When I recommended that book for the summer reading list for my daughter´s high school, I thought the adviser would have a stroke.

And who is Rick Moran? Opinions are a dime a dozen.

I would prefer they require Lott, Friedman and Hayak.

Atlas Shrugged is a novel.

Agree with #3, ´The Road to Serfdom´ should be required reading. Although literacy itself sees scarcely a requirement in public schools today.

How about The Bible? Oh, sorry--am I clinging?

Heck, I think it would be a vast accomplishment if all high school graduates could at least read Dick and Jane.

Patrick Henry University!

I think everyone should read Atlas Shrugged. The description of the company that paid according to needs rather than money, and its implications, is unsurpassed, as is the affect of government interventions on productive people. Then keep reading: Hayek, Mises, Ronald Reagan, Milton Friedman. And there is more.

Atlas Shrugged and almost all Ayn Rand´s books have a twisted view of relationships. There is one that´s ok, but I can´t remember the name and my computer´s acting up right now. I homeschooled my son and knowing that Atlas Shrugged had some in it that was sex and her view of it, that I, without checking it out, decided to do the one about the healthcare in Communist Russia (again, I forget the name), but it was even worse than A.S. Yes, we need more conservative writers writing things that school aged kids can read without being exposed to sexual situations at all. Sorry, I may be overprotective, but I believe our children are already oversexualized by tv, movies, and music.

Good idea, and let´s add the Bible, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution to the list. 250 years ago, these were the only books/documents many people read. And it was enough for them. We could add the Magna Carta to the list as well. When they´re finished with that, add "Liberty and Tyranny" and "Ameritopia" by Dr. Levin. :-)

Rand is bitter medicine for the soft- hearted.

Her cold-rolled logic can be tough.

Her ideas are for adults only and so many people never become adults in an ethical sense.

They are reduced to lives as Democrats.

Legislators picking literature for students to read is a really bad idea. And you don´t even want to know what the curriculum guide for something like Ayn Rand might be. Anthem is read fairly often, it is popular with students because it is short and easily read.

Works for me. Better than the current ´kindergarten´ requirement to read ´Prince & Prince´ to get a grip on that ´diversity´ thing...

The film series based on Rand´s book is also an excellent vehicle to help understand capitalism and why it is the best system for maintaining the inherent freedoms of each individual to explore, do their own research and even build something which benefits everyone.

This vital message regarding the USA´s historic & amazingly successful economic system is lacking in todays´ BIG Government statists´ agenda, which is why it is so needed to be heard by all Americans, especially young people, if indeed America´s goal is still securing the liberty of each individual equally on a, ´level playing field,´ without oppressive & outrageous micro-management, favoritism & dictates from ´central planning!´

Thus, if Constitutional America the Beautiful is to continue the support for each individual´s liberty, justice & opportunity to work & prosper, this country can use all of the merited reminders regarding the principles of freedom upon which this country was established it can get!!! As it is, the radical lefty/lib/dem statists apparently have the PC arena´s microphone. -YIKES!!!

While I´m a fan of the message contained in the book, I think we need a condensed version of about 150 pages. By the time I got to John Galt´s speech I was complaining, "Not again! I´ve heard all this several times already."

A condensed version that tells the story of the 20th century motor company would suffice. And I liked the spooky ending where the long abandoned factory had Galt´s perpetual motion motor still running.

A.S. is an outstanding novel and Francisco D´Anconia´s "Money Speech" is, if you´ll pardon the expression, priceless.

Though I would suggest Idaho make reading the D of I, Constitution and autobiographies of the Founders requirements, too.

Assigning Atlas Shrugged would accomplish one thing--it would help sleep deprived teens catch up on their z´s. I would go along with a truncated version as suggested by a previous poster.

Not a bad idea for all schools everywhere. Plenty is taught from the leftist perspective, how about some philosophical balance?

I know, but I can dream, can´t I?

A document with direct correlation between the corrupt govt. in the book and our Federal govt. would be in order. The students need not just the information but how it happens in reality.

Ignoring the govt. corruption in such an endeavor is like leaving the food off the table at a banquet!

"...at first I was happy to be learning how to read. It seemed exciting and magical, but then I read this: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I read every last word of this garbage, and because of this piece of s**t, I am never reading again."

-Officer Barbrady, "South Park"

Teens can watch the movie. (...´There´s more than one way to get the message across. hehehe)

They should require "1984" and "Animal Farm" as well. They did when I was in high school.

Heinlein´s "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" might serve as a shorter version.