story of how a few men exposed the twisted nature of a culture's moral code will resonate within you! Their heroic actions and thoughts give a clear, honest voice to men and women willing to think for themselves and build a new future. Experience what would happen to the world if Atlas Shrugged.

I tell people Atlas Shrugged is a philosophical mirror that reflects the reality of Humanity. It doesn't have to be past, present or future. The story is relevant for all the Ages. There will always be takers, users, moochers, looters and there will always be those that work hard, that produce, that strive to succeed. The real question is: Do we let people fend for themselves, sink or swim, or do we allow government to enslave some to support others?
Atlas Shrugged is a way to understand Human Nature, Government and in the end, Oneself !
After reading Atlas Shrugged you WILL know what side you're on.
I am John Galt !

What would happen if the most talented amongst us disappeared? What if the best writers, bankers, builders, doctors, technologists, businessmen, and farmers grew tired of being vilified and went on strike? What if they finally said "Screw you, America, do it yourself!" How long before our products and services, our stores and gas stations, even our society, collapsed? 'Atlas Shrugged' reveals the answer, and it's not pretty.

When it was written - Atlas Shrugged was a warning written as fiction. Now - more than 50 years later - the predicted fictional catastrophe is actually becoming fact. Libraries need to move the book out of the fiction section and it should be required reading for anyone wishing to vote. The author’s insight into the laws of human nature is shared in a grippingly entertaining way that will help you learn who you are and set you on the path to true self-fulfilment. Ignore the books concepts and live an empty, pathetic life or embrace the philosophy exemplified by “John Gault” in the book and you will be able to maximise your life. This is the ultimate Self-Help book for individuals and society.

Atlas Shrugged is about Heroes and Mediocrities.
Atlas Shrugged is about their ways of thinking and acting, making decisions and making a choice in everyday life.
Atlas Shrugged is about the world without Heroes and the world without Mediocrities.
Atlas Shrugged makes us think who we are in everyday life.
(Sorry for my English, I hope the idea is clear.)

Who are the Prime Movers of society?

What happens when that society not only deprecates the Prime Movers and what they do, but worse yet, make what they do impossible?

And who, or what, is impelling so many Prime Movers to stop moving? With whom will those who are left, deal?

Is someone actively trying to destroy the larger society? And if so: is/are that/those person(s) destroyer(s), or liberator(s)?

Two Prime Movers desperately seek answers to those questions, as their rulers keep making decisions that make no sense. Soon they will be the only ones left.

And then each of them must choose.

Atlas Shrugged:
The most powerful, heroic tale ever told of free individuals' continual battle against the forces of those that believe that being liked and idolized and given power by the needy, grasping, envious, and taking group is the source of good for all;
to keep what he has earned through his own self interest and honest efforts using the power of his mind and personal spirit, for the benefit of himself, his family, and his community of like minded achievers;
to permit all, the rights of their own choices including the failures and pain that result from a lazy mind, from thieving, and from magical thinking.

Atlas shrugged is a mystery novel about how overregulation and corrupt politicians destroy the economy. Brilliant engineers and industrialists - and others - retire and disappear. It is happening in US - NOW.

Economic freedom results in improvements in standard of living, while large government and a society in which collective interests are valued more than the individuals' takes away incentive of the producers and thinkers to continue working. The novel, originally fiction but more and more non-fiction, illustrates the importance of the men of the mind on our economy when they decide to go on strike.

Atlas Shrugged is a fictional story with an underlying premise that the power of the individual will always triumph over the power of the collective in a truly free society. The characters in the story show the courage, bravery, and intellectual superiority needed to remain as individual contributors and successes while the cowardice, selfishness, and deviousness shows through the actions of the people trying to take away all that the individual has created. Although this was written as a fictional story it has come to pass in recent times that its basic ideals are showing themselves to be so prophetic in today's world

The story of the future of humankind, set in a time-compressed United States, is "Atlas Shrugged". It is the definition of free people making a voluntary social contract work. It is the answer to your dreams of liberty, creativity and celebration in this life. You have earned it; take this ride with Ayn Rand and it just might save your[ital., please] life! -- j

Whenever value offered in-exchange is tainted, Atlas shrugged. Vowing never to exchange personal talent for unjust compensation.

Ayn Rand actually gave us this answer way back when: "it's the story of a man who said he would stop the motor of the world, and did"

Atlas Shrugged answers the question, What is the meaning of life and how do I live it?

When I'm asked what the book 'Atlas Shrugged' is about, I simply say, "You know how our government is these days, and how much worse things can/will get if we do nothing about it? Well, the book is exactly what is going to end up happening to our country is we continue to do nothing and let them walk all over us and keep taking away our freedoms. It is precisely what happens when you breed a society that sits around with their hands out and believe they deserve everything, for nothing. That they shouldn't have to work for what they have. That's what the book is about."

Atlas Shrugged is about the inevitable collapse of society when politicians strive only for absolute power and when the masses are trained to believe that equality of opportunity should be extended to include equality of outcome.

Starting from a simple question "What would happen if people with creative abilities went on strike?" because of societal norms of altruism, influence peddling, and collectivism, Rand weaves a complex, brilliant, and spellbinding tale of the U' S. on the precipice of chaos. Logical and suspenseful at the same time, the book is a brilliant vehicle for illustrating her philosophy of Objectivism.

Atlas Shrugged tells the story of what happens -- and why -- when the best minds in the world go on strike.

A towering achievement, Atlas portrays a simplified America that lets the reader see with exceptional clarity the values that people hold and the realistic consequences of holding them It celebrates knowledge, competency, loyalty, love, attention to detail, self-reliance, and rationality. Do not take the simplification of America as a negative. The book has a story to tell, and it comes in at more than 1000 pages. If Rand were to try to take into account every nuance to make it more "real" she'd still be writing today from her grave. My favorite novel of all time - it is very much worth the read. And as others have said, it is, unfortunately, prophetic - one feels as though you're reading today's headlines as you read her book.

Atlas Shrugged was a novel published in 1957 that is a prophesy today.

Like my bumper stick says,..."Who is John Galt". Inevitably every time I stop for gas, go to the convienent store, or just doing errands, someone comes up to me and says,"....Hey Who is John Galt, what does that mean?"
I simply say "Read the book Atlas Shrugged,....then you will reaally know!"