The Early Ayn Rand contains previously unavailable short stories and plays from Rand's early writing career. Of particular interest are cuts from The Fountainhead which detail Roark's early relationships with Henry Cameron and Vesta Dunning, Roark's first lover.
Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand's magnum opus. Before it was complete, Rand said it would ``will combine metaphysics, morality, economics, politics, and sex---and it will show the tie between metaphysics and morality.'' In Who is Ayn Rand?, Atlas Shrugged is described as ``a mystery story, not about the murder of a man's body, but about the murder---and rebirth---of man's spirit.''The story of Atlas Shrugged centers around two great industrialists struggling to keep their businesses operating in a decaying society. To reveal much more about the plot would do injustice to its elements of mystery, suspense and surprise. However, one can say that Rand was successful in combining metaphysics, morality, economics, politics, and sex into an epic story of action and suspense.
The single word that best describes the achievement of Atlas Shrugged is integration. The book masterfully integrates ideas and action, theme and plot, all driven by the central, integrating theme of ``the role of the mind in man's existence.''
The Fountainhead tells the dramatic story of an architect's struggle to maintain his integrity against those who would have him compromise it. Ayn Rand described the theme of The Fountainhead as "individualism versus collectivism, not in politics, but in man's soul." By showing how the conflict of individualism versus collectivism pervades all of man's life, and by examining the struggles that this conflict leads to, Rand's novel has resonated deeply with millions of readers.
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In Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology (2nd Edition, 1990), Rand sketches out her views on a variety of epistemological issues, including concept formation, the role and nature of definitions, truth, word meaning and universals. The second edition of the work includes transcripts of workshops in epistemology she conducted with several professors. Leonard Peikoff's essay on the analytic/synthetic dichotomy is also published in this edition.
The Voice of Reason is a collection of essays in philosophy, culture and politics by Rand and other Objectivist writers. Of particular interest are "Who Is the Final Authority in Ethics?", in which Rand introduces her distinction between the metaphysical and the man-made as well as her thoughts on the nature of objectivity; "Global Balkanization," containing Rand's thoughts on the increasing tendency for individuals to associate themselves with a group on the basis of race, language, etc; "Libertarianism: The Perversion of Liberty," in which Peter Schwartz criticizes certain aspects of the Libertarian movement; and Leonard Peikoff's "My Thirty Years with Ayn Rand: An Intellectual Memoir".
Published shortly after her death, Philosophy: Who Needs It? contains Rand's writings on a variety of issues. The title essay is a transcript of a speech delivered to the graduating class of West Point in 1974. In it, Rand stresses the great importance of philosophy in each individual's life and its role in shaping a culture.
The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution contains essays by Rand on politics, focussing on the New Left. The "New Left" is a rather vague term created by the media in the 1960's to refer to a new liberal movement characterized by concern with the environment, racism and state oppression. The members of this movement often resorted to violence or disruptive behavior to advance their agenda. Rand's essays are devoted to an analysis of this movement and its impact on college students, environmental issues and education.
The Romantic Manifesto: A Philosophy of Literature contains Rand's views on aesthetics. As the title indicates, much of the work is devoted to literature, but she also writes a great deal about art in general. Rand offers her definition of art and discusses the role of a person's sense of life in the creation of and response to a work of art. In addition, she also has intriguing things to say about the epistemological purpose of art in an individual's life.
Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal contains essays in politics and economics by Rand and other Objectivist authors. Of particular interest are "What is Capitalism?," in which Rand argues that capitalism is the only moral social-political system; "The Roots of War"; "Gold and Economic Freedom," a defense of the gold standard by Alan Greenspan; and "Conservatism: An Obituary," Rand's critique of the conservative movement.
The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism contains Rand's writings on ethics and political theory. The essay "The Objectivist Ethics" contains her most definitive statement concerning the metaphysical foundation of her ethical system. "The Ethics of Emergencies" and "The 'Conflicts' of Men's Interests" supplement and elaborates upon points made in this essay. In "Man's Rights" Rand derives a theory of natural rights, including life, liberty and property from her ethical system. "The Nature of Government" contains Rand's views on the proper functions and funding of the government in a free society.