Time to Read Ayn Rand?

ARI fellow Keith Lockitch has a new op-ed out on why there’s no better time to read (or re-read) Ayn Rand’s magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged, and her other writings.

Dr. Lockitch writes:

If not now, when? Ayn Rand is being hailed for her uncanny ability to project societal trends, as our limping economy and mushrooming government begin to look more and more like the decaying America her novel depicted more than a half-century ago. Her influence on today’s political debates is indisputable — even though Paul Ryan, who gave her books to his staff and says she inspired his political career, now actively distances himself from her philosophy. And the second installment of the Atlas Shrugged movie opens October 12, promising to draw even more attention to Rand and her ideas.

Not surprisingly, with all the attention, the culture is suddenly full of pundits and instant Rand experts eager to describe her ideas in a nutshell. And it’s natural to consider all this commentary in deciding whether Rand’s novels and essays are worth reading for yourself.

But be careful; unfortunately, much of the commentary on Rand gets her badly wrong.

Dr. Lockitch goes on to address some of the misconceptions surrounding Rand’s novels and ideas. His conclusion? The best source on Rand is Rand herself. Read her works to fully understand why a 55-year-old novel like Atlas Shrugged is resonating with people now more than ever.