Anthem
Hailed as one of Russian-American writer Ayn Rand's greatest works, Anthem, a dystopian fiction novella, was a clear predecessor to her later masterpieces, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. In it she examines a frightening future in which individuals have no name, no independence, and no values. All decisions are made by committee, all people live in collectives, and all traces of individualism have been wiped out.
A young man rebels by doing secret scientific research because the spark of individual thought and freedom still burns in him, even though he has been taught it is sinful. When his activity is discovered, he is marked for death for committing the ultimate sin. He flees into the wilderness with the girl he loves. Together they plan to establish a new society based on rediscovered individualism and they live together in the forest. Trying to express their love for one another, they at first lack the words to speak of love as individuals. When one of them discovers the word "I" they realize they have rediscovered individuality and plan a future in which they will regain it.
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About the Author
Born February 2, 1905, Ayn Rand published her first novel, We the Living, in 1936. Anthem followed in 1938. It was with the publication of The Fountainhead (1943) and Atlas Shrugged (1957) that she achieved her spectacular success. Rand’s unique philosophy, Objectivism, has gained a worldwide audience. The fundamentals of her philosophy are put forth in three nonfiction books, Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, The Virtues of Selfishness, and Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal. They are all available in Signet editions, as is the magnificent statement of her artistic credo, The Romantic Manifesto.