Ayn Rand

About

Russian-American novelist, philosopher, and Conservative/Libertarian political activist who most famously wrote The Fountainhead (1943) and Atlas Shrugged (1957). She is also known for developing a philosophical system called Objectivism.

Before Fame

She was among the first women to enroll at the Petrograd State University, where she studied history. In 1926, she immigrated to the United States to pursue a career as a Hollywood screenwriter.

Trivia

Her philosophy of rational self-interest pervades her literary work.

Family Life

She was born in St. Petersburg, Russia to Russian Jewish parents. She was married to Frank O'Connor for fifty years.

Associated With

She greatly influenced the renowned American economist Alan Greenspan.