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Short and to the point, Rand (herself a survivor of collectivism) paints a stark picture of collectivism for her new-found American compatriots. Some of her points are more metaphorical--a reversion to bleeding as a medical technique is less probable than an indication that those who characterize themselves as opponents of, and the solution to, feudalism actually pave the path right back to it. She writes in her usual direct, powerful style. For those wanting to know what all the fuss is about Ayn Rand, but not sure about picking up something the size of The Fountainhead or the even longer Atlas Shrugged, this makes a fine introduction. That said, given its short, crisp nature, you won't be getting Rand at her best. I still think Atlas Shrugged belongs on everybody's must-read list. One could read Anthem as a kind of sequel to Fahrenheit 451, as the two bear no small number of similarities; ditto for Harrison Bergeron.
In terms of substance, Anthem certainly gives one a glimpse at Rand's ideas about self and society. While I think she is spot-on in terms of her opposition to enforced solidarity/charity, or collectivism, I think she gets wrong her opposition to voluntary solidarity. She is a notorious opponent of charity of all forms, but in taking such a position, she would seek to remove a person's free will to practice it. She should stick to her guns on freedom, thus allowing both of our animal instincts, survival of self, and survival of the species, to find their own useful outlets. Nonetheless, her dystopian depiction in Anthem certainly makes one think twice about the rosy sales pitches for the many and varied forms of collectivism. A good read.