For the New Intellectual

If you have read her novels, skip this book. If you have not read her novels, definitely skip this book. Either it will be a repetition of what you have already read/listened to, or it will be a spoiler of her excellent fiction. Her other non-fiction books are much more substantial.

If you are looking to waste your time and money (or book credit) this is your book. I will admit that my perspective may be slightly biased since I am not a Rand fan, but it seems to me that this was a boaring, ill-thought out book. Rand tries to explain her philosophy of Objectivism (which, I might add, is not considered worth while by any serious philosophers) but does so primarily through the excessively long harangues found in her fiction. This leaves the listener feeling that Rand did not want to take the time to put her ideas in a different format, instead leaving "The New Intellectual" simply re-published thoughts that are unrevised.

Aside from the merits of her thoughts (which aren't very interesting or deep: Just think you are your self because- you are yourself and that is enough to justify anything) the presentation should be enough to turn people away from this production. If you want her fiction, listen to "Atlas Shrugged," if you want her philosophy, go listen to "Objectivism," or "The Virtue of Selfishness." If you want to save yourself time and money -- skip her philosophy and just enjoy her fiction for what little its worth.