Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating
Review: A better biography I can not imagine. It is clear Barbara Branden loved Ayn Rand, and still to date accepted (at least when the book was written) the many things Ayn Rand, in her writing, got right. You can recognise the Ayn Rand style in Branden's work, and how well done it is. I can say from experience that to write with the understated apparent simplicity Ayn Rand used in, say THE FOUNTAINHEAD, is not easy at all. Barbara Branden though is not merely mimicking Ayn Rand; but she made that style her own, and as a tribute.This biography also rings true: both in being logically self-consistent, true to other accounts I've read, and consistent in many ways with Miss Rand's own works. [Whereas those Objectivists who have elevated Miss Rand to the status of a guru, and in so doing have betrayed the "moral commandment" from ATLAS SHRUGGED: Thou shalt think, for thyself.] It is possible to separate principles from personality; if Ayn Rand did not always live up to her ideals, that is both shame on her and proof that no one is above mistakes. I am in 95% agreement with her ideas because they are true. And this book should be read, because it is clearly the truth. Objectivists who reject this truth of their heroine, just because they would prefer to believe that she was super-human, are betraying the example of John Galt who exalted the truth. Here is a syllogism for these Objectivists: God, according to Miss Rand, does not exist; self-evidently, Miss Rand did exist; therefore, Miss Rand could not have been God. ...
Rating:
Summary: Ayn Rand: Genius and Tragedy
Review: Despite some reviewers' claims of this book's unreliability, I found it to be extremely believable. I have read most of Rand's books, including her posthumously-published journals, and the kinds of contradictions I detected appear to arise from point of view rather than dishonesty. Barbara Branden does not attempt to hide the fact that she is writing from her own point of view, and of course the reader should take this into account. This book is not about destroying Rand, as some reviewers seem to think. Quite to the contrary, it celebrates her genius and her achievements. But it also shows the pitfalls of a philosophy that forces a man (or woman) to put himself on a pedestal and does not permit fallibility. As Branden points out, Rand failed to look inward. Perhaps she was afraid of what she would find, or perhaps in her fervor to avoid subjective thinking she went too far into stubbornness. Whatever the reason, Branden's telling of this story reveals how she apparently shunned the introspection that is essential in order to live one's life objectively. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys Rand's work. Those who truly understand not only Rand's philosophy, but also her personality (as revealed in the characters of Howard Roark and Dagny Taggart), will empathize with her in her struggle to be understood, and will feel sorrow at her failure to live up to her own high standards. Perceptive readers will come away with a clearer understanding of who she was and how to apply her ideas to their lives in a productive way.
Rating: 
Summary: Ayn Rand from the inner circle...
Review: For years I had heard of ATLAS SHRUGGED and Ayn Rand without knowing anything about the book or its controversial author. In college I had the opportunity to take a course in biography and this was one of the books we were required to read. It started a fascination with Rand that continues today. It is amazing that Barbara Branden could provide such an objective look at Ayn Rand, considering the circumstances and history of their friendship and professional association. Regardless of Branden's endorsement of the Objectivist movement, her personal history with Rand was certainly not one filled with enjoyable moments, especially toward the latter stages of Rand's association with Branden's husband Nathaniel. Be that as it may, Branden provides a look at Ayn Rand from the inside circle, as it were. Branden provides an investigation of the author struggling to publish and then struggling even more to parlay literary success into a philosophical revolution the likes of which have not been seen since Nietzche. The story is well written, and Branden's personal involvement with Rand is neither edited nor 'touched up,' at least from this observer's perspective. Those who have heard of Rand's work but are unsure regarding its meaning and scope might want to try this biography as an introduction. Knowing the person behind the story will shed lightsome of the 20th century's most controversial literature.
Rating:
Summary: A book that fills in the gaps
Review: I first read Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" when I was 16. It had a profound influence on me and I went on to read all of her published works. In one essay, Rand wrote a brief "P.S." at the end, stating that Nathaniel Branden was no longer assoctiated with her or her philosophy. Given that she had proclaimed Nathaniel her closest associate in the Objectivism movement, it was all the more puzzling that she never explained why the break. This books explains why. It details some of the dark side of Rand's philosophy - the rationalizations of Rand, the unquestioning (read, unthinking) loyalty of some of her followers, but much of it praises Rand's philosophy and sense of life.
Rating:
Summary: Read the book - forget the movie
Review: I had read several of Rand's works and interestingly enough began with the non-fiction ones. I saw the movie on TV and thought it failed completely in presenting her revolutionary ideas. The movie centered (of course) on the odd affair between Rand and her first disciple, Nathaniel Brandon with both his wife's and Rand's husband knowledge and acceptance. The book, though, goes into detail that the movie could not. It explains ideas and thoughts and though processess that no film could ever portray. We read about a young refugee from Soviet Russia escaping to the one country that offered unlimited freedom. There has always been disagreement over whether our attitudes are born with us or developed by life experiences. In Rand's case, it appears she was born this way, displaying an odd, rampant individualism from an early age. We see her struggles, her marriage to Frank, her first failures as an author before the one great break - THE FOUNTAINHEAD which is still, in my opinion, the best. (The portrayal of Gail is simply unsurpassable.) We meet Nathaniel and the growing group of worshipers. Unlike others, I do not entirely blame Rand for this reaction - she accepted what others offered, a very human emotion. At some point she decided that she wanted the young follower so they had an affair which degraded everyone involved. During this time she wrote THE book, ATLAS SHRUGGED, and reveled in its success. Surprisingly, despite her accent, appearance, domineering personality and rejection by the intellecutal left she became a much coveted speaker, particularly for theoretical subjects. Above all, she was a woman of ideas whose first concern was promulgating those ideas. She has been attacked because she was demanding, for an affair, for a discrepancy between her public ideas and her private life. All are true but her popularity rests on her so-called philosophy which is, in its essence, the slogan of REASON magazine..."Free markets, free minds." She espoused freedom and attacked collectivism in all its many variants - Naziism, Communism, Socialism, tribalism and religion. It was her espousal of capitalism and individualism that set her at odds with the "progressive" artistic world and, simultaneously, made her such a hit with "ordinary" people. A remarkable book for an even more remarkable life.
Rating:
Summary: Read the book - forget the movie
Review: I had read several of Rand's works and interestingly enough began with the non-fiction ones. I saw the movie on TV and thought it failed completely in presenting her revolutionary ideas. The movie centered (of course) on the odd affair between Rand and her first disciple, Nathaniel Brandon with both his wife's and Rand's husband knowledge and acceptance. The book, though, goes into detail that the movie could not. It explains ideas and thoughts and though processess that no film could ever portray. We read about a young refugee from Soviet Russia escaping to the one country that offered unlimited freedom. There has always been disagreement over whether our attitudes are born with us or developed by life experiences. In Rand's case, it appears she was born this way, displaying an odd, rampant individualism from an early age. We see her struggles, her marriage to Frank, her first failures as an author before the one great break - THE FOUNTAINHEAD which is still, in my opinion, the best. (The portrayal of Gail is simply unsurpassable.) We meet Nathaniel and the growing group of worshipers. Unlike others, I do not entirely blame Rand for this reaction - she accepted what others offered, a very human emotion. At some point she decided that she wanted the young follower so they had an affair which degraded everyone involved. During this time she wrote THE book, ATLAS SHRUGGED, and reveled in its success. Surprisingly, despite her accent, appearance, domineering personality and rejection by the intellecutal left she became a much coveted speaker, particularly for theoretical subjects. Above all, she was a woman of ideas whose first concern was promulgating those ideas. She has been attacked because she was demanding, for an affair, for a discrepancy between her public ideas and her private life. All are true but her popularity rests on her so-called philosophy which is, in its essence, the slogan of REASON magazine..."Free markets, free minds." She espoused freedom and attacked collectivism in all its many variants - Naziism, Communism, Socialism, tribalism and religion. It was her espousal of capitalism and individualism that set her at odds with the "progressive" artistic world and, simultaneously, made her such a hit with "ordinary" people. A remarkable book for an even more remarkable life.
Rating:
Summary: Two Views of Ayn Rand
Review: If you're interested in the life of Ayn Rand read this book, and then Nathaniel Branden's "My Years With Ayn Rand."
Yes, both these books show Ayn Rand failing to live up to her own ideals, but don't we all fail that test? Rand's genius was in formulating ideas and putting them down in a powerfully lucid form, not in setting a personal example. I can't say having read Barbara's and Nathaniel's books has effected my view of Rand's Objectivist philosophy--and why should it? A good idea is a good idea, no matter what the faults of it's author.
As for the authors, both Barbara's and Nathaniel's books are first rate. While I can't vouch for the accuracy of the details, they seem to ring true. While Barbara's was a true biography, Nathaniel's was his tell-all of his long-running affair with Rand. This difference in perspective allows the books to compliment one another. Even after many years I still can't decide which one was better.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating view from an insider
Review: There are only a few people in the literature who have expressed the optimism and passion for living as Ayn Rand. There are many of course who are unknown and possess the same optimism, as the latter is a natural state of humankind. When these individuals are exposed to the literature of Rand, they identify enthusiastically with her characters and philosophy. It is for this reason that the literature of Rand should be classified more as realism than romanticism: it is an accurate statistical sampling of the predominant attitude in human history. Rand's characters are not larger than life but rather completely lifelike. One can meet them on a daily basis. The author of this book is one of these individuals, and she gives a detailed biography of Rand that gives touching insight into her character and humanity. From Alice Rosenbaum in Soviet Russia through the Fountainhead, to Atlas Shrugged and the formulation of the Objectivist movement, and finally to her death in 1982, the reader gets an inside view of what it was like to interact with Rand on a regular basis. It should be of no surprise to the reader to hear of Rand's mistakes and her faults. Her brilliance, along with her flaws, are part of being human. Indeed, the making of mistakes is an essential part of the cognitive process. It is the author's emphasis on the humanity of Rand that makes this book such a pleasure to read. There are many interesting anecdotes and commentary that give the reader special knowledge on the psychology of ethics and the contention that accompanies political or philosophical movements. It is not surprising to hear of the difficult emotional experiences that the author and her former husband had when interacting with Rand and her inner circle. Whenever the human intellect is as focused as it was in these individuals, the resulting roller coaster ride of confidence and insecurity is an immediate corollary. The author still expresses affection and admiration for Rand at the end of the book. Spending a great part of her life close to Rand gave the author a unique view of Rand's idiosyncracies and intellectual and emotional conflicts. When talking about Rand's captivating eyes, the author remarks that she never observed her looking inward, with the goal of sorting out her inner feelings. This is totally believable, for Rand did not have to engage in too much introspection: the characters in her novels expressed these inner feelings, and with a vengeance.
Rating:
Summary: A Dusturbing Book About a Very Disturbed Woman
Review: This book has been thoroughly refuted in its big points and in its little ones, in its biases and in its facts, in its opinions and in its descriptions, by the brilliant essays of James Valliant and David Hayes. It contradicts itself--it contradicts known facts--it contradicts Mr. Branden's memoir (which is no better)--and it contradicts the evidence from Journals and Letters of Ayn Rand. It is also very poorly written. The movie based on it was still more fictionalization on top of fictionalization. Just ghastly!!
Rating: 
Summary: PSEUDO-BIOGRAPHY AT ITS LOWEST
Review: This is not a true biography of the great philosopher. It is a vitriolic exercise in hatred, riddled from beginning to end with self-contradictions. For instance, Branden insists that Miss Rand as a child conceived a life-long neurotic fear of physical reality. Yet only a few pages later she describes the young Ayn Rand joyously climbing a mountain on a vacation in Switzerland ... and later in life, happily taking the throttle of a New York Central diesel locomotive! Branden did know Ayn Rand in person, and did conduct a series of biographical interviews with her, resulting in the publication of a biographical essay in the 1962 book "Who Is Ayn Rand?" In the later 1960's they parted ways. Miss Rand went on with her vastly productive life, writing ground-breaking books that apply rational principles to the problems of living. Branden, on the other hand, turned Ayn Rand bashing into a pathetic career. And here's a key to what makes "Passion" so self-contradictory. Branden was too lazy to write a whole new book. When she came to write "Passion," she bodily incorporated huge portions of her earlier work from "Who Is Ayn Rand?", connecting them with newly-written dashes of vitriol-to result in a bizarre pastiche of contradictory counter-claims. On one page we read how great Ayn Rand's achievement was, and how benevolent her character. On the next page we read how viciously neurotic she allegedly was, and how destructive to those around her. Does Branden really expect her readers not to be smart enough to relate one passage to another? With the publication of Miss Rand's letters in 1995, and the discovery of a thousand letters from her family in Russia (puncturing Branden's thesis of a neurotic hatred between them), one would think Branden would realize her hatchet job is just too unbelievable, and retire from the public scene. But like a phony psychic who's been exposed a dozen times yet still goes on bilking the gullible, she is still peddling her wares. She even managed to have her pseudo-biography made into a movie, by the same producers who brought us "Beverly Hills Bordello." But the only "passion" in this book is the passion of Barbara Branden's hatred for virtue. There is precious little truth. She doesn't even manage to get the name of Ayn Rand's father right-he was named Zinovy, not Fronz! (...). I had the pleasure of meeting Ayn Rand in 1971, and of seeing first-hand how gracious she was with her many fans. I found her a genuinely polite, warm, and considerate person, who seemed serenely at peace with herself. Can the same be said of her detractors?
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