Ayn Rand
1938 — This novella, centred around the brave proto-individualist Equality 7-2521, is a great tale of future dystopia. It is the most favourite piece of literature written by Ms. Rand that I have read to this date.
September 1963 — Originally published in The Objectivist Newsletter and later included in Rand’s book The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism, this essay explains the collectivist nature of racism. The first two paragraphs alone make this essay truly golden.
Works about Rand
Letter to Ayn Rand on Atlas Shrugged (.pdf) by Ludwig von Mises
23 January 1958 — In this letter, Dr. Mises praises Ms. Rand for her “masterful[ly] construct[ed]” novel and “the courage to tell the masses what no politician told them.”
Objectivism and the State: An Open Letter to Ayn Rand by Roy A. Childs, Jr.
1969 — It was Childs’s intention with this letter to illustrate to Ms. Rand that even minarchy is irrational and indefensible, given Ms. Rand’s own philosophical foundations. I have seen no evidence that Ms. Rand ever actually read the letter.
The Sociology of the Ayn Rand Cult by Murray N. Rothbard
1969 — This essay is where Dr. Rothbard first expresses his view that the Randite collective did not celebrate individualist thought in the way one might otherwise expect.
My Libertarian Life by Roderick T. Long
4 January 2003 — Dr. Long here confirms that the two women who had the greatest impact on his political development were Ayn Rand and his mother.
Ayn Rand’s Contribution to the Cause of Freedom by Roderick T. Long
2 February 2005 — Written on Rand’s 100th birthday, Dr. Long eulogises the novelest and philosopher from Russia.
Ayn Rand Introduced Me to Libertarianism by Jacob G. Hornberger
2 February 2005 — Also written on Rand’s 100th birthday, Hornberger announces that it was Ms. Rand who introduced him to libertarianism.
Ayn Rand (1905–1982)
