Much of the discussion was about Atlas Shrugged, Rand's 1957 novel that's still a top-seller and still widely read more than 50 years after its publication - especially remarkable considering that it's over 1,000 pages in length.
In addition to Heller's book, a second Rand biography, Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right by Jennifer Burns (Oxford Press), was also released in October and has been receiving similarly positive reviews. There's been a lot of talk lately about a resurgence of interest in Rand. According to the Ayn Rand Institute, total sales of her books reached 25 million in 2008. And according to Heller, combined sales of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead are expected to top 2 million copies this year -- double the number sold last in 2009.
There's likely to be still more interest to come when production is completed on a long-awaited film adaptation. Lionsgate acquired movie rights in 2006 and names like "Jolie" and "Pitt" were originally bandied about. More recently, Charlize Theron has been mentioned as a possible lead. IMDB lists the project as "announced" and "in production" for 2011.
Playaway offers an excellent unabridged edition of Atlas Shrugged from Blackstone Audio, narrated by the talented and prolific Scott Brick. It runs an impressive sixty-three and a half hours. If you're interested in a "just the good parts" version, we also offer an abridged version from HighBridge Audio, clocking in at a more manageable twelve hours. It's narrated by venerable actor of stage and screen, Edward Herrmann.
In all, there are currently thirteen Ayn Rand titles available on Playaway. View them here.
And In March of 2010 look for one more: Ayn Rand Answers. Drawn from Rand's taped lectures and question-and-answer sessions, the title promises to offer fresh insight into her views on such topics as racism, gun control, love, and marriage.
Posted by David Perrotta, MLIS
Playaway Sr. Manager for Content Strategy
