One of the century’s most challenging novels of ideas, The Fountainhead champions the cause of individualism through the story of a gifted young architect who defies the tyranny of conventional public opinion.
The struggle for personal integrity in a world that values conformity above creativity is powerfully illustrated through three characters: Howard Roarke, the genius who is resented because he creates purely for the delight of his own work and on no other terms; Gail Wynand, the newspaper mogul and self-made millionaire whose power was bought by sacrificing his ideals to the lowest common denominator of public taste; and Dominique Francon, the devastating beauty whose desperate search for meaning has been twisted, through despair, into a quest to destroy the single object of her desire: Howard Roarke.
Dramatic, poetic, and demanding, The Fountainhead remains one of the towering books on the contemporary intellectual scene.
Download and start listening now!
"4.5 I have to say I honestly enjoyed this very much. I was incredibly skeptical when I started reading, and I don't necessarily agree with everything Rand says (eg altruism) but I do think there is a lot of truth in this book. Not a lifechanging book but certainly a very enjoyable one. My only qualm is with Dominique's character and the depiction of rape in the book."
— Georgia (5 out of 5 stars)
“Ayn Rand is a writer of great power. She has a subtle and ingenious mind and the capacity of writing brilliantly, beautifully, bitterly.”
— New York Times Book Review“The Fountainhead has become an enduring piece of literature, more popular now than when published in 1943…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.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review" One of the most important books you can read. Narrator reads clearly. This book is one of the most potent anti-suicide books ever published. That's at a personal level; and at a cultural level. "
— AnObjectivist, 6/16/2020" Highly intense and heavy for me! "
— Anitha, 2/20/2014" The best book ever ....! "
— Sonia, 2/11/2014" Nicky This should be a required read by every graphic design program! "
— Nicky, 2/10/2014" This is one I read again and again. "
— Chelle, 2/8/2014" Passion,commitment and being true to oneself. A perfect read! "
— Gail, 2/2/2014" I read this in high school as required reading. It was my first exposure to Ayn Rand. I was instantly hooked. My copy of this book is missing...It's a book I would like to read again. "
— Josh, 1/29/2014" I shouldn't even add this book to my 'shelf', but want to remember that I tried it and was not grabbed at all in the first few pages. "
— Joy, 1/13/2014" As a book, its wonderful and engaging. But the philosophy is highly impractical and dingy. "
— Sreerag, 1/1/2014" I loved everything about this book, minus the length, which however failed to deter me from finishing the book. The characters, the symbolism, the plot, the language, even the philosophy managed to move me at the time of reading. "
— Grace, 11/17/2013" Amazing use of the English language..interesting philosophical perspectives, but the characters are all so manipulative. A bleak view of human nature..but glad I finally read it! "
— Jwedseltoft, 11/10/2013" "read it as a filter, not as a sponge" "
— Ruth, 10/8/2013" Rand may be the goddess of the conservative movement, but I appreciate this book just as much now that I am a liberal Democrat as I did when I was a conservative Republican! "
— Graf, 10/5/2013" Contains thought-provoking ideas about the purpose of art and the role and responsibility of the artist -- and by extension, the individual -- in society, but there's an ugly undercurrent of neo-social Darwinism that would later become grotesquely explicit in "Atlas Shrugged." "
— Joseph, 6/15/2013" Enjoyed the strong characters in the story "
— Delmarr, 12/14/2012" I have read this 4 times and love it every time. If you are unsure about your place in the world and feel like society had somehow mistaken you, I highly suggest this book. If everything is wine and roses in your life, go read Glen Beck or something "
— Greg, 8/5/2012" Very interesting to read and analyze after reading it 30 years ago. "
— Lianne, 5/26/2012" One of the few books that stare right at you, even when sitting peacefully on the desk. Thats the magic of Ayn Rand! "
— Chahat, 4/3/2012" Eh, too much superfluity of verbiage for this guy. Neat plot though. "
— Brandon, 3/30/2012" One of my favorite books. "
— Julia, 7/30/2011" i believe that the people who are influenced easily should never read this book with out first understanding the objective of the book properly "
— Karadi, 7/21/2011" My cats name was Roark "
— Shell, 2/3/2011" I mean, style is subjective, religion really depends, ... Fountainhead is simply the best. I intend to make this my firstborn's very first bedtime story ever, hopefully he/she will grow up to be uncompromising, deep, and sexy. "
— Liz, 4/27/2009" easier read than "atlas shrugged". new way of looking at the collective mind versus individual thot. amazing author. reads as a book written now for that time period instead of the other way around. "
— Loralie, 3/31/2009" Another excellent book by Rand. "
— Erika, 2/8/2009" Fountainhead is a new philosophy and very well written. "
— Nidhi, 10/27/2008Ayn Rand (1905–1982) was born in Russia, graduated from the University of Leningrad, and came to the United States in 1926. She published her first novel in 1936. With the publication of The Fountainhead in 1943, she achieved a spectacular and enduring success, and her unique philosophy, Objectivism, gained a worldwide following.
Christopher Hurt is an accomplished narrator with a lengthy résumé of popular titles for Blackstone. A graduate of George Washington University’s acting program, he currently resides in New York City.