Abilenian Public Library spotlight on author Ayn Rand

If you are familiar with the phrase “Who is John Galt?” then you may have read, or at least heard of, “Atlas Shrugged."

This 1957 novel was written by author and philosopher Ayn Rand. She uses mystery, romance and science fiction in this dystopian depiction of the United States, in which private businesses struggle against increasingly stringent laws and regulations. Soon, the leaders of these companies begin to disappear and the cryptic phrase “Who is John Galt?” appears randomly.

The novel has appeared on lists such as the PBS Great American Read 100 most-loved novels and has sold more than 7 million copies. It is also controversial in that some see the content as praising selfishness. Interestingly, Rand did publish a collection of essays titled “The Virtue of Selfishness” which explores ethics and the value of the individual.

Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum, who later adopted the pen name Ayn Rand, was born and educated in Russia. She obtained a visa to visit relatives in Chicago, the first step in her goal to stay in the United States and become a screenwriter. By the late 1920s, a chance meeting with director Cecil B. Demille led to the role as an extra and junior screenwriter.

Her first bestseller was the 1943 novel “The Fountainhead."

It brought her fame and financial security as well as a film deal with Warner Bros. The studio released a film of the same name in 1949 starring Gray Cooper and Patricia Neal with Rand serving as screenwriter on the project. The plot follows architect Howard Roark, who aspires to individualism and innovation in a profession mired in conformity and conventionalism.

Rand also published nonfiction.

In “Return of the Primitive,” she opposes ideals put forth by the New Left in the 1960s and early 1970’s. Within, you will find essays touching on environmentalism, multiculturalism, racism and the state of modern education. For those looking to fine tune their own writing, consider “The Art of Fiction” as well as “The Art of Nonfiction: A Guide for Writers and Readers."

Writers of nonfiction will find out how to prepare an outline and polish a draft and fiction writers will benefit from a discussion of how they can take their abstract ideas and create unified characterization, plot and theme.

For more insight into this influential figure check out “Ayn Rand and the World She Made," a biography by Anne Conover Heller. It explores Rand's beginnings in Russia through her time in Hollywood as well as the “cult” that formed around her in the 1950s and 1960s.

Mary Ann Sures pulls from hours of interviews with two close personal friends of Rand for “Facets of Ayn Rand: Memoirs." Their recollections bring vividly to life not just the writer but also the woman behind the fiction and philosophies.

Despite her influence and popularity, Rand can sometimes fly under the radar. If you are intrigued enough to learn more, stop by or visit our website catalog. We have an exhaustive collection of materials to read and listen to by Rand herself on shelf and through hoopla as well as others offering their own take on her life and work.

She is a fascinating figure who philosophized on topics as relevant today as they were in her lifetime.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilenian Public Library spotlight on author Ayn Rand