There is nothing like an Ayn Rand novel. Because of her unique understanding of the nature of human life and the principles governing its depiction in art, she is able to dramatize—in a stylized universe—powerful conflicts that actually matter and make sense. The philosophical confusions and esthetic lapses that undercut other writers (including the greatest of those writers) give readers the problem of dealing with distracting inconsistencies. The impact of Ayn Rand's work, by contrast, is continuous, undiluted and irresistible. Her technique of "writing in tiers," moreover, offers the greatest rewards to the readers with the most active minds.

Drawing on the full range of Ayn Rand's work in fiction (including her earliest ideas, her writings about literature and the post-Atlas novels she planned), this lecture will show how she takes readers into her world, keeps them there—and makes them wish never to leave.