Ayn Rand

The Fountainhead

When The Fountainhead was first published, Ayn Rand's daringly original literary vision and her groundbreaking philosophy, Objectivism, won immediate worldwide interest and acclaim. This instant classic is the story of an intransigent young architect, his violent battle against conventional standards, and his explosive love affair with a beautiful woman who struggles to defeat him. This edition contains a special afterword by Rand’s literary executor, Leonard Peikoff, which includes excerpts from Ayn Rand’s own notes on the making of The Fountainhead. As fresh today as it was then, here is a novel about a hero—and about those who try to destroy him.

Andrew John Kinney

I liked this book as a 21-year-old, but my opinion of Ayn Rand is quite different now that I have a lifetime of experience behind me. It is a readable book, but a despicable philosophy.

Gavin

Expected to hate it, but it's actually dumb fun if you don't stop and think. Obviously the philosophy (ethical egoism + logical word salad) is toxic (and there's that sex scene...), but it works fine as a trashy yarn, the reader's equivalent of moshing to Rage Against the Machine.

There is exactly one good idea in it: the villain, Ellsworth Toohey is a fake socialist, a grand demagogue, a wolf in sheep's ideology. Because he's actually one of her Übermenschen - a brutal, self-actualised spirit just using socialism - he's thus a Worthy Opponent for her pet mavericks. His role in the book is risibly didactic: "Yes, fine, my heroes are assholes," Rand says, "but look how much worse they are when they pretend to be good!"

Alfredo santos

The Fountainhead is certainly a complex book. Set as a novel, which explains the one self and sets basis for the Objectivism of Ayn Rand, I cannot think of other comments to say except: marvelous. It is those kind of books which leaves a dent, a small seed of change, in your everyday life. Her Objectivism philosophy is wide and clear, giving a God-Like personality to it's main character, Howard. I certainly recommend this book to those open enough to reevaluate our "society's" status quo and our main purpose or "spirit".

The Fountainhead.

Ayden

Hypocritical
Self righteous 
Beautifully written

Shikhar Jaiswal

Way too many reviews seemed to be about how much the reviewers disagree with the author's philosophy, and not about the book. I found this novel to be a great work of fiction, whatever may be the philosophy behind it, and decided to write a review just about that.

As fiction, this work is marvellous. Each character is strong, and has a clear personality. The story is grand, and while there will be times when you would beg for the monologue to end, The Fountainhead has a quality to keep you hooked. I have not yet come across any work that describes and integrates author's philosophy and reason as well as Fountainhead.

Talking about the idea of Objectivism, the underlying philosophy of Fountainhead, and given form by the author herself; you would probably either hate it or love it. I would recommend you read and find out.

Melanie Richards

This was an interesting read, given its function of a manifesto which I don't necessarily agree with. For a large portion, I thought the thinly veiled arguments taxing, and the extreme characters unrealistic, but I can definitely see some merit in Rand's points and I really felt for her heroes by the end. The author challenges us to think for ourselves, and at times, it burns you a little bit to see how much you can identify with the weaker characters of this novel. However, I think that Rand's conception of "objectivism" is a little narrow. The assumption is that man must first serve himself, that happiness is the end to which all must strive for. She identifies "service to others" and "service to God" as the rival of the pursuit of happiness/achievement, but if this is where a man can find said happiness, or where he can make great strides in achievement or creation, how does it negate the purpose of objectivism? Ayn Rand's philosophy of the world seems noble, but is in fact limiting and paradoxical just by the nature of a manifesto. She is guilty of that which she condemns: she has outlined for the world a Laissez-Faire system and has identified it as THE WAY TO LIVE, THE WAY TO FUNCTION. Because of this, I will react in this way to this book: I will hold on to my personal philosophy, but examine it in the light of this challenging manifesto, and see wherein the cracks lie.

Hannah Wall

While Ayn Rand’s book has many controversial ideas, long chapters, and over 690 pages, the book, The Fountainhead has many thought provoking ideas. I don’t agree with her religion or many of the ideas in the book, there are some theme I can agree with like the basis that evil always exists and we as a society will always try to tear down the new creators of our time. If you intend to read this book, don’t have a deadline to finish, it won’t work. I read this book for a high school scholarship that’s due in three days. This book, like some of the characters, doesn’t care about time and will be read on its own schedule.

lauren carla

originally added this to my tbr because rory mentioned it in gilmore girls lmao. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did and definitely think it’s underrated!!

Mattea 

The world seems to hate this book and I can understand why but I enjoyed reading it. It really is a toxic love story between two narcissist, but I'd read it again if I absolutely had nothing else to do or read ever again.

Liz Riley

What didn't I learn from this book? I read this after I read Atlas Shrugged, but it still taught me what it means to have freedom and your own mind. This is a bit less intense than  Ayn Rand's other novels but I think would be better for an audience that might not necessarily want to understand Objectivism and just wants a good read.

tim h

I reject Ayn Rand's lame philosophy but I couldn't help but enjoy this novel. It's so bleak.

Summer Stanley

Definitely completely crazy. I understand why most call Rand a bit loony, BUT this book is extremely thought provoking and relevant. The issues are applicable to arts and politics today and deserve thorough investigation. I will continue to think about this book for a while. Definitely worth the length.

Sunyi Dean

I can't say enough how much I disliked this book. It's so bad I felt physically ill after finishing it (and yes I did choose to finish it anyway, because how else could I form a comprehensive opinion, especially if I don't at least give it the chance to redeem itself?)


Having never heard of Ayn Rand, or read anything by her or about her, my AP English teacher suggested reading one of her novels for a short essay competition being hosted by the Ayn Rand society. I read "The Fountainhead" with no predispositions other than the vague awareness that it was probably famous since the author had her own society, and that presumably the book was food for thought since it was sponsoring an essay competition.

Where to start? The plot is pathetic and uninteresting; the characters are a paradoxical combination of everything unappealing about humanity while still managing to lack any semblance of humanity or depth; the romance is embarrassing; the writing in terrible, and comes across as smugly self-satisfied; and on a personal level I also found the philosophies it advocates as offensive, though I guess you could argue that's more a reaction to Ayn Rand herself than to her book. 

In fairness, though, it's difficult to separate the two. She puts a lot of herself into her novel. Without the author's overwhelming presence, I'm not sure it would be much of a novel though. 

But really, my biggest complaint about TF is that it doesn't achieve what it sets out to do. (The HON phrase "tryhard" comes to mind). I feel, mostly, that it's trying for greatness and not succeeding in any category. Ironically, this sets it apart from supposedly "trashy" books - think airpoint lounge shops - which don't try to be anything other than a timesink, and succeed admirably; the distinction does TF no favours.

Magdalene Lim

I like stories where the protagonists go against everything to attain perfection.

Jeni Enjaian

This is a magnificently written book. It's just not for me. I didn't enjoy it enough to give it four stars.

Though I didn't completely understand it at times, Ms. Rand maintained the storyline throughout the immense length of the book. Her characters stayed true to themselves even though their core motivations weren't all that clear. (The lack of clarity may be on the reader's side in this case.)

It's hard to say much more about the book. It was good but I didn't much like it. It may be someone else's cup of tea though.

The Fountainhead is an unprecedented phenomenon in modern literature. Arguably the century's most challenging novel of ideas, The Fountainhead is the story of a gifted young architect, his violent battle with conventional standards, and his explosive love affair with the beautiful woman who struggles to defeat him. In his fight for success, he first discovers, then rejects, the seductive power of fame and money, finding that in the end, creative genius must triumph. His battle against mediocrity gives a gripping new dimension to the concept of evil.

The fountainhead

Tim Vos

Disgusting libertarian propaganda with no literary value whatsoever. Responsible for more clueless wannabe coolguys than even Fight Club. Avoid at all costs.

Ashlie Reifer

I like other books Rand has done like Anthem but, this was super angsty and during some parts I had to flip through and skim pages it was so boring.

Ali Can YILDIZ

There was a bunch of unpleasant things to read for me, most of them was from Dominique's point of view or where she was involved in the story, but rest of the book was what I wanted to hear and see.

Palash Karia

This book will change the way you think.

EDIT: a few years later, not in a good way. Wouldn't really recommend the Roark way to anyone.

connor arnette

Ravi Theja M

Dorothea

Tells the story of a gifted architect, his struggle against conventional standards, and his violent love affair.

Shreyaa

The revolutionary literary vision that sowed the seeds of Objectivism, Ayn Rand's groundbreaking philosophy, and brought her immediate worldwide acclaim. This modern classic is the story of intransigent young architect Howard Roark, whose integrity was as unyielding as granite...of Dominique Francon, the exquisitely beautiful woman who loved Roark passionately, but married his worst enemy...and of the fanatic denunciation unleashed by an enraged society against a great creator. As fresh today as it was then, Rand’s provocative novel presents one of the most challenging ideas in all of fiction—that man’s ego is the fountainhead of human progress... “A writer of great power. She has a subtle and ingenious mind and the capacity of writing brilliantly, beautifully, bitterly...This is the only novel of ideas written by an American woman that I can recall.”—The New York Times

The Fountainhead

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