Ayn Rand: Still a Best-selling Author

Atlas Society ^ | 6/14/03

[RJCogburn]

Over twenty years after her death, Ayn Rand’s works continue to sell at bestseller levels. In fact, sales of Rand’s books have reached all-time highs.

According to Penguin/Putnam, publisher of her books, sales of their paperback editions of her masterwork, Atlas Shrugged, exceeded 140,000 copies in 2002, up ten percent from the preceding year. Sales of Anthem soared an astonishing twenty percent. Combined sales of all four of her novels in paperback (which also include The Fountainhead and We the Living) exceeded 374,000 copies. That level is higher than any since Rand’s death in 1982.

If we add to this total purchases of hardcovers, book club editions, plus Rand’s nonfiction works, total annual sales of her books in English is about 500,000 copies per year. By any measure, that qualifies Ayn Rand as a best-selling author, and one of the most successful and influential “backlist” authors in the history of publishing.

[headsonpikes]

So Kevin, who's your favorite character in that well-known 'potboiler' Atlas Shrugged?

Cuffy Meigs?

Dr. Statler?

Or do you identify with Dagny?

[neccen]

As long as there are confused teenagers Ayn Rand will always have an audience.

[neccen]

Ha Ha Phillip Anschutz is producing it. He's the crook founder of Qwest that recently had to pony up $4.4 million to stay out of jail. Anschutz is loved at the the my university. He promised a multi million dollar endowment to build the science library. They built it [Anschutz Library,]named it after him, and he never paid up. The University is too embarrased to take his name off the building. What an ethical guy. A=A

[motzman]

Welcome to FR.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[sarasmom]

Welcome to FR.

One can enjoy "Atlas Shrugged" in the same way one could enjoy a Stephen King novel.

The difference is, Ayn Rand is much, much scarier!

[HitmanLV]

Can somebody help me with a question? How is Rand's first name pronounced? I used to think it was "Ahhh-Yahn," but I have been told otherwise. Gracias!

[motzman]

The difference is, Ayn Rand is much, much scarier!

Freedom and capitalism is scary to some...

[RJCogburn]

Since Jun 16, 2003

Well, I see Kev's alter ego signed up today. Welcome!

[RJCogburn]

Rhymes with 'mine' I believe.

[lelio]

"Ahhh-Yahn"
I pronounce it like "Ein" as if you're saying the German word for no, or the English word 'nine.' pronouncing the first part with an "eye"

[sarasmom]

It was the Socialism that scared me...

[Mugwumps]

Does anyone have a suggestion about this?

Having received the following Ayn Rand books: "Virtue of Selfishness", "We the Living" and "The Fountainhead" as gifts, which should I read first?

And where would you list "Atlas Shrugged", assuming that is the next book to obtain?

[RJCogburn]

By chance, I originally read the novels in the order in which they were written....We the Living, Fountainhead, AS. I think that was a good way to do it, as each novel is better then the one before.

I read the non fiction after that.

[motzman]

It was the Socialism that scared me...

ahhh...I get ya.

[LanPB01]

I guess it depends on how ditzy she really is. Maybe you should start with one of her smaller works, like "Anthem".

[LanPB01]

I think you've made a mistake. The bible thumping, homo bashing thread is elsewhere.

[jmc813]

So do L. Ron Hubbard's.

Hubbard's book sales are artificially inflated by scientologists buying the books and returning them to the Scientology-owned publisher. They're encouraged by the cult to do this.

[jmc813]

So do L. Ron Hubbard's.

Hubbard's book sales are artificially inflated by scientologists buying the books and returning them to the Scientology-owned publisher. They're encouraged by the cult to do this.

[PJ-Comix]

Reading Atlas Shrugged certainly turned the corner for me.

The Fountainhead was a much better book.