Primeperiwinkle
Silver Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
LEGACY MEMBER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2018
- Messages
- 1,658
Rep Bank
$3,850
$3,850
User Power: 326%
Atlas Shrugged - Week 1: Ch 1-2
Book Discussion Guidelines and Schedule
Welcome my most excellent business-minded friends, acquaintances, and random dudes; it’s FRIDAY! Hopefully you all wake up and eagerly join in on this discussion.
Chapter One
32 yo Eddie Willers opens the story by going into work on September 2nd by feeling an “immense, diffused apprehension”. As he walks he imagines his childhood safe haven- a large oak tree. Sadly, it was destroyed by lightning. Eddie’s father and grandfather worked for the same ppl he works for: The Taggart family. Eddie is the Special Assistant to the Vice President in Charge of Operation.
Going into work he likens the Taggart building to a place of safety - it is a New York skyscraper holding the offices of Taggart Transcontinental Railroad - a company that has spread across the U.S. The president, James Taggart has a “limp decentralized sloppiness” w/ a soft face.
Eddie enters James’ office to talk about The Rio Norte line coming out of Colorado, which Eddie says is “done for”. This is bad because the Wyatt Oil Fields have started producing and the owner, Ellis Wyatt has hired a different company Phoenix-Durango to ship for him. James curses his sister.
The sister, VP Dagny Taggart, is traveling in on the fastest train after two nights of not sleeping due to work. She is long-legged but not conscious of her more feminine qualities. She hears a brakeman whistling what he tells her is The 5th Halley Concerto but she later verifies that Halley never wrote a 5th Concerto at all. (This is spooky or is the brakeman Halley?!?!? I don’t know!!!!)
After arriving in New York she meets with her brother. Dagny confirms The Rio Norte Line is in desperate need of repair. She sits decisively against her brothers noncommittal excuses saying, “we’re going to save it.” The argument revolves around Orren Boyle, a man James defends, who runs Associated Steel. Taggart Transcontinental has not received their order for rail from Boyle in over thirteen months.
Dagny tells James she has ordered new rail from Rearden Steel, a company owned and operated by Hank Rearden whom James dislikes. Rearden has created a substance stronger than steel called Rearden Metal but as of yet no one has bought it, until now.
Chapter Two
Hank Rearden is watching as the first “flashing” substance that took him ten long years to create is poured like a long white curve for its very first order. He has poured his life into getting where he is now and is happy but meditates that “happiness could hurt”. He heads home filled with the power of his accomplishment but is immediately met by a circle of ppl who do not understand him; his wife Lillian who has no gaiety in her face, his mother who accuses him, his brother whom he financially supports, and a friend, Paul Larkin, who seems supportive but, we find out, only comes with a vague message. Paul tells Hank that he should should hire someone new for Washington, a man who will give Rearden better press.
(These intros will get shorter as the weeks pass; they’re here to be quick refreshers about the chapters we are discussing. Since I’ve never read the book I’m not completely sure which details are ok to leave out. It’s your job to bring up the nuances you noticed and connect the dots so we can see the book from different angles. That way we will help each other.)
My thoughts:
Taggart is the tree; Rearden the lightning. Rand pretty much spelled that out. I’m 95% sure this book has no happy ending. Hm. I have more but I’ll let y’all talk before I start gushing sonnets about the writing. Lol
Questions to spark the convo:
1.) A writer strives to set the tone for a book very quickly. What tone did Rand create for the backdrop of her book?
2.) Can you draw ANY conclusions (metaphysical, emotional, intellectual or economic) from just these two chapters?
3.) Which character/s would you trust to help your business?
How do you feel so far about ANYTHING?!? I need to know!!!! Please feel free quote from the book to clarify your points. Yay!!
Book Discussion Guidelines and Schedule
Welcome my most excellent business-minded friends, acquaintances, and random dudes; it’s FRIDAY! Hopefully you all wake up and eagerly join in on this discussion.
Chapter One
32 yo Eddie Willers opens the story by going into work on September 2nd by feeling an “immense, diffused apprehension”. As he walks he imagines his childhood safe haven- a large oak tree. Sadly, it was destroyed by lightning. Eddie’s father and grandfather worked for the same ppl he works for: The Taggart family. Eddie is the Special Assistant to the Vice President in Charge of Operation.
Going into work he likens the Taggart building to a place of safety - it is a New York skyscraper holding the offices of Taggart Transcontinental Railroad - a company that has spread across the U.S. The president, James Taggart has a “limp decentralized sloppiness” w/ a soft face.
Eddie enters James’ office to talk about The Rio Norte line coming out of Colorado, which Eddie says is “done for”. This is bad because the Wyatt Oil Fields have started producing and the owner, Ellis Wyatt has hired a different company Phoenix-Durango to ship for him. James curses his sister.
The sister, VP Dagny Taggart, is traveling in on the fastest train after two nights of not sleeping due to work. She is long-legged but not conscious of her more feminine qualities. She hears a brakeman whistling what he tells her is The 5th Halley Concerto but she later verifies that Halley never wrote a 5th Concerto at all. (This is spooky or is the brakeman Halley?!?!? I don’t know!!!!)
After arriving in New York she meets with her brother. Dagny confirms The Rio Norte Line is in desperate need of repair. She sits decisively against her brothers noncommittal excuses saying, “we’re going to save it.” The argument revolves around Orren Boyle, a man James defends, who runs Associated Steel. Taggart Transcontinental has not received their order for rail from Boyle in over thirteen months.
Dagny tells James she has ordered new rail from Rearden Steel, a company owned and operated by Hank Rearden whom James dislikes. Rearden has created a substance stronger than steel called Rearden Metal but as of yet no one has bought it, until now.
Chapter Two
Hank Rearden is watching as the first “flashing” substance that took him ten long years to create is poured like a long white curve for its very first order. He has poured his life into getting where he is now and is happy but meditates that “happiness could hurt”. He heads home filled with the power of his accomplishment but is immediately met by a circle of ppl who do not understand him; his wife Lillian who has no gaiety in her face, his mother who accuses him, his brother whom he financially supports, and a friend, Paul Larkin, who seems supportive but, we find out, only comes with a vague message. Paul tells Hank that he should should hire someone new for Washington, a man who will give Rearden better press.
(These intros will get shorter as the weeks pass; they’re here to be quick refreshers about the chapters we are discussing. Since I’ve never read the book I’m not completely sure which details are ok to leave out. It’s your job to bring up the nuances you noticed and connect the dots so we can see the book from different angles. That way we will help each other.)
My thoughts:
Taggart is the tree; Rearden the lightning. Rand pretty much spelled that out. I’m 95% sure this book has no happy ending. Hm. I have more but I’ll let y’all talk before I start gushing sonnets about the writing. Lol
Questions to spark the convo:
1.) A writer strives to set the tone for a book very quickly. What tone did Rand create for the backdrop of her book?
2.) Can you draw ANY conclusions (metaphysical, emotional, intellectual or economic) from just these two chapters?
3.) Which character/s would you trust to help your business?
How do you feel so far about ANYTHING?!? I need to know!!!! Please feel free quote from the book to clarify your points. Yay!!
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Last edited:
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
), O dep'v siemmz tez vuu nadj. 
