Who was Dorothy Parker, really?

Published in 1957, 'Atlas Shrugged' is Ayn Rand's magnum opus and her longest novel. The story is set in a dystopian United States where increasingly burdensome laws and regulations strangle innovation and productivity. The plot follows Dagny Taggart, a railroad executive, and Hank Rearden, a steel magnate, as they struggle against 'looters' who exploit their work. A mysterious figure named John Galt leads a strike of productive individuals, persuading them to abandon their companies and disappear. The novel culminates with Galt's three-hour radio speech explaining his philosophy of Objectivism, which emphasizes rational self-interest, individual rights, and the importance of the human mind. The book explores themes of capitalism, property rights, and the failures of governmental coercion, presenting a provocative vision of a society in collapse and the potential for a new capitalist society based on Galt's principles.

The Catcher in the Rye follows Holden Caulfield, a teenager who has been expelled from Pencey Prep, as he spends three days wandering around New York City. The novel explores Holden's disillusionment with the world around him, his feelings of loneliness and disconnection, and his struggle to find genuine relationships. Despite his cynicism and criticism of others as 'phonies,' Holden reveals a deep emotional sensitivity, particularly in his interactions with his younger sister Phoebe. The book delves into themes of adolescent angst, the loss of innocence, and the search for meaning and purpose in a seemingly superficial world.

Published in 1925, 'The Great Gatsby' is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life during the Jazz Age. The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to Long Island and becomes entangled in the lives of his wealthy and mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby, and Gatsby's obsession to win back his first love, Daisy Buchanan. The story delves into themes of honesty, the temptations of wealth, and the struggle to escape the past, ultimately reflecting on the disintegration of the American Dream.