Summary:
The Fountain Head is a story about Howard Roark, an ambitious architect who refuses to be bogged down by his expulsion from a premier institute and instead called it upon himself for he could not survive a life in platitude, what others saw as a fulfilling career path Howard rejected it as mundanity. He joins forces with Henry Cameron, the man behind unconventional buildings that depicted true modern architecture. Howard's once classmate Peter Keating follows the conventional road to success that can only be measured in terms of money and not values. Howard and Henry create buildings that touch the extent of human imagination but struggle for recognition as Peter rides on the horses of flattery and mediocrity to secure a partnership in one of the well renowned Architectural firms in New York.
Roark's motive of making originality the pillars of his design of architectures doesn't sink in too well with the bosses he chooses to work for after Henry retires. His journey leads him to work for a granite quarry in Connecticut where he meets Dominique, the beautiful daughter of the quarry owner. Their attraction for each other takes form of a consuming fire and as the fuel of their desires burn unrestrained. They find themselves in a mess as Howard has a rape assault charge on him pressed by Dominique. As he builds a statue of Dominique, nude, in a temple dedicated to human spirit the story takes him to jail and takes Dominique to the arms of Keating but only to bring more surprises later as Dominique marries for the second time this time to Wynand.
The paths of Howard and Peter cross again as Peter commissions Howard to design a building as Peter is failing to grab on to his falling reputation and as he knows Roark is the guy who can save him. The book turns on its head to a happy ending as in the end fate brings the two estranged lovers together amidst much chaos and disorder.
Review:
The iconic book written by the iconic writer Ayn Rand has been around for more than five decades with a fan following that grows each year. The book was published in 1944; the book is down in the history of novels that have grown in popularity as they grow older. The Fountain Head is a timeless piece of work that invokes in you a belief that striving for excellence in a society that moves in and follows docile patterns of living can meet with serious rejection and condemnation, however, the excellence in outcome outshines all the wounds incurred en route.
The book shapes the belief in the reader that by following reasoning of the heart and by ignoring fears that crave for our attention we can rise to our true potential of being. The philosophy of The Fountain Head ventures in to the zone of wonders the individuality in expression can do. The book pursues you to rise above the collective fears and apprehensions to take hold of your life that hides above the clouds of misconstruction of thoughts.
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