I’ve heard it said that the Bible and Atlas Shrugged are the two most influential books in America. That sounds nice, but is it true? A quick internet search reveals that it was true, in 1991, at least among the 2,032 Book-of-the-Month subscribers who responded to a survey asking which book had had the most influence on their life. 166 said the Bible; 17 said Atlas Shrugged. Not exactly statistically significant.
Works for me, though. If you had asked me three years ago, I would have said Atlas Shrugged, hands down. If you asked me today, I would say the Bible. (If you had asked me in 1991, I would have said The House that Had Enough by P.E. King, and that single vote probably would have catapulted to the 905th Most Influential Book In America).
There are, as countless other people have detailed in more detail than I care to, a number of similarities (between tB and AS; we’re done with tHtHE now). Both show a view of humanity that we don’t recognize at first because we’re trapped right in the middle of it. Both read completely different on the second time through. Both are long and heavy and thus also on my Kindle because my arm gets tired if they’re in my bag. Both offer hope and instill agency, and both are woven through with questions.
But that’s where the similarities end. When people ask “Who is John Galt?”, they don’t expect an answer. When Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?”, he does.
— MeganPrestonMeyer
Works for me, though. If you had asked me three years ago, I would have said Atlas Shrugged, hands down. If you asked me today, I would say the Bible. (If you had asked me in 1991, I would have said The House that Had Enough by P.E. King, and that single vote probably would have catapulted to the 905th Most Influential Book In America).
There are, as countless other people have detailed in more detail than I care to, a number of similarities (between tB and AS; we’re done with tHtHE now). Both show a view of humanity that we don’t recognize at first because we’re trapped right in the middle of it. Both read completely different on the second time through. Both are long and heavy and thus also on my Kindle because my arm gets tired if they’re in my bag. Both offer hope and instill agency, and both are woven through with questions.
But that’s where the similarities end. When people ask “Who is John Galt?”, they don’t expect an answer. When Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?”, he does.
— MeganPrestonMeyer
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