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Ayn Rand

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Ayn Rand was a famous Russian-American writer and philosopher.

Ayn Rand (1957 Phyllis Cerf portrait)
Ayn Rand (1957 Phyllis Cerf portrait)

She is best known for her fiction and her own system of thought. She called this system Objectivism. Rand believed in using reason to understand the world. She rejected faith and religion in her ideas. Her books have sold over 37 million copies. Many people still study her work today.

Objectivism is a way of looking at life and morality. Rand believed in what she called rational egoism. This means she thought people should act in their own self-interest. She was against altruism, which is living for others. She also supported laissez-faire capitalism. This is a system that protects individual rights and private property. In her politics, she said using force against others was wrong.

The Fountain Head (1943 1st ed) - Ayn Rand
The Fountain Head (1943 1st ed) - Ayn Rand

Rand was born Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum in 1905. She grew up in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Her family lived in a middle-class home.

Pola Negri by Ayn Rand cover
Pola Negri by Ayn Rand cover

Her life changed during the October Revolution. The Bolsheviks took control of the country. Her father lost his pharmacy because of this. The family had to move to Crimea to survive. Later, they returned to Petrograd during very hard times. Rand studied history at Leningrad State University.

Night of January 16th jury flyer front
Night of January 16th jury flyer front

In 1926, Rand moved to the United States. She arrived in New York City in February. She wanted to work in the movie industry. She even worked as an extra in a film.

Famous fantastic mysteries 195306
Famous fantastic mysteries 195306

She married Frank O'Connor in 1929. Rand became an American citizen in 1931. Her first big success was the novel The Fountainhead in 1943. This book was about an architect named Howard Roark. Her most famous book, Atlas Shrugged, came out in 1957.

Ayn Rand Marker
Ayn Rand Marker

Many people have different views on Rand's work. Literary critics gave her fiction mixed reviews. Some critics did not like her later books. Academic philosophers often ignore or reject her ideas. They say her work lacks a strict method. However, her writing has influenced many political groups. Some conservatives and libertarians follow her ideas. The Objectivist movement still shares her thoughts today.

Leonard Peikoff (cropped)
Leonard Peikoff (cropped)
337 words

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🖼️ Images & Media (10)
File:Pola Negri by Ayn Rand cover.jpg
Pola Negri by Ayn Rand cover.jpg
File:Night of January 16th jury flyer front.jpg
Night of January 16th jury flyer front.jpg
File:The Fountain Head (1943 1st ed) - Ayn Rand.jpg
The Fountain Head (1943 1st ed) - Ayn Rand.jpg
File:Famous fantastic mysteries 195306.jpg
Famous fantastic mysteries 195306.jpg
File:Ayn Rand Marker.jpg
Ayn Rand Marker.jpg
File:Victor Hugo by Étienne Carjat 1876 - full.jpg
Victor Hugo by Étienne Carjat 1876 - full.jpg
File:Ayn Rand (1957 Phyllis Cerf portrait).jpg
Ayn Rand (1957 Phyllis Cerf portrait).jpg
File:Atlas Shrugged (1957 1st ed) - Ayn Rand.jpg
Atlas Shrugged (1957 1st ed) - Ayn Rand.jpg
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TDTP08.JPG
Leonard Peikoff (cropped).tiff
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