It just keeps getting better...

I am sorry but I can't stop myself from listening to the book, plus my family is giving me ample opportunity to do so.

I just finished Book 2, I can see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, but I don't want to reach it yet. Our next book is by Dickens, and the last thing that I read of his I did not particularly care for, it was Great Expectations.

Lillian finally learned who's Hank's mistress. She is very scheming and seeks to punish and destroy her husband rather than to allow him to divorce her. Trading her secret about her husband to men like James Taggart is inconceivable. I don't know if she ever had any passion or loved him at all or if she is just an uptight, cold hearted person.

The meeting of the Washington men and how Directive 10-289 was put into effect just baffled me. How is it that this group, all of whom had a vested interest in the outcome of such an initiative could have so much influence. Trading favors and secrets will only work for so long, eventually someone will lose their leverage and power. The Unification Board created irrational demands of the country. How could they "freeze" the economy? Why would they not want additional research so that new inventions could be created? I try to think of my own life and imagine what it would be like to have to purchase the same amount of goods as in previous years. Things wear out like tires, dishwashers, clothes. If no new books were being printed who was going to repurchase ones that they already owned?

Dr. Ferris is a scary man with all of the BS that he preaches. I was sorry to know that he found out Hank Rearden's weak spot, Dagny, which he used against him and forced Rearden's hand to sign the gift certificate for Rearden metal.

When Dagny quit, I had hoped that James would end up with the stresses of her position but I should have known that he would pass the buck, he is not a worker just a politician. She was not content to relax and enjoy her quasi retirement but she continually worked to improve her surroundings and even planned out development for the places she encountered.

Ch. 7
So much important information is disclosed in this chapter. I often find myself so wrapped up into the story that I speak aloud about the characters and plot to my families amusement, this was one of those chapters.

Conceited, bloated politicians who are only concerned about their own ambitions and power, like Mr. Kip Chalmers. Every person involved in the chain was responsible for the deaths of all the riders on the Comet, why didn't anyone stand up for what was right? The explanation about who the passengers were didn't paint them in a positive light, their fate was almost forgivable after you found out about the character/politics of those who perished.

Rearden leaving Lillian and giving his lawyer a blank check to ensure that he got it, I cheered but wondered why he waited so long. Then when he is encountered on his walk in the forest by Ragnon who hands him the brick of gold, I couldn't believe it. Are all of the great minds hiding together in some unknown spot, it sure sounds like it, especially since he mentioned Midas Mulligan and his bank. I am glad that he is trying to protect the capitalists interest but it is regrettable that he had to become an outlaw to do so. Orren Boyle's furnaces being blown up so that he could not manufacture the "miracle metal" was something else to cheer for, he is such a worm.

Ok, that's all I have time for now but I will continue. Forgive me for getting so far ahead.