Kirjahaku

"The Ideas of Ayn Rand" tells of Ayn Rand (1905-1982), who is best-known for her blockbuster novels, "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged". In the 1960s her "Objectivist" ideas, featuring laissez-faire capitalism, atheism, "the virtue of selfishness", and aesthetic romanticism, were promoted in an organized movement, which split apart following Rand's falling-out with protege Nathaniel Branden. Despite this debacle, she continues to attract readers and to exert a major, if largely subterranean, influence on thinking and policy. Recent works on Rand have focussed on the details of her biography: her struggle as a refugee from Soviet Russia to become a literary success in the US, her career as a Hollywood screen writer, and her tortured private life. "The Ideas of Ayn Rand" offers an examination of the development of Rand's thought, with the events of her life presented as necessary background. Dr Merrill's standpoint is neither hostile nor uncritical. He gives a detailed analysis of all Rand's important fiction works, illustrating the development of her writing technique.He demonstrates the influence of Nietzsche upon Rand's early thought, and her subsequent, not entirely candid attempts to deny that influence. The author aims to give a fresh interpretation of Rand's views on metaphysics and ethics, and a critical account of her political activities.

Fifty-five years after Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand is more in the news than ever. Ayn Rand Explained is an accurate and riveting account of Rand's life, work, and influence, with the emphasis on her ideas. The book covers Rand's career, from youth in Soviet Russia to Hollywood screenwriter and then to ideological guru; her novels and other fiction writings; her work in ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics; her influence on--and personal animosity toward--both conservatism and libertarianism. Rand's Objectivism encompasses the ethics of rational egoism ('The Virtue of Selfishness'); dedication to rational thinking and acting; rejection of faith in the supernatural, personal freedom from political interference, and a moral defense of limited government and laissez-faire. Objectivism was first promoted through the Nathaniel Branden Institute, headed by Rand's young protege and designated heir. The Institute's phenomenally rapid growth was abruptly cut short when Rand expelled Branden and his followers in 1968. Today Objectivism is represented by different factions, notably the Ayn Rand Institute and the Atlas Society. This is a revised, updated edition of The Ideas of Ayn Rand (1991), including new information on Rand's rocketing influence, new stories about her personal relationships, and new analysis of her life and ideas.