Buy new:

$18.00

+ No Import Fees Deposit & $15.48 Shipping to Finland Details

Arrives: Aug 27 - Sep 2

Only 12 left in stock (more on the way).

Ships from	Amazon.com
Sold by	Amazon.com

Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Add to List

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Share <Embed>

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 2 images

Follow the Author

Ayn Rand

The Voice of Reason: Essays in Objectivist Thought (Ayn Rand Library) (VOL. V) Paperback – June 30, 1990

by Ayn Rand (Author), Leonard Peikoff (Editor, Introduction)

88 ratings

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$16.49

—

Audible Audiobook, Unabridged

"Please retry"

$0.00

Free with your Audible trial

Hardcover

"Please retry"

$27.00

$52.19

$8.21

Paperback

"Please retry"

$18.00

$11.99

$1.24

MP3 CD, Audiobook, Unabridged

"Please retry"

$29.95

$19.47

—

Between 1961, when she gave her first talk at the Ford Hall Forum in Boston, and 1981, when she gave the last talk of her life in New Orleans, Ayn Rand spoke and wrote about topics as varied as education, medicine, Vietnam, and the death of Marilyn Monroe. In The Voice of Reason, these pieces, written in the last decades of Rand's life, are gathered in book form for the first time. With them are five essays by Leonard Peikoff, Rand's longtime associate and literary executor. The work concludes with Peikoff's epilogue, "My Thirty Years With Ayn Rand: An Intellectual Memoir," which answers the question "What was Ayn Rand really like?" Important reading for all thinking individuals, Rand's later writings reflect a life lived on principle, a probing mind, and a passionate intensity. This collection communicates not only Rand's singular worldview, but also the penetrating cultural and political analysis to which it gives rise.

Print length

368 pages
Language

English
Publisher

NAL
Publication date

June 30, 1990
Dimensions

5.4 x 1 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

9780452010468
ISBN-13

978-0452010468
See all details

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Ayn Rand
263
Mass Market Paperback
$7.99
+ $35.48 shipping
Ayn Rand
503
Mass Market Paperback
$8.99
+ $35.48 shipping
Ayn Rand
943
Mass Market Paperback
110 offers from $1.42
Ayn Rand
259
Mass Market Paperback
$7.99
+ $35.48 shipping
Ayn Rand
174
Paperback
$21.00
+ $35.48 shipping
Ayn Rand
155
Paperback
$18.27
+ $5.81 shipping
Only 10 left in stock - order soon.

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Ayn Rand
503
Mass Market Paperback
$8.99
+ $35.48 shipping
Ayn Rand
259
Mass Market Paperback
$7.99
+ $35.48 shipping
Ayn Rand
943
Mass Market Paperback
110 offers from $1.42
Ayn Rand
174
Paperback
$21.00
+ $35.48 shipping
Ayn Rand
155
Paperback
$18.27
+ $5.81 shipping
Only 10 left in stock - order soon.
Ayn Rand
263
Mass Market Paperback
$7.99
+ $35.48 shipping

Special offers and product promotions

Amazon Business: Make the most of your Amazon Business account with exclusive tools and savings. Login now

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born February 2, 1905, Ayn Rand published her first novel, We the Living, in 1936. Anthem followed in 1938. It was with the publication of The Fountainhead (1943) and Atlas Shrugged (1957) that she achieved her spectacular success. Rand’s unique philosophy, Objectivism, has gained a worldwide audience. The fundamentals of her philosophy are put forth in three nonfiction books, Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, The Virtues of Selfishness, and Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal. They are all available in Signet editions, as is the magnificent statement of her artistic credo, The Romantic Manifesto.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0452010462
Publisher ‏ : ‎ NAL (June 30, 1990)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780452010468
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0452010468
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.4 x 1 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #651,744 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,439 in Modern Philosophy (Books)
- #2,091 in Political Philosophy (Books)
- #8,355 in Short Stories Anthologies

Customer Reviews:
88 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload video

Customer reviews

5 star		90%
4 star		6%
3 star		2%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Art Fisher

A well organized collection of brilliant essays

Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2019

Verified Purchase

I really liked how Rand starts all the way from the beginning of critical thought and moves through to modern day (1960s) political ideologies. The ideas covered in this book are so fundamental that you'll swear they were written to explain today's political problems.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Bryan S Yingst

An excellent showcase of the power of reason

Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2020

Verified Purchase

These eloquent essays show how to apply reason to make sense of current events which can otherwise seem incomprehensible. While the essays in this book were written in the 1960s through the 1980s, the ideas that they cover are as relevant today as they ever have been.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Matt Rousell

Change your Life

Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2016

Verified Purchase

Whether you are an avowed Objectivist or someone looking to read something new, interesting, challenging and life changing then this is the work for you. With over 30 essays spread across 300 pages, Rand and company analyze, discuss, and prove in every case the power and supremacy of reason and the nature of man's rights as an individual. While this work was compiled and completed after Rand's death, the entire collection of essays is still relevant and steeped {as the title states} in Objectivist thought.

I highly highly recommend reading this and all of Rand's works to change your life

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

00xuser

Count on Ayn Rand for some interesting, thought-provoking reading.

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2018

Verified Purchase

Count on Ayn Rand for some interesting, thought-provoking reading. Moral bankruptcy caused the Viet Nam War! An interesting, but simple and objective view on the death of Marilyn Monroe, etc.. Lots of commentary and information in this fairly comprehensive and big book.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Doug

No Objectivist's Library Should Be Without This

Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2008

Verified Purchase

This is an excellent collection of essays that should be included in the library of every fan of Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand. This book contains several great essays by Ayn Rand, which include her thoughts on abortion, the Apollo missions, Vietnam and working for the government. This collection also includes several insightful higher level philosophical essays including the following:

* "Who is the Final Authority in Ethics?" where Ayn Rand clarifies that morality ultimately stems from facts of reality, not from a religious, political or legal authority
* "The Sanction of the Victims" where Ayn Rand emphasizes the importance of never voluntarily relinquishing any of your rights or accepting unearned guilt.

Most importantly, I think the contributions in this volume that are not by Ayn Rand are also incredibly valuable. These include:

* "Religion vs. America" where Dr. Leonard Peikoff almost prophetically warns of the increased blending religion and politics (this is published in 1990).

* "The American School: Why Johnny Cannot Think" where Dr. Peikoff analyzes how public schools teach children to not think in principles or develop proper concepts but instead teach children to be concrete-bound and develop short-term pragmatic solutions to complex problems.

* "Medicine: The Death of a Profession" where Dr. Peikoff articulates how health care is not a right and how the increased government involvement in health care will slow advancements in medicine to a crawl.

* "Libertarianism: The Perversion of Liberty" where Peter Schwartz delineates the stark differences between the views of the Libertarian Party and the philosophy of Ayn Rand.

Although I think this book is definitely accessible to all, I think that those who are just getting familiar with Ayn Rand's non-fiction works will find many of the essays in both The Virtue of Selfishness and Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal to be more interesting places to start.

12 people found this helpful

Helpful

Joshua

Great Insight

Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2018

Verified Purchase

This is a must read for those interested in diving deeper into Objectivism.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

levaamo

...

Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2019

Verified Purchase

GREAT

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Paul sarpi

One of the greatest minds of the 20th centuty

Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2014

Verified Purchase

One of the greatest minds of the 20th centuty. Her perceptive outlook of what this country would becone is incredible. It's no wonder she was hated by liberals and intellectuals

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Jools

The 'rational' way of thought can change your life for the better.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 17, 2015

Verified Purchase

I've not read the whole book yet - it's deserving of more thought than just rushing through it - but already it's removed the proverbial brick wall I felt I was hitting my head against with regard to 'am I the only one thinking altruism is unhealthy for mind and body?' Maybe I'll disagree with some of it, maybe I won't - but that's the thing about objectivism as I understand it - I get to have my own opinion without fear of expressing it. The 'rational' way of thought can change your life for the better.

One person found this helpful

P. Nelson

An excellent collection

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 4, 2013

Verified Purchase

Ayn Rand is perhaps one of the most mis-quothed and misunderstood thinkers ever. That is no exaggeration. Her ideas are often taken out of context, misapplied and then burnt and ridiculed for the straw-men they are.

Few of her critics in academia, journalism or the lay-public at large have ever read beyond Atlas Shrugged (even then they read it in secondary school and we all know how THAT can suck the life out of any great piece of literature), but frankly if you want to truly understand Rand you have to read beyond the fiction. Only the most dedicated of thinkers could pry out the essentials from her novels in toto and really, who wants to do that? Who has the time to devote hours upon hours dissecting John Galt's epic monologue? Or d'Anconia's speech on Money (as excellent as those two bits of prose are...)?. No, what people need and want is the bare-bones of her argument presented succinctly and then fleshed out.

Books such as The Virtue of Selfishness, and Capitalism; The Unknown ideal are examples of her more well-known essay collections, but others such as The Romantic Manifesto and The Return of the Primitive are less well known. The Voice of Reason is perhaps her least known collection of essays, which, unfortunately, is a great shame since it remains one of the easiest introductions to her thought and fleshes her ideas out amongst a number of different but interconnected topics.

Objectivism is not an easy philosophy to know, many have been lulled into a false sense of knowledge believing her to be simple; to some this appeals to the adolescent desire for clarity and black and white, to others this serves only to prove their prejudices correct - to them she really is a one trick pony. Namely many get stuck on her treatment of ethics and politics, she proposed egoism and laissez-faire capitalism respectively. The problem of course being many people "know" what Egoism and Capitalism entail (hedonism and greedy bankers, monopolies and cartels, right?).

To the youthful radical her egoism appeals to the egocentric nihilism of youth. A desire to care only for oneself. A natural reaction to the often suffocatingly vapid enforced altruism of state schooling we are all subjected to. The Capitalism side appeals to a desire to shirk all responsibility for others and simply pursue ones desires free from other people. This, of course, is a shallow, childish view of her philosophy and is akin to saying Aristotle said we should all use logic - and leaving it at that!

Unfortunately many of her critics choose not to move beyond this analysis - having learnt all they needed to reinforce their own philosophies (or lack thereof) they type-cast her as some sort of crypto-fascist nut job and wash their hands of her! Big mistake! A deeper, more honest and committed analysis of Rand reveals a layered, nuanced and subtle philosophy that is a far cry from the hedonism of youth.

Though this book stays away largely from her metaphysics, epistemology and aesthetic theory it does touch on it in important ways (though I recommend Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology for a deeper view of her Epistemic Theory - it's mind blowing!), but most importantly this book will give you concrete examples of how her sometimes complex theory can be applied.

I recommend this book to those who have read some of her fiction and essays and want to broaden their repertoire, but I also recommend this book for those who write her off as a hack. This book might change your mind about her approach.

3 people found this helpful

Jeffry Jose

Excellent

Reviewed in India on October 17, 2018

Verified Purchase

Excellent

See all reviews

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Pages with related products. See and discover other items: nonfiction essays

Buy new:

$18.00

Shipping & Fee Details

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

The Voice of Reason: Essays in Objectivist Thought (Ayn Rand Library) (VOL. V) Paperback – June 30, 1990

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Customers who bought this item also bought

Special offers and product promotions

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Product details

Videos

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Price		$18.00
AmazonGlobal Shipping	+	$15.48
Estimated Import Fees Deposit	+	$0.00

Total		$33.48

Buy new: $18.00

Shipping & Fee Details

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

The Voice of Reason: Essays in Objectivist Thought (Ayn Rand Library) (VOL. V) Paperback – June 30, 1990

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Customers who bought this item also bought

Special offers and product promotions

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Product details

Videos

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Buy new:

$18.00