{book review} We The Living

Ayn Rand has been my favorite author since my freshman year of high school.  We read Anthem the summer before high school for our "Gifted" English class (that's right), and although I had to read it two or three times to even somewhat understand what she was talking about, I eventually fell in love with it.  It's beautifully written.

That's what I love about Ayn Rand.  Many people think she's too negative about the world and government, but her writing style is breathtaking to me - it tromps the things she writes about.  I can read her books over and over again solely due to the manner in which she chooses to explain her beliefs.

I just finished We The Living; and although half way through I was pretty determined it wasn't a good book and it wasn't going anywhere, it pleasantly surprised me.  It's definitely a more vulgar book than I like to read, but I did enjoy the style of course.  I've always been quite interested in historical communist movements - probably because they hit such a tender place in my heart.  This book is such.  But very different, since it's a more racy approach to the subject.  It's somewhat a biography of Ayn, which allowed me to relate on a deeper level, knowing that she struggled the way Kira did in the book.

All in all, I actually shed a tear on the last few pages.  It moved me.  I could not imagine fighting my whole life just to have enough to live, then having every person I love stripped from me as well, not to mention my own life.

It will definitely make you think.  It will definitely make you grateful.