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Anthem by Ayn Rand
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really liked it
bookshelves: old-favorites

This book really helped me get my self esteem back together. This was my mantra going into college.... I think it got me through a lot of BS. It is not bad to remind yourself of the following things every once in a while.....

"I am. I think. I will.

My hands . . . My spirit . . . My sky . . . My forest . . . This earth of mine. . . . What must I say besides? These are the words. This is the answer.

I stand here on the summit of the mountain. I lift my head and I spread my arms. This, my body and spirit, this is the end of the quest. I wished to know the meaning of things. I am the meaning. I wished to find a warrant for being. I need no warrant for being, and no word of sanction upon my being. I am the warrant and the sanction.

It is my eyes which see, and the sight of my eyes grants beauty to the earth. It is my ears which hear, and the hearing of my ears gives its song to the world. It is my mind which thinks, and the judgement of my mind is the only searchlight that can find the truth. It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my will is the only edict I must respect.

Many words have been granted me, and some are wise, and some are false, but only three are holy: "I will it!"

Whatever road I take, the guiding star is within me; the guiding star and the loadstone which point the way. They point in but one direction. They point to me.

I know not if this earth on which I stand is the core of the universe or if it is but a speck of dust lost in eternity. I know not and I care not. For I know what happiness is possible to me on earth. And my happiness needs no higher aim to vindicate it. My happiness is not the means to any end. It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose.

Neither am I the means to any end others may wish to accomplish. I am not a tool for their use. I am not a servant of their needs. I am not a bandage for their wounds. I am not a sacrifice on their altars.

I am a man. This miracle of me is mine to own and keep, and mine to guard, and mine to use, and mine to kneel before!

I do not surrender my treasures, nor do I share them. The fortune of my spirit is not to be blown into coins of brass and flung to the winds as alms for the poor of the spirit. I guard my treasures: my thought, my will, my freedom. And the greatest of these is freedom.

I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask none to live for me, nor do I live for any others. I covet no man's soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.

I am neither foe nor friend to my brothers, but such as each of them shall deserve of me. And to earn my love, my brothers must do more than to have been born. I do not grant my love without reason, nor to any chance passer-by who may wish to claim it. I honor men with my love. But honor is a thing to be earned."

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Reading Progress

Started Reading
January 1, 1990 – Finished Reading
December 26, 2007 – Shelved
December 26, 2007 – Shelved as: old-favorites

Comments Showing 1-6 of 6 (6 new)

dateDown arrow    newest »

Daniel Gon莽alves yes, it was truly a captivating expirience.


message 2: by Raquel (new)

Raquel This helps me understand why you would like this book.


Alix Laing This is so beautiful. I read this book at the start of my school year. Everything was so new and I knew no one going in. Having this to really show me how grateful we all should be to be humans with freedom and the power to think for ourselves is so great. Also, I think that the moment we became I was one of the most magical in a book I have ever seen. Thank you for this post it's beautiful.


message 4: by Eric (new) - rated it 1 star

Eric This is the only positive review of this book I'm not gonna made a negative comment on. That reasoning makes more sense than the political argument in my mind. But then, I would recommend "The Alchemist" for the same purpose before I would recommend this.


message 5: by Zina (new) - rated it 1 star

Zina It's really nice for a teen who needs a selfish affirmation, but for mature people it's evident that Ayn Rand is the mother of all stupidity.


message 6: by Debra (new)

Debra Schnitzer Now that you have your self esteem back look around and see if you can help someone. It is great you know your worth and love yourself. Now what are you going to do?


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