The Reading Warehouse

In 1958, Ayn Rand, legendary author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, gave an informal course to friends and acquaintances on the art of reading and writing fiction. Now the edited transcripts of these sessions are available to readers and aspiring writers.

Ayn Rand discusses how a writer combines abstract ideas with concrete action and description to achieve a unity of theme, plot, characterization, and style, the four essential elements of fiction. She explains why You cannot borrow another man's soul, and you cannot borrow his style, and why Every writer is a moral philosopher. Here, too, are Rand's illuminating analyses of passages from writers like Victor Hugo and Thomas Wolfe, as well as fascinating rules for building dramatic plots and characters with depth.

Clear, concise, and accessible, The Art of Fiction is an invaluable gift from one of our most enduring authors and an indispensable resource for all lovers of literature.

Ayn Rand (1905-1982) was born in Russia, graduated from the University of Leningrad, and came to the United States in 1926. She published her first novel in 1936. With the publication of The Fountainhead in 1943, she achieved a spectacular and enduring success, and her unique philosophy, Objectivism, gained a worldwide following.

Marguerite Gavin is a seasoned theater veteran, a five-time nominee for the prestigious Audie Award, and the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones and Publishers Weekly awards. She has been an actor, director, and audiobook narrator for her entire professional career. With over four hundred titles to her credit, her narration spans nearly every genre, from nonfiction to mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and children's fiction. AudioFile magazine says, Marguerite Gavin...has a sonorous voice, rich and full of emotion.

Leonard Peikoff is universally recognized as the preeminent Rand scholar writing today. He worked closely with Ayn Rand for thirty years and was designated by her as heir to her estate. He has taught philosophy at Hunter College, Long Island University, and New York University. Peikoff for many years lectured on Rand's philosophy throughout the country. He lives in Southern California.