Atlas Shrugged

A towering philosophical novel that is the summation of her Objectivist philosophy, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged is the saga of the enigmatic John Galt and his ambitious plan to 'stop the motor of the world,' published in Penguin Modern Classics.

Key Themes and Plot

• Opening with the enigmatic question: 'Who is John Galt?', Atlas Shrugged envisions a world where the 'men of talent'—the great innovators, producers, and creators—have mysteriously disappeared.
• Setting: With the US economy now faltering, businesswoman Dagny Taggart struggles to get the transcontinental railroad up and running.
• Conflict: For her, John Galt is the enemy, but as she will learn, nothing in this situation is quite as it seems.

Philosophical Significance

Hugely influential and grand in scope, this story of a man who stopped the motor of the world expounds Rand's controversial philosophy of Objectivism, which champions:

• Competition
• Creativity
• Human greatness

About Ayn Rand

• Birth and Background: Ayn Rand (1905-82), born Alisa Rosenbaum in St. Petersburg, Russia, emigrated to America with her family in January 1926, never to return to her native land.
• Literary Career: Her novel The Fountainhead was published in 1943 and eventually became a bestseller.
• Later Years: Still occasionally working as a screenwriter, Rand moved to New York City in 1951 and published Atlas Shrugged in 1957.

Her novels espoused what came to be called Objectivism, a philosophy that champions capitalism and the pre-eminence of the individual.

Recommendations and Praise

If you enjoyed Atlas Shrugged, you might like Rand's The Fountainhead, also available in Penguin Modern Classics.

Critical Acclaim:

• "A writer of great power ... she writes brilliantly, beautifully, bitterly" — The New York Times
• "Atlas Shrugged ... is a celebration of life and happiness" — Alan Greenspan