Judgment Day; My Years with Any Rand
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company [A Marc Jaffe Book], 1989. First Printing [Stated]. Hardcover. x, [2], 436 pages. Author's Note. DJ has slight wear and soiling. Signed by author on fep. Nathaniel Branden (born Nathan Blumenthal; April 9, 1930 – December 3, 2014) was a Canadian–American psychotherapist and writer known for his work in the psychology of self-esteem. A former associate and romantic partner of Ayn Rand, Branden also played a prominent role in the 1960s in promoting Rand's philosophy, Objectivism. In 1950, after he had read The Fountainhead and exchanged letters and phone calls with Ayn Rand, Branden and his then-girlfriend Barbara Weidman visited Rand and her husband Frank O'Connor at their Los Angeles home. The four became close friends, with Branden and Rand in particular sharing a vivid interest in philosophical exploration and development. After the publication of Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged, and sensing an interest on the part of Rand's readers in further philosophic education, Branden created in 1958 the Nathaniel Branden Institute (NBI), originally Nathaniel Branden Lectures, to disseminate Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism, by offering live and taped lecture courses by Rand, Branden, and a variety of other Objectivist intellectuals (including Alan Greenspan, whom Branden had brought into Rand's fold). During this time Branden also contributed articles to Rand's newsletters on subjects ranging from economics to politics to psychology. Branden and Rand—who had a passionate philosophic bond—developed amorous feelings for each other, and, with the reluctant permission of their spouses, began a love affair in 1954. Judgment Day: My Years with Ayn Rand is a 1989 memoir by Nathaniel Branden that focuses on his relationship with his former mentor and lover, Ayn Rand. Branden released a revised version, retitled as My Years with Ayn Rand, in 1999. A review in The Blade of Toledo said the book offered "interesting glimpses of Ayn Rand and her life". Liberty magazine editor R. W. Bradford called the book a "valuable work" that "provides hitherto unpublished details" about Branden's relationship with Rand. Derived from a Kirkus Review: An engrossing portrait of the Objectivist philosopher Ayn Rand and her followers, as told by one of her intellectual heirs. Branden, warmly relates his 18-year relationship with Rand. He also describes Rand's followers--the intellectuals, economists, and others who accepted her demand for total loyalty and were ever ready to discuss and practice her philosophy of ""enlightened selfishness."" Branden had immersed himself in The Fountainhead by the time he met Rand at the age of 20. She became fascinated with him and, although 25 years his senior, soon proposed a romantic relationship that was undertaken with the consent of both their spouses. Branden addresses his relationship with Rand from a psychological vantage point, painting a vivid picture of a controlling, authoritarian woman who was ""a genius at reasoning. . .and no less a genius at rationalizing."" A fascinating portrait of Rand and her disciples, this is psychological narrative at its best. Ayn Rand (born Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum February 2 [O.S. January 20] 1905 – March 6, 1982) was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism. After two early novels that were initially unsuccessful in America, she achieved fame with her 1943 novel, The Fountainhead. In 1957, Rand published her best-known work, the novel Atlas Shrugged. Afterward, she turned to non-fiction to promote her philosophy, publishing her own magazines and releasing several collections of essays until her death in 1982. Rand advocated reason as the only means of acquiring knowledge, and rejected faith and religion. She supported rational and ethical egoism, and rejected altruism. In politics, she condemned the initiation of force as immoral, and opposed collectivism and statism as well as anarchism, and instead supported capitalism, which she defined as the system based on recognizing individual rights, including property rights. She was sharply critical of most philosophers and philosophical traditions known to her, except for Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and classical liberals. Academic interest has increased in recent decades. The Objectivist movement attempts to spread her ideas. She has been a significant influence among libertarians and American conservatives. Condition: Very good / Very good.
Keywords: Any Rand, Objectivism, The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged, Alisa Rosenbaum, Nathan Blumenthal, Alan Greenspan, Psychologist, Reason, Ethical egoism, Individual Rights, Property Rights, Capitalism
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