Goddess of the Market
OCLC 313665028 | |
Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right is a 2009 biography of Ayn Rand by historian Jennifer Burns. The author explores Rand's intellectual development and her relationship to the conservative and libertarian movements. The writing of Rand's books and the development of her philosophy of Objectivism are also covered.
Background and publication history
Burns spent eight years working on the book, which began as a dissertation for her doctoral degree from the
Contents
The book is divided into four main sections. The first, titled "The Education of Ayn Rand, 1905–1943", covers Rand's life and intellectual development from birth until the publication of her novel The Fountainhead. The second, "From Novelist to Philosopher, 1944–1957" covers the period in which she wrote her last novel, Atlas Shrugged. The third section, "Who Is John Galt? 1957–1968", discusses the growth of the Objectivist movement based on Rand's philosophy, and her relationship and eventual break with her protégé Nathaniel Branden. The final section, "Legacies", covers the final years of Rand's life and the continuing reaction to her after her death. Burns also includes an "Essay on Sources" describing the scholarship about Rand and her own use of the Ayn Rand Archives.
Reception
The book has received generally positive reviews.
Several reviews compared the book with another biography of Rand, Ayn Rand and the World She Made by Anne Heller, which was also released in 2009. Heller's book focuses on the details of Rand's life, in contrast to the intellectual history focused on by Burns. In a review for The New York Times, Janet Maslin said the two books "make many of the same points and touch on many of the same biographical details", although Maslin prefers Heller's book for its greater detail.[7] The two books were also reviewed jointly in The New Republic[8] and Time.[9]
On October 15, 2009, Burns was interviewed about the book on The Daily Show. Host Jon Stewart said it was "incredible timing" for the book to be released at a time when Rand was experiencing a "resurgence ... in the culture",[10] a reference to the popularity of Rand's writing among contemporary conservatives, including the Tea Party movement.
See also
Notes
- ^ Burns 2009, pp. 287–288; Burns, Jennifer. "Jennifer Burns Bio". Archived from the original on October 9, 2009. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
- ^ "Goddess of the Market: Jennifer Burns". Oxford University Press.
- ^ Huntley, Kristine (September 28, 2009). "Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right (Review)". Booklist Online. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
- Doherty, Brian (October 5, 2009). "Why Ayn Rand is hot again". The Washington Times. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
- ^ Gillespie, Nick (Autumn 2009). "Ready for Her Close-up". The Wilson Quarterly. Archived from the original on October 6, 2009.
- ^ "Nonfiction Reviews: 9/7/2009". Publishers Weekly. September 7, 2009. Retrieved October 22, 2009.(registration required)
- ^ Maslin, Janet (October 22, 2009). "Twin Biographies of a Singular Woman, Ayn Rand". The New York Times. p. C6.
- ^ Chait, Jonathan (September 14, 2009). "Wealthcare". The New Republic.
- ^ Sachs, Andrea (October 12, 2009). "Ayn Rand: Extremist or Visionary?". Time. Archived from the original on October 5, 2009.
- ^ "The Daily Show: Jennifer Burns, Thursday October 15, 2009". Comedy Central. October 15, 2009. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
References
- Burns, Jennifer (2009). Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right. New York: Oxford University Press. OCLC 313665028.
External links
- Website of Jennifer Burns
- Video: Jennifer Burns Interview on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, October 15, 2009
- Interview with Burns on "New Books in Biography"
- "The Goddess of the Market: The Meaning of Ayn Rand, address by Burns to the Cato Institute, from the Fora.tv series New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2009