Anthem by Ayn Rand

Anthem by Ayn Rand
272 pages
Finished 3/31/08













I had no idea how short this book was when I first picked it up. I didn't realize that the copy that I bought included the short story, as well as (to quote amazon.com) "a facsimile of the British version, which bears Rand's handwritten alterations for its American debut."

I'm a pretty big fan of dystopic novels, and this was no exception. The main character is named Equality 7-2521. He lives in a world where there are no individuals (the word "I" is not in their vocabulary - everything is plural "We"), there is no electricity, and you are assigned your job and housing after some schooling.

It was a fast, thought-provoking read. I really liked it. I also really liked seeing Rand's original version, and the edits made to it for distribution in America. It was pretty cool (although a little hard to read at times).

Three stars.