We The Living

The work is a masterpiece in its own right - I think the proper order to read Rands works should be to start with We The Living and end on Atlas Shrugged.

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Petrograd smelt of carbolic acid

You don’t have to buy into Rand’s philosophy to enjoy this book. An engaging story and interesting portrait of the decay of Bolshevism in the 1920s. Excellent narration – although I can imagine that some may not take to the voice (so listen to the audio sample).

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5 people found this helpful

Disturbingly familiar...

This is my third venture into this novel. I've read, watched and now listened. The story of Kira during this part of history seems even more familiar by the current worlds attitude to societies. Collectives over individuals, they cry. Social justice and progressive policies are whats needed, they demand. These concepts are not new. This novel is an echo from the past. A history that could easily repeat itself.

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A stark warning against the evils of communism

An author who lived under both communism (collectivism) and capitalism (individualism) understood better than most the perils of one and the possibilities of another. Sadly, the West is falling for collectivism now under the new name "communitarianism" with what is now going on in the world. The line that hit me was "Comrades, unite against our common enemy Typhoid". A great book. I just wish our politicians would read it.

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Rand's best novel

Nothing can demonstrate the grandeur of life so much as it's struggle against servitude. We the living tells the story of Kira, a shining light that refuses to be put out by the suffocating invasions of every aspects of one's life perpetrated by communism. More so than in Rand's other novels, we the living managed to tell this story in a complex, human, and subtle way. Long and overly repetitive lip service to her philosophy is substituted by a gripping narrative punctuated by terse insights into the Soviet union. Put down 1984, whose villains are too obviously evil, and pick up We The Living, which will show you how evil never presents itself as such.

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1 person found this helpful

Schematic early work from this writer

A well performed reading of “We The Living” a debut novel which pales in comparison with Rand’s later reiterations of the same themes.

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Objectivism - the fountainhead of folly

Ayn Rand is a made up name - Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum, Objectivism is a made up philosophy - Subjectivism of the highest order, actually. Lingering descriptions of what a pretty girl Kira Argounova is and endless details as to what she and the other female characters are wearing at any given point in the 'action,' seem to be the basis for this paeān to early twentieth century American capitalism. How ironic that the wild west unfettered capitalism that was unleashed on the post-Mikhail Gorbachev Soviet bloc by Reagan's proto-neo-con zealots is now blowing a wintery chill back through the pipelines of Gazprom. Rand's anti-totalitarian dream extends no further than a pair of silk stockings and the ability to manipulate one-dimensional males. Compare and contrast this one with Upton Sinclair's 'The Jungle' - worthy in aims but lacking in literary quality. Great to read around and nice to have the authentic voice but really, Miss Rand, there's more to life than French lingerie.

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