Anthem

Anthem is a dystopian fiction novella by Ayn Rand, first published in 1938 in the United Kingdom. The story takes place at an unlisted future date when mankind has entered another Dark Age. Technological advancement is now carefully planned and the concept of individuality has been eliminated. A young man known as Equality 7-2521 rebels by doing undercover scientific research. When his activity is discovered, he flees into the wilderness with the girl he loves. Together they plan to establish a new society based on rediscovered individualism.Rand originally conceived of the story as a play, then decided to write for a magazine publication. At her agent's suggestion, she submitted it to book publishers. The novella was first published by Cassell in England. It was published in the United States only after Rand's next novel, The Fountainhead, became a best seller. Rand revised the text for the US edition, which was published in 1946."I worship individuals for their highest possibilities as individuals, and I loathe humanity, for its failure to live up to these possibilities."-Ayn Rand