The Fountainhead

First things first: I think this book is a must read for every living human on this planet. When you read this book, you will certainly feel the pride of just being yourself. You will do what you love for your own happiness in a selfless way. You will admire yourself for what you are. Then you won't care how society treats you because you just believe what you are made up of and you have your way your way to fight it.

To brief about the book, Rand has taken individualism, originality, collectivism, selfishness, ego and power, which are considered pillars of philosophy, as characters and built a brilliant story that connects these elements. Essentially the story revolves around a man: Howard Roark. A college drop out and a visionary architect, who endures in a city infested with socialists. He always desires to come up with his own original design for buildings with his own rules. He despises up coming architectures with same old standards or conventions. Instead, with his modern and insightful thinking, he is destined to design buildings which will have their own integrity. Honestly, I found a part of Howard Roark within me. I can't reveal many things about this book because if I do, I am simply brutally killing the very essence of it. But what I can certainly say is whenever Roark appears in any context of the novel, you will be the happiest and the most excited person on earth! The first 30 pages are enough to get you going. By then you would have taken a vow to finish reading this book no matter what it takes!

My mind got twisted when I began reading about philosophies of characters: Dominique Francon and Gail Waynand. It takes a lot of patience to understand their minds. And, I did not not read those passages just for the sake of it. It made me go back, then read slowly and try to digest the thoughts surrounding it. This is the point when one feels the story is drifting away from its plot, but rejoins the main track again. You will also find out clear evidences about controversial aspects of the story. The last part of the novel is only about Roark which takes off in fine elegance. The climax is simply mind blowing. It is something that no one expects a man can do to prove his point. The final speech he makes in the court room is overwhelming.

I have bookmarked most of the pages where I can go back and read them whenever I want to get fueled by power to keep going with the things I like to do. It gives out a very strong message loaded with power that will boost your confidence to a tremendous degree. I have heard many people use this book as a bible. Right, so I got is book as a gift from my previous company co-workers as a sign of good will. I am really grateful these people. It came as a part of two-in-one box set. The other book is Atlas Shrugged by the same author. Although this is my first read on philosophy, I consider this book as a literary masterpiece. It won't be a surprise if you stop following other books/novels in this genre once you are done reading The Fountainhead.

Further reading:
Wikiquote - The Fountainhead