The Fountainhead PDF is a novel written by Ayn Rand and published in 1943. The novel’s protagonist, Howard Roark, is an individualistic young architect who designs modernist buildings and refuses to compromise his artistic and personal vision for conventional success.
The book was originally serialized in twelve parts in the architectural magazine Architectural Record between May 1941 and February 1942. It was first published in book form by Bobbs-Merrill Company in 1943. More than 6.5 million copies of The Fountainhead have been sold worldwide, and the book has been translated into more than 20 languages.
The novel’s title is a reference to a line from Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If—”: “If you can keep your head when all about you / Are losing theirs and blaming it on you…”. The quote is used by Roark when he is arrested for dynamiting the Cortlandt Homes, a project that compromises his artistic vision.
The Fountainhead has been both praised and criticized for its advocacy of individualism and Objectivism, and its controversial handling of architect-client relations. The novel has been adapted into two American films: the 1949 film directed by King Vidor and starring Gary Cooper, and the 1982 film directed by Michael Cimino starring Tim Daly.
Table of Contents
The Fountainhead Summary
The book begins with an introduction by Ellsworth Toohey, a successful newspaper columnist and self-proclaimed “man of the people.” Toohey is a socialist who believes that the individual must be subordinated to the collective good. He is also a master manipulator, who uses his position to advance his own agenda.
The Fountainhead pdf is a novel about the struggle of an individual to maintain his integrity and creative vision in the face of overwhelming opposition.
The book’s protagonist, Howard Roark, is a young architect who designs modernist buildings and refuses to compromise his artistic and personal vision for conventional success.
The novel follows Roark’s battles against the architectural establishment, which eventually leads to his arrest for dynamiting the Cortlandt Homes, a project that compromises his artistic vision. The Fountainhead also chronicles the love story between Roark and Dominique Francon, a highly successful architectural critic who initially despises Roark’s work but eventually comes to appreciate his genius.
Details of The Fountainhead Book
| Book | The Fountainhead |
| Author | Ayn Rand |
| Original language | English |
| Originally published | 1943 |
| Category | Philosophical fiction |
| Publisher | Bobbs Merrill |
| Total Pages | 753 |
| Format | PDF, ePub |
| Current Ratings | 4.6 |
Multiple Languages Editions of The Fountainhead Book
The Fountainhead has been translated into more than 20 languages and is available in over 60 countries. The book has sold millions of copies worldwide and continues to be one of the most popular and influential novels of all time.
| Book Editions | Check Now |
|---|---|
| English | Check Price |
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| Russian | Check Price |
| Chinese | Check Price |
About the Author
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, and screenwriter. She is best known for her novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, which employ her philosophical system of Objectivism.
Rand was born and raised in Russia and emigrated to the United States in 1926. She enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison but left after one semester to pursue a writing career in Hollywood. She achieved success with her first novel, We the Living, published in 1936.
Rand’s most famous novels, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, were published in 1943 and 1957 respectively. These two works present her philosophy of Objectivism, which advocates for the primacy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.
In addition to her novels, Rand wrote several screenplays and essays on topics such as art, politics, and philosophy. She also developed a following of devoted admirers, known as “Objectivists.” Rand died in 1982 at the age of 77.
The Fountainhead PDF Free Download
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Similar Books to The Fountainhead Book
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
- The Art of Being Right by Arthur Schopenhauer
- On Liberty by John Stuart Mill
- The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
- Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler
- The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
- The Republic by Plato
- Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is the message of The Fountainhead?
The main message of The Fountainhead is that individualism is the highest moral value and that each person should follow their own mind, since only they know what is best for them.
Why was The Fountainhead banned?
The Fountainhead was banned in the Soviet Union for its “bourgeois individualism.” It was also banned in Nazi Germany for its “anti-social” and “decadent” themes.
What is controversial about The Fountainhead?
The novel’s protagonist, Howard Roark, is a young architect who designs modernist buildings and refuses to compromise his artistic and personal vision for conventional success.
What is The Fountainhead about in a nutshell?
The Fountainhead is a novel about an individual’s struggle to maintain his integrity and creative vision in the face of overwhelming opposition.
Why is The Fountainhead so famous?
The Fountainhead is so famous because it is one of the most popular and influential novels of all time. It has sold millions of copies worldwide.
