Ayn Rand

At age nine, Ayn Rand (1905-1982) decided she would be a writer, and she achieved that goal with a speed and success most aspiring authors only dream of. (She published her first novel, We the Living, at the age of 28.) Britting, who produced the Oscar-nominated documentary Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life and is now an archivist at the Ayn Rand Institute, delivers her biography in short, manageable chapters that cover an average of 10 years each. Born in Russia in 1905, she immigrated to America as a young woman and worked in Hollywood film studios and theaters while trying to get her writing published. Like many authors, Rand experienced her share of initial rejection, but she soon became well known for controversial novels (i.e., The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged) that advanced her intensely individualistic philosophy. Britting's writing is lively and engaging, and he doesn't dwell on any single subject more than another. Anyone looking for an in-depth analysis of Rand's thinking or of the fascinating periods in her life that Britting touches on, such as her role giving testimony for the House Un-American Activities Committee, should look elsewhere, but as a quick, general primer, this book does the job admirably. It features an impressive array of photos, many of which are published here for the first time, as well as reproductions of book jackets, letters, notes and artwork, which add richness to the narrative. A proponent of individualism and selfishness, Rand herself would no doubt be pleased with this to-the-point overview of her life and achievements. 50 color and 70 b&w illustrations.