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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
This is a very intense book, one that drew me in even though I found most of the characters to be unpleasant. I did not know anything about Rand and her philosophy before reading this book, and I don’t really know what I think of it - certainly this book poses questions that are difficult to answer, and as such the characters and atmosphere haunted me even while I was not reading it.
It is not my first introduction to life in Soviet Russia, but imagining how it would have been perceived when it was first published is a powerful thought. I do think the questions Rand asks are as important today as they were when this was written nearly 100 years ago, whether or not you agree with Rand’s answers.
It is not my first introduction to life in Soviet Russia, but imagining how it would have been perceived when it was first published is a powerful thought. I do think the questions Rand asks are as important today as they were when this was written nearly 100 years ago, whether or not you agree with Rand’s answers.
It has been 17 years since I first read this novel. I lost all my notes and highlights from my first read, but I do recall it had a big impact on me, so I decided it was time to read it again and capture some notes and thoughts.
First and foremost, this novel depicts the impacts that totalitarian regimes have on societies and individuals. It has a ton of historical insight into policies, living conditions, and morale, taking place in post revolutionary Russia in the 1920's. As someone who has read a lot of Rand, I was a bit surprised in how much of this historic detail she wrote about here. It is no secret Rand was a huge critic of communism and statism, but her later novels and nonfiction make political arguments at a philosophical level, where-as in We the Living, a big goal was to show people what it was actually like living in Russia during this time. That is not to say that this work is not philosophical, because it is: it shows different types of people who rise in such conditions, those who fall, and those who are just stuck.
The style and substance is not quite Rand yet, in my opinion, and that is part of why I give it 4 stars. Although Kira is a very "romantic" character, she is not given enough context for the reader to quite get it. Her actions are very Dagny-esque (Atlas Shrugged) or Roak-esque (the Fountainhead) without the intellectual firepower to back it up. This same problem applies to a communist protagonist also, Andrei, and makes this character difficult to connect with early on. I can also very clearly see the Victor Hugo influence in multiple passages and in the overall story type, which is not bad (I love Hugo) but it’s too Hugo and not enough Rand for me (no one can out Hugo, Hugo). In her later work she keeps the romantic flair but makes a style of her own.
Overall, the novel was daring for it’s time and is unique among the anit-communism literature in that it has a focus on the impact to individuals who otherwise know how to live, if they are not suffocated by dictatorship. I find this very different from popular dystopians like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, or a Brave New World, which start with a society and characters already destroyed, and don’t focus as much on the individuality aspect. Rand’s ability to write beautiful, scathing, and influential dialogue (even if it’s too long or opinionated for some readers), probably most famously with Galt’s speech, exists in this book too. I highlighted a ton of powerful passages. It is definitely worth the read (and re-read).
First and foremost, this novel depicts the impacts that totalitarian regimes have on societies and individuals. It has a ton of historical insight into policies, living conditions, and morale, taking place in post revolutionary Russia in the 1920's. As someone who has read a lot of Rand, I was a bit surprised in how much of this historic detail she wrote about here. It is no secret Rand was a huge critic of communism and statism, but her later novels and nonfiction make political arguments at a philosophical level, where-as in We the Living, a big goal was to show people what it was actually like living in Russia during this time. That is not to say that this work is not philosophical, because it is: it shows different types of people who rise in such conditions, those who fall, and those who are just stuck.
The style and substance is not quite Rand yet, in my opinion, and that is part of why I give it 4 stars. Although Kira is a very "romantic" character, she is not given enough context for the reader to quite get it. Her actions are very Dagny-esque (Atlas Shrugged) or Roak-esque (the Fountainhead) without the intellectual firepower to back it up. This same problem applies to a communist protagonist also, Andrei, and makes this character difficult to connect with early on. I can also very clearly see the Victor Hugo influence in multiple passages and in the overall story type, which is not bad (I love Hugo) but it’s too Hugo and not enough Rand for me (no one can out Hugo, Hugo). In her later work she keeps the romantic flair but makes a style of her own.
Overall, the novel was daring for it’s time and is unique among the anit-communism literature in that it has a focus on the impact to individuals who otherwise know how to live, if they are not suffocated by dictatorship. I find this very different from popular dystopians like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, or a Brave New World, which start with a society and characters already destroyed, and don’t focus as much on the individuality aspect. Rand’s ability to write beautiful, scathing, and influential dialogue (even if it’s too long or opinionated for some readers), probably most famously with Galt’s speech, exists in this book too. I highlighted a ton of powerful passages. It is definitely worth the read (and re-read).
I thought this was an excellent novel, regardless of where you sit politically. I certainly don't share Rand's philosophies.Don't prejudge the novel and decide not to read it because you dislike Rand/Objectivism.
The story is genuinely moving and the characters, particularly the main character, are well drawn. I understood why she felt the way she did, and why she made the choices she did. Rand created some very evocative images in the novel -- I felt like I was there. I got totally pulled into the story. I can't say that the picture of Communist Russia at that time is particularly accurate or not, as I don't have enough knowledge on the subject to comment on that. I read the book because, aside from the fact that it was a gift, I was quickly found myself genuinely interested in the story.
On a political level, the book does raise some good, thought provoking questions about the dangers of totalitarianism. Thus, I can reccommend the book on two levels -- it will satisfy readers who just love a good story, and those who are interested in politcal systems and political ideology. The book might be hard to track down, but it will be worth the effort.
The story is genuinely moving and the characters, particularly the main character, are well drawn. I understood why she felt the way she did, and why she made the choices she did. Rand created some very evocative images in the novel -- I felt like I was there. I got totally pulled into the story. I can't say that the picture of Communist Russia at that time is particularly accurate or not, as I don't have enough knowledge on the subject to comment on that. I read the book because, aside from the fact that it was a gift, I was quickly found myself genuinely interested in the story.
On a political level, the book does raise some good, thought provoking questions about the dangers of totalitarianism. Thus, I can reccommend the book on two levels -- it will satisfy readers who just love a good story, and those who are interested in politcal systems and political ideology. The book might be hard to track down, but it will be worth the effort.
High School AP English BABY! I'll bet I'd like this one a lot better if I read it today. I think 17 year olds might be a bit young to really "get" this on all it's levels. I just remember having to write a paper on utopian socieites and that this book wasn't as compelling as 1984.
СССР след великата съветска социалистическа революция - глад, абсолютна мизерия, хората се редят на километрични опашки за хляб и сапун (друго няма), разстрели на улицата…
Това е положението след като комунистите вземат властта. Да произвеждаш и продаваш каквото и да е – това е забранено, защото държавата щяла да се грижи за всичко. Но ако не си член на партията – просто забрави за всякаква грижа – медицина, училище, работа, даже храна.
Това е първата книга на Айн Ранд и за разлика от другите не е философска – а е исторически роман. „Ние, живите“ разказва за Русия, но съвсем спокойно можеше да бъде написана и за Германия по времето на Хитлер или за която и да е друга античовешка, идеологическа тирания в новата световна история.
Разказ за това как поставен в условията на диктатура, принуждаван да мрази това, което е, човек, бил той аристократ, селянин, бивш богаташ или чистосърдечен комунист – се превръща в животно и прави всичко, за да оцелее… или просто умира.
Това е положението след като комунистите вземат властта. Да произвеждаш и продаваш каквото и да е – това е забранено, защото държавата щяла да се грижи за всичко. Но ако не си член на партията – просто забрави за всякаква грижа – медицина, училище, работа, даже храна.
Това е първата книга на Айн Ранд и за разлика от другите не е философска – а е исторически роман. „Ние, живите“ разказва за Русия, но съвсем спокойно можеше да бъде написана и за Германия по времето на Хитлер или за която и да е друга античовешка, идеологическа тирания в новата световна история.
Разказ за това как поставен в условията на диктатура, принуждаван да мрази това, което е, човек, бил той аристократ, селянин, бивш богаташ или чистосърдечен комунист – се превръща в животно и прави всичко, за да оцелее… или просто умира.
I enjoy Ayn Rand books, and appreciate her philosophy of Objectivism. But good grief this story was boring. I think it's semi-autobiographical.
The book tells the story of 3 individuals trying to live a life in the early 20th Century USSR under the Communist regime. It was grey, stinky, poverty stricken and hopeless.
The book tells the story of 3 individuals trying to live a life in the early 20th Century USSR under the Communist regime. It was grey, stinky, poverty stricken and hopeless.
I liked the character development by Ayn Rand and how they all come together at just the right moment. Ayn made it easy to feel the pain and suffering that the characters and real people experienced after the "Revolution". This book made me want to learn more about the "Revolution".
Probably the most depressing book I have ever read, but in a positive way, if that's possible... Incredible.
Slow plot progression with sometimes endless descriptions of mundane scenes. Generally a boring book. Would not recommend.
I was surprised that this book ended the way it did, after having read (and then reread, because I love it so much) the Fountainhead. (That might be because this book actually came first, but I hadn't read it.)
That's all I can say without spoiling it. That, and it was incredibly depressing and sad. I love the way she writes so much; her diction and her particular rhythms are almost poetic to me, even if I don't always understand or agree with what they're expressing.
That's all I can say without spoiling it. That, and it was incredibly depressing and sad. I love the way she writes so much; her diction and her particular rhythms are almost poetic to me, even if I don't always understand or agree with what they're expressing.