The Fountainhead (Penguin Modern Classics) (Paperback)

I find it impossible to describe precisely what I took away from the book other than an overwhelming desire to meet the protagonist, Howard Roark. I compared myself (somewhat unfavourably) to his inspirational character; a man of complete integrity (in the sense of being whole and unimpaired) and, above all, a man who remains incorruptibly faithful to himself (odd though that sounds - read the book!). I fell short in almost every respect because he is, of course, a work of fiction living in a stylised world. However, I have since found that in some small measure we can attempt to lead our lives in a manner which more closely resembles Roark's philosophy (or, rather, his way of being). I agree with another reviewer that this is not The Answer, but I believe it is some small part, without which the remainder may be unobtainable.

This book will not be universally liked. It polarises opinion because its message is not to everyone's taste. Nor is it the most beautifully crafted prose (it was the author's second language, after all). And, Ayn Rand sometimes verges on being self-consciously clever. However, if the measure of a book is how often you refer back to it, how heavily you rely on its message and how vociferously you recommend it to others, it is clearly the best book I have ever read (and the only book I have felt obliged to review online).

Just my thoughts - I hope you enjoy it.

The Fountainhead is one of two explicitly philosphical novels Ayn Rand wrote to dramatise the principles of her philosophy, Objectivism (the other is Atlas Shrugged). To my mind The Fountainhead is the better of the two - it's shorter for one thing and makes it's points more precisely. It also reads more like a "proper" novel than Atlas Shrugged whose characters operate much more obviously as illustrative examples of her philosophy.

The Fountainhead is basically the story of a radical architect and his struggle to remain true to his vision of his work in the face of the public's preference for tradition and mediocroty and unscrupulous opinion-makers who wish to enforce these traits for their own ends. But what the book is REALLY about is the conflict between individuality and collectivism. Ayn Rand's insight into this theme and her powerful ideas more than compensate for her slightly dull prose style.

The reason this book had such a profound effect on me was that it was my first real exposure to the rich tradition of classical liberalism (often called libertarianism) in the US which is, unfortunately, very little known in Europe. For anyone disillusioned with the false conservative/socialist political dichotomy we're presented with by the media and political elites in the UK Ayn Rand's work will open up wonderful, hopeful, new ideas. I hope you will go on to read her explicitly philosophical and political non-fiction as well. Objectivism is like a draught of cool water to a parched mind!