The epic novels of Ayn Rand suggest that this extraordinary mid-century intellectual knew how to use narrative fiction to get across philosophical arguments she thought central to the success of the country. Widely and deeply read, even if generally ignored by traditional philosophical and academic communities, she inspired a cult following in the `50s and on, especially among the young, who saw in her themes of heroic individualism reason-based ethics and morality. Though it was the 1949 movie of her 1943 novel The Fountainhead (1943), starring Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal, that brought her to popular attention, it was the 1168-page Atlas Shrugged (1957) that she said defined her. She is still a force to be reckoned with, to judge from contemporary references.
Please join Joan Baum on Friday evening, November 7th at The East Hampton Library at 6:00 – 7:00 pm for a talk about this unique cultural figure. The event is free, but you’ll need reservations:
