As we celebrate productive heroes and the heroism of productiveness, this talk offers an introduction to the background, spirit and craft of the novel Ayn Rand called her favorite. Calumet “K,” she wrote, features a “portrait of an efficacious man”; it reflects the sense of life of “a time when people were capable of admiring productive achievement.” (Although advance reading is not required, I encourage you to read or download the book, without charge from Project Gutenberg.)