GENERAL INFORMATION
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Atlas Project was an online, chapter-by-chapter discussion of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, exploring the novel’s intricate plot and abstract themes through online discussion and live interactive video.
View all the broadcasts on ARI Campus, Facebook, YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, or SoundCloud
PREVIEW BROADCASTS AND OTHER VIDEOS
- Introducing The Atlas Project
- Greg’s and Ben’s first times reading Atlas Shrugged
- Greg’s and Ben’s experiences teaching Atlas Shrugged
- Editions of Atlas Shrugged (live broadcast)
- Resources on Atlas Shrugged (live broadcast)
- The Spirit of the Project (live broadcast)
- Final Preview (live broadcast)
- The Idealism of Atlas Shrugged (promotional video)
OTHER
- The Atlas Project Facebook group was where first time readers discussed one chapter per week. Experienced readers who wanted to discuss chapters that the Project hadn’t covered yet, joined the Atlas Project Spoilers Group.
- For students: request a free copy of Atlas Shrugged
BUY THE BOOK
RECOMMENDED EDITIONS
The Dutton hardback edition, Plume trade paperback edition, and the Penguin Modern Classics edition all retain the pagination from the 1957 first edition. This is the pagination used for references to the novel in the quality secondary literature, and so we recommend any of these editions, especially to experienced readers who may want to explore this literature in depth.
If you prefer to use the less-expensive mass-market paperback, we encourage you to get the Signet 50th anniversary edition, page numbers for which are also available on the reading schedule.
OTHER FORMATS
SECONDARY TEXT
These are the best two commentaries on Atlas Shrugged available. However, first-time readers are advised that both contain spoilers.
- Onkar Ghate’s “A Teacher’s Guide to Atlas Shrugged” to the Signet edition of Atlas Shrugged is an excellent brief guide, available for free online, containing chapter summaries, analysis, and discussion questions. The chapter summaries and discussion questions are generally spoiler-free, but the introductory essays for teachers are not.
- Robert Mayhew’s Essays on Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” is an excellent resource on the publication history of the novel, and on the literary and philosophical dimensions of the novel. It contains useful outlines of the plot and of the book’s central speech. Be aware that many of the essays contain extensive plot spoilers.
ADDITIONAL SECONDARY TEXT
- Allan Gotthelf and Greg Salmieri’s A Companion to Ayn Rand contains chapters on Rand’s literary esthetics and analyzes her philosophy with numerous references to the plot and characterization of Atlas Shrugged.
- Diana Hsieh’s Explore Atlas Shrugged contains a plethora of discussion questions beyond the essential ones given by Onkar Ghate’s edition.
- Andy Bernstein has written “CliffsNotes for Atlas Shrugged,” which is available online for free.
