Today's National Review Online features an archived review of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged by Whittaker Chambers, former senior editor at Time magazine and author of Witness. I find the piece particularly worth reading because I greatly admired Ms. Rand's work in my teen years and even more greatly admire Mr. Chambers today. Follow this link and read the review.
Though Chambers is very hard on Rand, I think everyone should read one of her two big books, either The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged. Her moral universe is not ultimately attractive once you get to know her, but she portrays the frustration of the productive and creative person with a society that seeks to claim the fruit of his labors and control him in a way that should give every statist pause.
I feel even more strongly that readers should go to Chambers' Witness, which is a compelling account of his escape from the Communist underground and subsequent mission to expose his fellow agents. Beyond the events depicted, one has the privilege of considering the sensitive heart of a man too gentle for this world. He was a rare soul.
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