Ayn Rand Biography

Russian-born American Philosopher, Novelist and Essayist

May 31, 2008 Tel Asiado

Life and works of American writer Ayn Rand, famous for her philosophy on objectivism and her best known novels The Fountainhead.

Ayn Rand's books, especially The Fountainhead, Anthem, and Atlas Shrugged, were influential during the 1950s and 1960s when the theme of individualism was popular among young readers, and most especially college students.

Early Life of Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand, American author, essayist and conservative theorist, was born in St. Petersburg, on February 2, 1905, during the pre-revolutionary Russia. When she was 12, the Russian Revolution overturned the rule of the czar and established a communist government. Rand attended university in Russia, studying history at the University of St. Petersburg. Unable to accept the communist rule, she left her native land at the age of 18 for the United States. In 1931 she became a U.S. citizen, and for several years she worked as a Hollywood screenwriter.

Rand's Objectivism Philosophy

Once in the United States, Rand became a strong supporter of capitalism and a critic of communism. Her objectivism philosophy believed in individualism: that people should do what is in their own interests and live for themselves rather than others. Her philosophical view was premised on enlightened selfishness and rejected altruistic welfare in favour of self-reliance. Her belief was primarily declared in her second book, Anthem.

In particular, she acknowledged the philosophers Aristotle and Aquinas, and Nietzsche as an early inspiration.

The Four Novels of 'Ego' Theme

In particular, four of her novels presented her beliefs. Her first, We the Living, was published when she was 31. Like her other books, this features a hero whose individual desires triumph over the desires of a community. This was followed by Anthem. Her third novel, The Fountainhead, defended the individualism of an architect, Howard Roark, and was made into a film starring Gary Cooper, and the fourth one, Altas Shrugged, became a 'bible' of college students during those years of strong receptivity to idealism.

The Objectivist Journal

In 1962, Rand founded The Objectivist, a journal advocating her belief that humans are rational and self-interested individuals. This was followed by The Ayn Rand Letter from 1971 which lasted until her death.

Impact of Rand's Beliefs

In the late 60s until the early 70s, Ayn Rand's novels were extremely popular with university students, many of whom saw her as encouraging them to behave "selfishly." It became more popular again during the politically conservative years of President Reagan. She died at the age of 77, on March 5, 1982.

Works by Ayn Rand (Novels and Essays)

• We the Living, 1936
• Anthem, 1938
• The Fountainhead, 1943
• Atlas Shrugged, 1957
• For the New Intellectual, 1961
• The Virtue of Selfishness, 1965
• The Romantic Manifesto, 1969
• The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution, 1971
• Philosophy: who Needs It, 1982

Sources:

Goring, Rosemary, Ed. Larousse Dictionary of Writers. Larousse, 1994Ousby, Ian, Ed. Cambridge Guide to Literature in English. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1993

Sciabarra, Chris Matthew. Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical. 1995.

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Ayn Rand, Russian-born American Novelist, Essayis

Comments

Mar 30, 2009 5:43 PM

Guest :

To say that Rand's work is not highly regarded is disingenuous. Not highly regarded by whom?
Atlas Shrugged is selling at historical rates and is on the lips of of millions of people.

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