While in the Navy in 1962, there was a fellow on my ship who was constantly reading. I noticed he was, for the longest time, reading this BIG paperback. It must have been many weeks. Curioius, I asked him about it. At 18, I'd never come across a book that fat. I could see title was "Atlas Shrugged", and asked him what it was about. He just sort of looked at me like I was a lost puppy or something, and said it was too hard to explain, and I could read the book when he was done.

Lost puppy indeed.

Some weeks later, I began my introduction to Ayn Rand, and my life was changed forever. As I recall I started it simply for the challenge of seeing if I could get through a book so big... Ah, the wisdom of youth!

Some months later, he gave me "Fountainhead" to read. Can you imagine? In a milatary invironment yet? Sheesh! I was blown again again! I read it in 3 days - almost couldn't stop. I became unbearably idealistic. So it is when you get into books with real ideas in them!

"A is A"... "Contradictions Don't Exist"... !!!

Since then, I've read "Atlas Shrugged" twice and listened to it on tape. I think it could have been a bit shorter.