The voluminous novel (almost 700 pages in paperback) starts with two young men Peter Keating and Howard Roark (love the name) finishing architect school their own way. They head to New York to work, it's the early 1900s

The story is very heavy on architecture, it's a study on its characters which become symbols rather than real people. The book is divided in four chapters, named after the story's main protagonists, it a few decades of their lives. Pseudo synopsis:

Part One - Peter Keating (pg 15)
Keating is consumed by his desire to succeed in his profession, at any price. He's weak minded (relationship with his girlfriend) and talented only in ways to maniputale people. This character is a bit predictable and way boring

Roark stands as a stoic figure who has very unconventional ideas about architecture (leaning towards modernism) and how he wants to live his life too (pretty much anti-social). His work is his life and while his obvious skills are to be lauded (Keating continues to go to him for help), something about his behavior and lack of emotion makes it hard to connect to him. Even when he sets out to work for the only architect he ever respected, there's no joy or passion. He's very mysterious and remains an enigma. I liked the instant friendships he develops with his mentor Cameron, Mike the electrician or Heller who gave him his first commission

Dominique Francon plays a hard to get rich girl (daughter of Guy Francon, a sycophant who runs an architect firm where Keating works) who flaunts her beauty and ideas, there's a whole intrigue with "The Banner" (a fictional NYC paper) where she writes. Keating goes after her hard to safeguard his place in her father's eyes but I'd really like to see her meet Roark, they are in a way more compatible. The Banner's owner Gail Wynand is only alluded to, he has his own chapter later

The whole spiel about an art critic/social commentator Ellsworth Toohey (idiotic name) is a huge turn off, there's a bit of socialism with worker's rights that meanders to nowhere but I guess the novel will resolve this soon enough. His niece is Keating's girlfriend and all these characters are headed on a collision course

The chapter ends on Keating's triumph with pretty much everything falling into place as he gets rid of one last person to get the partnership at Francon's firm. In parallel, Roark closes his office after failing to secure what will be the only commission he only lobbies for

Part Two - Ellsworth M. Toohey (pg 201)
The 2nd chapter devotes quite a bit of time on Roark and his strange encounters with the young Ms Francon. He ends up working at a quarry owned by Dominique's father and theirs is a twisted relationship that I don't quite understand. What's more remarkable is the way the female author writes their first sexual encounter (rape-like)

One thing that is intriguing is that Toohey actually suspects that someone else had his hands on Keating's submission to a grand project for a Hollywood company and yet continues to support him. What's more, we later find that he actually despises Roark for reasons that a look back at his childhood and formative years should reveal

I takes about 100 pages in Part Two to get to Toohey, his childhood growing up. He's an intellectual and had an encounter not dissimilar to Keating's Roark. Anyway Toohey and Dominique Francon actually conspire to sabotage Roark's career, Francon because she's a bit sick (she's in love with him), Toohey for reason that the reader can only guess at. After failing to some degree, Toohey ends up ruining Roark in a pretty conventional fashion, there's a trial that Roark loses and he becomes an outcast with next to no work left

Part Three - Gail Wynand (pg 391)
This has a necessary but long drawn out background on the paper mogul, he's tough kid who came from nothing. The Banner for all its crass does not represent him, rather it's a reflection on what the public wants, Wynand was smart enough to give it to them. Like Roark he is actually quite a singular mind and that is where his success came from. I grew to like him a lot. A couple of high points were his first meeting with Dominique (who he ends up marrying) and Roark (with whom he strikes an instant friendship). In this chapter, Toohey takes more shape and we understand a bit more how Rand is trying to portray evil in this character's influence (maker of trends gives him control and power)

Part Four - Howard Roark (pg 504)
This last chapter finally vindicates Roark as he ascends to the top of his profession, there's a cultural shift in the acceptance of modernism in architecture. His true ambition as an architect is layed out in chapter 11, he also alludes to the people he hates, the "second-handers". He actually finds himself in a familiar place where he makes a deal with an ailing Keating that is btu a shadow of his former self (or the most pronounced version of his weakness). A big scandal ensues when Keating is not able to keep his end of the bargan and Roark dynamites a housing project he designed (because of alterations made by others)

The novel culminates with another trial, and Roark's defense in the courtroom which is just as well since the author is quite fond of endless monologues. Roark explains himself, puts up a cult of self in a debate of "egotism vs altruism". He praises creativity above all and the pursuit of an individual happiness he sees in the foundation of America as a country


Two random people commented when they saw me holding this book. One implied it was some deep stuff. The other told me he read it 30 years ago when a girl went out with him on the condition he read this. He really liked it and remembers the character of Roark to this day. I doubt I'll remember this in a year. It was okay but not super great or anything. I understand The Fountainhead is a major work in American lit and Ayn Rand's (pronounced "ein") subsequent philosphy ideas filed under "objectivisim" (outlined in 4 books, gosh)

I thought the book was quite dated (1943), especially in expressions like "drawing rooms" or "gay" (happy) used in excess. For all its interesting theories and characters, it was very pedantic and lost me easily. None of the people spoke as if they could be real people, they were more shells for Rand's ideas. I easily skipped dozen of paragraphs because the words stopped making sense and became noise bordering incoherent drivel. Sometimes, it led me to no longer be able to tell who was who in a long bout of dialogue

I guess Roark as a hero ends up being interesting, or at least refreshing. He had a quality that he never spoke more than he had to. He expressed himself more through actions. He rarely flinched and second guessed himself but that also made him inhuman. His interaction with Dominique is the least plausible romantic relationship ever thought up

There was an insert in the middle of the book, a postcard actually which starts with a quote by the author

Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision

I like it a lot but the card is from the Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) and it's presented as a brochure to get more information on Rand's philosophy, you can get books, lectures, tapes, etc.. It sounds like recruiting to join a sect, it's real creepy

It took me a week to finish The Fountainhead. By some measure it would be considered fast but I don't think I enjoyed it much. I think part of me wanted to finish it because it was hard. The reading accelerated when I received my next book in the mail (Freakonomics, I ended up borrowing my friend's copy of A Million Pieces instead)

I was looking forward to an explanation of the title but did not find one. I suppose a lame attempt at one would be that Roark's mind is compaired to a flowing fountain, unstoppable, continuously pouring out newness..

An odd piece of work, highly rated and comes with praises by nerdy friend Rene (who gave me this book for xmas 05, thank you).. I suspect she likes the qualities of the Randian hero..


Quite the zinger here on Books Cover

Too bad the goal of this book is to turn anyone who reads it into a selfish prick.