Author: Ayn Rand
Publisher: Signet
Overview:
A sprawling and profound novel exploring the theme of individualism, innovation, and the role of the mind in society.
Plot Highlights:
The story centers around a man who declares he will "stop the motor of the world" and then does so.
It raises questions about whether he is a destroyer or a liberator, and examines his internal struggles, especially his battle against those who need him most and his love for a woman.
The novel explores the "motor" of the world and the driving force behind human achievement and effort.
It presents a sweeping panorama of human life, from geniuses turned into playboys, industrialists unaware of their self-destruction, philosophers turned pirates, to women running transcontinental railroads and workers in tunnels.
Ultimately, it is a mystery about the murder and rebirth of the human spirit, rather than physical death.