The Fountainhead

Ayn Rand's opposition to the Soviet Communism of her birthplace raised her political consciousness and her belief in the power of the individual and the virtues of self-reliance. Her novel The Fountainhead-widely read and both philosophically and politically polarizing-tells the story of a brilliant architect, Howard Roark, who refuses to compromise his creative vision. Pitted against colleagues who cave to popular and corporate interests, he pursues a relentless quest for individualism-which is tested when he falls in love with a kindred spirit, Dominique Francon.