If you have been following the last few posts you know how much I am troubled by these books – in a great positive way. “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand is no different like the great books I have read earlier. It puts a twist on individualism by linking it to creativity and how collectivism is crass base and all the bad things it represents. You can read the entire book to appreciate Howard Roark’s speech or if you are still curious to know what the ruckus is all about without spending a month or two you can see the speech here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc7oZ9yWqO4 . Don’t worry if you are intending to read this book its not going to take anything away.
The book is still sinking in. It kind of justifies some of my actions so far – and kind of makes me feel a little uncomfortable on what I could have / should have done. Instead of mulling over spilt milk this book focuses me like never before – to achieve an objective – can be anything – signing the 1000th autograph of your book and taking a break for your paining knucles, turning on the ignition of an audi and catching yourself in the rear view mirror with that wicked smirk,turning back and looking on the fast disappearing steps in snow on top of K2’s peak. …can be anything. And to achieve that objective you need not compromise on what you believe – the end is not the means by itself. Its the man who is the means. Integrity and uncompromising ideals is what one needs.
I remember another great stretch in this book where Howard Roark explains about “owning” other man’s work. You listen to Beethoven or Richard Wagner ( both I have been listening a lot lately ) and kind of get it in your own way – need not be the way Beethoven intended to be appreciated – but in a sense you have owned Beethoven’s master piece. You say “yes” in the sense of getting it – and you have owned the master piece. Howard Roark too says that if a person has said “yes” to his work, then that person now will own the building. I know it feels like lot of bs but it made sense to me..”yes’ Ms.Ayn Rand 🙂
Do read it – the love story between Howard Roark and Dominque Francon is kind of weird – not the run off the mill(s and boons) for you – made me uncomfortable reading it in the bus – wondering what my co-passenger think of me if he reads what I am reading – but otherwise it is one “swell” of a book.
I guess I will steal Murakami’s short stories from my wife for sometime. Gotto give the guy at the top a little break.
