Los que vivimos

First published in 1936, We the Living is a vibrant and moving portrait of the impact the Russian Revolution had on a group of human beings who demanded nothing but the right to live their lives and seek happiness. Its protagonist, Kira, the author's alter ego, studies engineering and dreams of building bridges, but she is expelled from the university for her ideas. The man she is in love with, Leo, the son of a tsarist hero, cannot find a job due to his family past. Desperate to survive, they ask for help from Andrei, a young communist who loves Kira and is convinced of the goodness of communism and revolution. It is not just a political account. It tells the story of the men and women who had to fight to survive under red flags and communist slogans. And it is also a portrait of what that meant. What happened to those who dared to be defiant? To whom did they succumb? After fleeing Russia to the United States, Ayn Rand was puzzled by the way many American intellectuals and politicians were pleased to see the rise of communism. To dismantle the "noble ideal" of collectivism before them, she wrote this novel, rediscovered after the success of Atlas Shrugged.