Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Teaser Tuesday...Sparking your interest in books!


Anthem by Ayn Rand 1938 (Science Fiction)
"There is fear hanging in the air of the sleeping halls, and in the air of the streets. Fear walks through the city, fear without name, without shape. All men feel it and none dare to speak." (pg 46)

I had a literature class in my senior year of High School entitled “Utopian Literature”. We read things like Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984, Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand and had great discussions in class. I don't remember much about The Fountainhead, but that class really got me interested in the subject of Utopian and Dystopian literature because of the interesting explorations of political and social organization that the books explored.

I like to frequent thrift stores just to check out the books. It's like a little bit of heaven to me to spend an hour rummaging through the stacks to see what I can find. I always found a few copies of Anthem, every time I went to look at the books. Finally, I purchased a copy of Anthem for myself and proceeded to read the slim volume. This book is disturbing and odd. Something that might be better enjoyed with a group of readers you can discuss it with. I'm not sure what to make of it.

  
Author Ayn Rand was controversial then and continues to be so now. She did not worship at the altar of political correctness, in fact she rallied against it. She grew up in the Soviet Union, at a time when collectivism and statism were King and individualism was scorned. She proceeded to give her strong opinions on the subject back in the 1930's. Anthem was published in 1938. I wonder if any public high school would even dare to have her books on their reading lists now, it might offend someone or cause a riot!



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