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Type of bind: Audio Cassette
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.52
EAN num: 9781565118164
Format: Abridged, Audiobook, Unabridged
ISBN number: 1565118162
Label: Highbridge Audio
Manufacturer: Highbridge Audio
Quantity: 6
Page Count: 510
Printing Date: November 01, 1994
Publishing house: Highbridge Audio
Sale Popularity Level: 1876024
Studio: Highbridge Audio
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
The Fountainhead studies the conflict between artistic genius and social convention, a theme Ayn Rand later developed into the idealistic philosophy knows as Objectivism.
Rand's hero is Howard Roark, a brilliant young architect who won't compromise his integrity, especially in the unconventional buildings he designs. Roark is engaged in ideological warfare with a society that despises him, an architectural community that doesn't understand him, and a woman who loves him but wants to destroy him. His struggle raises questions about society's attitude toward revolutionaries. Since this book's publication in 1943, Rand's controversial ideas have made her one of the best-selling authors of all time.
Amazon.com Review:
The Fountainhead has become an enduring piece of literature, more popular now than when published in 1943. On the surface, it is a story of one man, Howard Roark, and his struggles as an architect in the face of a successful rival, Peter Keating, and a newspaper columnist, Ellsworth Toohey. But the book addresses a number of universal themes: the strength of the individual, the tug between good and evil, the threat of fascism. The confrontation of those themes, along with the amazing stroke of Rand's writing, combine to give this book its enduring influence.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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My very first thought while reading this book was "Why does Rand hate women so much?" There does seem to be a misogynistic theme throughout the text, which is unfortunate because the story is pretty decent. Like "Atlas Shrugged," the characters here are one-dimensional and not terribly interesting, but Rand writes some good descriptions and the plot is good enough to make you want to finish it. Even though it's clear what her philosophy is in this book, she doesn't beat you over the head with it nearly as much as she does in her other fiction books. That said, you still do get the sense that if you don't agree entirely with how Rand feels about certain things (like, say, the arts), then you are an idiot and are part of the problem. Some authors are masters of subtly, but Rand isn't. She's about as subtle as a picture book for toddlers. If you can put up with this style of writing, then the book shouldn't be a problem. If you like shades of grey and think that the world doesn't exist solely in grey and white, you might want to skip this, along with "Atlas Shrugged."
Rated by buyers 
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This novel predates Atlas Shrugged, and sometimes reads like a prequel telling the backstory of John Galt's life before he went on strike in Atlas. In its focus on individual characters, it sharpens the picture of pain and painful consequences to significant choices that drive the character's in Rand's objectivist world, so in some ways is more interesting and readable than Atlas Shrugged. It is more traditionally novelistic and less explicitly philosophical.
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One of my favorites. Have read it twice. A must read for today's world.
Rated by buyers -
Why did Ayn Rand write this book? That's a fair question to pose of any author, but with this particular author and with this particular book, it's an essential question. Was the purpose of the book its entertainment value, which is substantial, or was it to serve as a platform for objectivism, the philosophy prevalent throughout the book?
My personal feelings are it's probably about a 60/40 ratio with the bulk on the side of the philosophy. She makes such an effort to separate her main character, Howard Roark, from the rest of mankind and to show his lack of concern for anything outside of his own individual motivations, that he appears at times to be a little two dimensional. How else then could he hope to find happiness in his personal life except with a woman who is equally as unconcerned with rest of humanity as he is? While one bounces from one unfulfilling relationship to another, the other appears determined to destroy his own career in the pursuit of uncompromising ownership of the creative process. Still, you root for the hero and hold tight to the hope that substance and raw talent will win out over style and high society. But you're a cheering section of one, because not even the main character cares enough to join in.
The Fountainhead has substantial entertainment value however. Ayn Rand is a master of the descriptive scene as she focuses your attention to the most minute details such as the arch of Dominique's back in order to portray an atmosphere in a scene. In many cases, you may feel as though you're viewing a performance on stage rather than reading a book.
So, which is it? Entertainment or a thought-provoking examination? A little of both probably. I mean, isn't that what most great books offer?
Rated by buyers -
Ayn Rand created a real, modern fairy tale with The Fountainhead. It is hard to find a more honorable literary figure than Rand's creation of Howard Roark. The focus of the novel is mainly set on the true natures of people. You find those who manipulate, those who bully, those who parasite, and one who stands only for purity in how he sees the world. You will also surely be able to point out appropriate figures in your own life as the are archetyped here.
The relationships among the players are complicated and seem at times to be become completely contradictory. The result is that those who need to build a common concept of purity ultimately lose out to those who bravely and independently create their own.
You may come away from this book actually believing in the fairy tale that honesty and purity (in purpose) can truly lead to poverty, but happiness.
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