Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand, born Alisa Rosenbaum, was a Russian-American writer and philosopher known for her polemical novels and development of Objectivism.

She gained fame with "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged," promoting individual rights, laissez-faire capitalism, and rational self-interest.

Rand's work, which sold over 37 million copies, received mixed literary reviews but significantly influenced conservative thought.

After her fiction career, she focused on nonfiction to promote her philosophy.

While controversial and often criticized by academics, Rand's ideas continue to circulate in public and academic settings, particularly among right-leaning conservatives.