How the Tech Billionaires Bought Radical Journalists | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer

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.

Matt Taibbi's 'I Can't Breathe: A Killing on Bay Street' provides a detailed narrative of Eric Garner's life and death, highlighting the complexities of his personal history and the systemic issues that led to his tragic demise. The book explores themes of policing, racial disparity, and social justice, offering a critical examination of the events surrounding Garner's death and its broader implications for American society.