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.

[A_perfect_lady]

I loved The New Left, especially the chapter on environmentalism.

[A_perfect_lady]

I'd read THE FOUNTAINHEAD first, ATLAS SHRUGGED second, and the non-fiction after. I'd skip WE THE LIVING, to be honest. It isn't one of her better ones. I can't speak for ANTHEM, haven't gotten to it yet. But I will.

[nonliberal]

I try to read AS at least once every two years or so. I always get something new out of it.

[libstripper]

You should. If you don't say anything about it, other than many of her former teachers would be offended by her reading it, she'll probably get curious and start reading it for a lark. Once she gets into it, she'll be hooked. I read it first when I was about her age and did it because I saw the paper back and wondered what it was all about.

[Mugwumps]

Thanks for the recommendations. Appreciate them.

[Capitalism2003]

Atlas Shrugged should be the first on everyone's must-read list...an absolute masterpiece.