Ayn Rand - The Birth of Objectivism

Volume 1: Remembering the Early Years

What was it like to meet Ayn Rand, to sit in her living room and talk the night through about philosophy, economics, politics and art? Now, in the words of her friends and associates meet the novelist of "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Fountainhead" and founder of the philosophy of Objectivism. Economist Robert Hessen speaks about Rand's early friendships with libertarian icons and why she broke with them. Joan Kennedy Taylor, a pioneer in individualist feminist thought, tells the story of the role Objectivists played in ending the military draft. Rand's long time associate and early advocate in the Self-Esteem movement in psychology, Nathaniel Branden talks candidly of his relationship with Ayn Rand and the challenges facing Objectivism today. Ed Snider, successful entrepreneur and owner of the Philadelphia Flyers, tells of his attempts to bring Rand's philosophy into the academy and his efforts to turn Atlas Shrugged into a movie. This volume is the first in a series that takes an uncompromising look at an extraordinary and uncompromising woman.

Volume 2: A Movement is Launched

Ayn Rand's masterpiece, Atlas Shrugged, presented in the purest, clearest form the totality of her radical philosophy of Objectivism. With its publication, her ideas spread worldwide and created a new intellectual movement. Hank and Erika Holzer, Ayn Rand's attorneys talk about their personal experiences with Rand, handling her legal affairs and continue the story began in Volume 1 about the role they and other Objectivists played in ending the US draft. Barbara Branden, friend and associate of Ayn Rand for almost twenty years and author of the bestselling biography, The Passion of Ayn Rand, tells the story of their first meeting. From the energy and excitement of discussing ideas to Rand s passion in its warmth and its harshness, Barbara paints a picture of Ayn Rand in full, including how she changed and evolved through the years Barbara knew her. John Hospers, the first Libertarian Party candidate for President, is the only academic philosopher to directly engage Ayn Rand on her metaphysical, epistemological and ethical ideas. He gives an account of several technical philosophical issues they discussed, their agreements and disagreements, and of his deep fondness for her as philosopher and a friend. This volume is the second in a series that takes an uncompromising look at an extraordinary and uncompromising woman.

Number of files: 2
Run time: 1 hour, 43 minutes
Video codec: xvid, 768 kbps, 720x540, 30 fps
Audio codec: mp3, 64 kbps, 44 kHz, stereo, vbr
Source: DVD (NTSC, 4:3)