When first entering the world of Objectivism or to be less specific any philosophical system in general, deciding how to go about learning about the matter can be a daunting task. From the absolute beginner to the most studious scholar, the world of Objectivism has much to offer, but knowing how to start, particularly in regards to Objectivist literature is important. One might not be so inclined to enjoy Objectivism if the first book read deals with the inner epistemological claims of the philosophy; this might be even more so if one has no prior understanding of Objectivism beforehand. Thus, the RIT Objectivist Society has taken it upon itself to provide a resource on what books might be better for certain individuals to read. This resource is by all means not inclusive nor claims to holds any authority on what should be read when. It is merely a list of recommendations, you must decide as an individual what is best for you.
Books Recommended For New Readers
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If one is new to Objectivism or is simply looking to see what Objectivism is about the books listed below are for you. The good news with these books is that they take the form of novels. They, through the telling of stories allow one to both learn about Objectivism and entertain at the same time.
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Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged is great place to start for potential Objectivists or anyone looking for an interesting story to read. Although the 1000 page plus book can seem a bit daunting, it's worth it. The book dives into Objectivism and the ideas behind it head first; a great read for any existing or potential Objectivist.
Atlas Shrugged follows the struggles of Dagny Taggart, a railroad heiress trying to maintain her integrity, and keep her family's railroad alive in the midst of a rapidly decaying world. She faces increasingly corrupt government agencies, the callous incompetence of her own brother, and the systematic loss of her best and most competent workers. As she works to overcome each obstacle, she begins to detect a pattern, and suspect a sinister force working against her. All across the country, there is a growing sense of helplessness, often summed up in a catch phrase that everyone seems to know, but no one knows the origin of - Who is John Galt?. One by one, the best and brightest industrialists in the country are disappearing overnight, without a trace, and abandoning their businesses to be cannibalized by corrupt political interests. But many are disappearing just as she needs them most, leading her to realize that someone, some destroyer, is keeping just ahead of her, and is working against her. |
The Fountainhead
The Fountainhead in another excellent book in relationship to Objectivism. Unlike Atlas Shrugged The Fountainhead is a mere 600 page plus book. This book is also different than Atlas Shrugged as it instead of focusing of Objectivism and society it chooses to focus on Objectivism and the individual. The book is an excellent choice if one would want to learn about and how to apply Objectivist principals in one's own life.
The Fountainhead is the story of a gifted young architect, his violent battle with conventional standards, and his explosive love affair with the beautiful woman committed to destroying him. Howard Roark, expelled from school, mocked at parties and in print, perseveres in the face of near-universal derision and in the face of the fabulous success of his friend, the conniving Peter Keating, the most sought-after architect of the day, who knows nothing about actually designing buildings. In fighting for success, Roark, loosely based upon Frank Lloyd Wright, discovers the seductive power of money and acclaim, only to find that in the end he must be true to his own genius despite the great unhappiness that commitment may bring. |
Anthem
Anthem is a dystopian fiction novella by Ayn Rand, first published in 1938. It takes place at some unspecified future date when mankind has entered another dark age as a result of the evils of irrationality and collectivism and the weaknesses of socialistic thinking and economics. Technological advancement is now carefully planned (when it is allowed to occur at all) and the concept of individuality has been eliminated (for example, the word "I" has disappeared from the language). As is common in her work, Rand draws a clear distinction between the "socialist/communal" values of equality and brotherhood and the "productive/capitalist" values of achievement and individuality. |
Books Recommended For Advanced Readers
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If one is familiar with Objectivism or already have a firm foundation in philosophy as a whole the books below may be for you. These books cover a range of subjects ranging from epistemology, to economic theory to the matter of idealism vs realism.
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The Romantic Manifesto 
The Romantic Manifesto is a collection of essays regarding the nature of art. Most of the essays originally appeared in The Objectivist, except for the "Introduction to Ninety-Three", which was an introduction for an edition of the Victor Hugo novel. The revised edition added the essay "Art and Cognition". At the base of the argument, the book asserts that one cannot create art without infusing a given work with one's own value judgments and personal philosophy. Even if the artist attempts to withhold moral overtones, the work becomes tinged with a deterministic or naturalistic message. The next logical step of Rand's argument is that the audience of any particular work cannot help but come away with some sense of a philosophical message, colored by his or her own personal values, ingrained into their psyche by whatever degree of emotional impact the work holds for them. The book goes on to divide artistic endeavors into "valid" and "invalid" forms. (Photography, for example, is invalid to her (qua art form) because a camera merely records the world exactly as it is and has very limited, if any, capacity to carry a moral message beyond the photographer's choice of subject matter.) Art, to her, should always strive to elevate and idealize the human spirit. She specifically attacks Naturalism and Modernism in art, while upholding Romanticism (in the artistic sense, not in terms of general philosophy). |
Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology
Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, published in 1979, is Ayn Rand's essentialised summation of the Objectivist theory of concepts and solution to the problem of universals. The book deals with the mental processes of conceptualization, the nature of definitions, distinguishing legitimate concepts from "anti-concepts," the hierarchical nature of knowledge, and what constitutes valid axiomatic knowledge. The book also includes an essay by Leonard Peikoff in which he argues against Immanuel Kant's theory of analytic propositions and synthetic propositions. |
Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal
Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal is a collection of essays, mostly by Ayn Rand, with additional essays by her associates Nathaniel Branden, Alan Greenspan and Robert Hessen. The book focuses on the moral nature of laissez-faire capitalism and private property. The book has a very specific definition of capitalism, a system it regards as broader than simply property rights or free enterprise. |
