The Passion of Ayn Rand [Hardcover]

Barbara Branden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 20, 1986

The bestselling biography of one of the 20th century's most remarkable and controversial writers.  Author Barbara Branden, who knew Rand for nineteen years, provides a matchless portrait of this fiercely private and complex woman.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Whether or not one subscribes to Rand's right-wing philosophy, this book is likely to make a lasting impression. Branden, a close friend of Rand in the 1950s and 1960s, offers us an intimate portrait, using printed sources, memories, and interviews as she eases back and forth between Rand's professional and private selves. Though occasionally marred by purple prose and the exuberance of a faithful disciple, this book nevertheless achieves a rare balance between engaged reminiscence and critical appraisal of this important conservative thinker. Michael Edmonds, State Historical Soc. of Wisconsin Lib., Madison
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

This bestselling biography of one of the 20th century's most remarkable and controversial writers is now available in paperback. Author Barbara Branden, who knew Rand for nineteen years, provides a matchless portrait of this fiercely private and complex woman. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 442 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday (May 20, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385191715
• ISBN-13: 978-0385191715
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,317,139 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( R ) > Rand, Ayn

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An insider's view into the complicated genius of Ayn Rand, April 17, 2001

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Passion of Ayn Rand (Paperback)

During the 60's and 70's, Ayn Rand lead the Objectivist philosophical movement that she founded through her writings, most notably Atlas Shrugged and the Virtue of Selfishness. Her lectures at the Ford Hall Forum in Boston were yearly sold-out events. Her philosophy of objective reason over emotion and feelings, of self-reliance and the natural rights of the able were in stark contrast to the competing liberal movements during the wild ferment of the 60's and 70's.

Among her closest disciples were Nathaniel and Barbara Branden. Nathaniel, a much younger, brilliant psychologist was her choice as intellectual heir. And something more... Barbara Branden, Nathaniel's wife at the time, wrote what she later repudiated as a puff-piece biography of Rand. After many years Barbara Branden went back and wrote a fuller, more human biography with details she was able to glean from the normally reticent Rand, who edited away her past as so much irrelevant junk. Even Rand's name is a nom de guerre taken in part from her Remington-Rand typewriter. And Barbara also included the controversial and frankly sad aspects of Rand's life as well.

One incident in the book points to Rand's complexity and inflexibility. She was a lifelong smoker. She would often say that statistics prove nothing; that even if statistics say that smoking could cause cancer it says nothing about if YOU will get cancer, which of course is true. Ironically, Rand contracted lung cancer, however she refused to amend her outspoken opinion on smoking even on her deathbed.

This book is a rare glimpse of a complicated genius from an insider's point of view. Barbara wasn't just a bystander, she was a participant in the almost larger-than-life drama that surrounded Ayn Rand. Rand attempted to live as the characters in her novels, with sometimes disastrous results. Barbara does an admirable job of writing about Rand, without rancor but without glossing over some of the more unsavory aspects of Rand's life. At the same time, she acknowledges Rand's greatness. Not everyone is happy with Barbara Branden's version of Rand's life, but if you are at all interested in the writings and the woman, you must read this unique and valuable work.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An inside look at a great woman, amazing novelist and a profound philosoper, February 24, 2008

By 

M. Lange (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Passion of Ayn Rand (Paperback)

I am currently a law student who has an undergraduate degree in philosophy. I have spent much of my adult life studying Objectivism and integrating many of its principles into my life. I am not an "Objectivist," but I do consider myself a student of the philosophy.

This book is not a fanatical denouncement of Rand, as some of the reviewers giving it a 1 star have claimed. Those that have read this book and have calmly reflected upon it, have absolutely no valid justification in giving it a 1. The author points out her own experiences with Ms. Rand, and gives her own interpretation as to Ms. Rand's psychology. The overall feeling of the book towards Ms. Rand is one of honest admiration, sincere fondness, and regretful sorrow. The theme throughout the book is that Ms. Rand struggled, achieved profound success, and experienced deep tragedy.

Persons giving this book a 5 star rating, then going on to attack Ms. Rand's philosophy are despicably dishonest. The author's treatment of Objectivism is very positive. The only objections she has towards the philosophy are some of its applications to psychology (regarding free will and the origin of emotions). The author only really denounces the minority of individuals in the Objectivist movement that lack independence. If you want to understand Objectivism, read and think for yourself. But do not understand it through this biography, or the weak context-dropping reviews on this site. I suggest starting with some of the fiction if you aren't familiar with philosophy or the non-fiction if you are (either way, read the fiction eventually!) Then judge for yourself whether this philosophy is a great, complex, and powerful achievement, with positive practical application to all realms of man's life, or whether it is the 'over simplification' which the pseudo-intellectuals ramble on about in their reviews.

I give this book a 4 because it doesn't adequately discuss Objectivism, which is central to understanding Ayn Rand. The author does make clear that any claimed problems in Ms. Rand's psychology were not a result of Objectivism, or vice versa. Ms. Rand was a great woman that gave to this world amazing works of fiction, and a philosophy which has already significantly impacted our culture. I do not know if everything said is correctly interpreted, or if every relevant context was given, but I do not believe that the author was being dishonest. If you want to get an inside look at Ms. Rand, read this book, and make sure to read some other sources too. Do not judge her philosophy based on your conclusion on this book, and do not judge her completely based just on what you have read in this book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Barbara Branden's Passionate Biography of Ayn Rand, July 20, 2008

By 

Neil Parille - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Passion of Ayn Rand (Paperback)

Barbara Branden was associated with Ayn Rand from 1950 until 1968, when she and her husband had their tragic split with Rand. In 1986, she published this biography of Rand. In light of the split between the Brandens and Rand, I don't think anyone would claim that this is the "last word" on Rand. Yet it is a well researched biography based on approximately 200 interviews of people who knew Rand at various times in her life. Branden also interviewed Rand extensively before their split.

Unfortunately, Branden didn't have access to Rand's papers, nor was she able to interview some of those who knew Rand best from the time of the split until Rand's death in 1982.

For reasons I've discussed on the web, I don't think James Valliant and others have undercut the description of Rand presented here.