We the Living

· Penguin
4.5
57 reviews
eBook
464
Pages
Eligible
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About this eBook

Ayn Rand's first published novel, a timeless story that explores the struggles of the individual against the state in Soviet Russia.

First published in 1936, We the Living portrays the impact of the Russian Revolution on three human beings who demand the right to live their own lives and pursue their own happiness. It tells of a young woman’s passionate love, held like a fortress against the corrupting evil of a totalitarian state.

We the Living is not a story of politics, but of the men and women who have to struggle for existence behind the Red banners and slogans. It is a picture of what those slogans do to human beings. What happens to the defiant ones? What happens to those who succumb?

Against a vivid panorama of political revolution and personal revolt, Ayn Rand shows what the theory of socialism means in practice. 

Includes an Introduction and Afterword by Ayn Rand’s Philosophical Heir, Leonard Peikoff

Ratings and reviews

4.5
57 reviews
Christian Wood
9 June 2024
exceptionally powerful in it's depictions of the horror of Collectivism. The thing which sets it in a league of its own is Rand's stunning ability to present the benevolence of the universe and human potential -- even while it is choking under the darkest of brutish boots.
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Renee' Robinson
29 June 2014
WE The Living-by Ayn Rand- This is a sweet and touching story. The main character is like a mirror of her own image. What I mean is she has both a positive and negative side. She has two sides like a mirror. Both sides are real except one is real, the other is an image. Kira, the character, is strong-willed but also weak. She is a good hearted person but she does have a bad side which she struggles with.She is a very likable character and seems very real and believability. There is sadness within the story but the reader is easily drawn to this woman as there is something about her that most of us can relate to. Whether it is yourself or a relative, there is something real and dependable. It is a beautiful read with depth and style that will always be classy.
6 people found this review helpful
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Harold Jesser
10 February 2016
Yes she has a heavy style that is sometimes difficult but it's worth plowing through. This book is much more about human nature than her later works. It will get you thinking about liberty versus authority no matter which side you take.
4 people found this review helpful
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About the author

Born February 2, 1905, Ayn Rand published her first novel, We the Living, in 1936. Anthem followed in 1938. It was with the publication of The Fountainhead (1943) and Atlas Shrugged (1957) that she achieved her spectacular success. Rand’s unique philosophy, Objectivism, has gained a worldwide audience. The fundamentals of her philosophy are put forth in three nonfiction books, Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, The Virtues of Selfishness, and Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal. They are all available in Signet editions, as is the magnificent statement of her artistic credo, The Romantic Manifesto.

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