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Why have I never come across Olive Moore before, Haley?! I feel remiss after claiming to study modernist female writers! I have to say that she doesn't sound a barrel of laughs, but your honest examination of her work and ideas is enlightening. Thank you for the introduction- I am always learning from you ๐Ÿ˜€

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I am so happy to introduce you to her! For your purposes, I think sheโ€™s well worth reading. Her particular brand of stream of consciousness is so unique and an incredible experience to read!

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I read The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand in high school. Ostensibly to write an essay about it for a contest, but honestly probably because I wanted to look smart. Even at the time I remember thinking, this is neither how the world works nor how people behave, but I did take two useful things out of it:

1) that you can use characters to act/argue for your own political ideas and themes (or any topic, really)

2) and that per Roark's argument at the end, art has to be made for the artist themselves, and no one else.

So yes, I agree with your point that even if we don't agree with the overall point/messaging of books, it can still be useful and instructive to read them. (I never wrote the essay, either.)

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I just finished After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie and I'll be thinking about it for a long while. I'll be picking up the other two of hers in your stack. I've only read (and insanely adored) Wide Sargasso Sea before. Thank you!

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