"Yes, at first I was happy to be learning how to read. It seemed exciting and magical, but then I read this: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I read every last word of this garbage, and because of this piece of s**t, I am never reading again."
Posted on 12/09/2014 7:11:33 AM PST by Borges
Ms. Rand did not respond, but Mr. Branden did not give up.
A few years later, while attending college in California, he wrote to her again. This time she did respond, and then some.
In relatively short order, they became philosophical soul mates, unlikely lovers and business associates. He was 25 years younger than she and, like her, married to someone else. That hardly mattered. Both believed in “rational selfishness” and unlimited capitalism, theories Ms. Rand embraced in “The Fountainhead” (1943) and her later blockbuster, “Atlas Shrugged,” which was published in 1957 and originally dedicated to both her husband, Frank O’Connor, and Mr. Branden.
Mr. Branden, who was 84 when he died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles County, would go on to change his name at Ms. Rand’s suggestion (it had been Nathan Blumenthal) and to become perhaps her most ardent disciple. In 1958 he started the Nathaniel Branden Institute, where he helped repackage her ideas — Objectivism, she called her philosophy — into lectures, recordings, books and articles.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Oops I left out the first paragraph!
Is his seeing eye dog okay?
YUK
Why did she want him to change his name?
That’s okay. It was probably 60 pages long..................
I thought that the movie “The Passion of Ayn Rand,” based on Barbara Branden’s book, was pretty good. Helen Mirren was very compelling as Ayn Rand, and I completely believed Peter Fonda’s portrayal of Rand’s husband Frank O’Connor.
I had trouble believing the scene where Barbara confronts Ayn Rand, and Rand screams: “How can you be so selfish?”
Still, a really interesting movie, although I’m not anyone’s idea of a film critic.
More light shed on Rand’s reprobate garbage.
My sense of Ayn Rand is that, among other things, she was a control freak. I remember, many years ago, I came upon an article written by someone who was, for a time, a member of the "inner circle" around Ayn Rand. He was married, and his wife was a believing Christian. He said that Rand insisted that he divorce his wife because of her beliefs. He refused and that was the end of his relationship with Ayn Rand.
Sometimes I wish I had printed and saved all of the articles that I have read over the years, so that I would be able to find them when I need to recall something I had read a long time ago. But, I didn't.
Ayn Rand and her entire circle — what a bunch of repellent people.
Despite her personal weaknesses and life errors, Rand still produced a pillar of reason and a philosophical explanation of conservative thought with Atlas.
"Yes, at first I was happy to be learning how to read. It seemed exciting and magical, but then I read this: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I read every last word of this garbage, and because of this piece of s**t, I am never reading again."
Collectivists cannot stand this.
Whatever Rand's strengths or weaknesses as a writer, philosopher, or human being, she did Western Civilization a huge favor by providing a broad, clear window into the souls of those who are sworn to destroy it.
Rand ping.
Weird speculation that I did not put into the book - Rand used some interesting alternate name spellings in AS - Hank ReardEn, for example, in the place of the usual spelling ReardOn. I note that BrandEn's name is an alternate of the usual BrandOn. Related, or accidental? Probably the latter but amusing nonetheless. His ex Barbara had her own innings in The Passion of Ayn Rand. RIP to an interesting guy.
Well said, my thoughts exactly!
The dude played by Eric Stoltz in that movie.
RIP
It was likely because she wanted to share her name with him,
Nathaniel bRANDen.
Both he and Barbara died at the age of 84.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.