It is what it is: Ayn Rand's opinions on various matters from politics to literature, eloquently spoken and organized by categories.

Even when circumstances beyond your control make you completely helpless existentially, you are still free intellectually and morally; and if youhang on to your moral conviction no matter what happens, you are saved, at least spiritually; that is ninety percent of the battle. [209:]

I wish she was here now......but her intellectual heirs are still fighting for rational values!

If you are a fan of Ayn Rand and have read most of her books, then this book is a must-read. This helps to answer some questions that you still had after reading her nonfiction.

Ayn Rand Answers: The Best of Her Q & A Robert Mayhew
Going in knowing zero about who Ayn Rand was. This series of interviews I found some interesting thought provoking, well founded common sense sone intense and some bordeline comedic and laugh out out loud and then some just insane and wonderful at the same time, after listening to this I wanted to know more so a bit of online research taught me a lot a Russian American immigrant and a true battler coming to America at the end of the roaring twenties 1920s she battles hard, she gained fame and financial security and developed her philisophy of Objectivism, what is that? Hmmm.
Absolute self interest gaining everything possible by sheer self belief and will power regardless of consequences.
free enterprise, private enterprise, free trade, individualism, non-intervention
Be cruel in your pursuits altruism is a disease and needs to be eradicated. The self is all that matters. Guess she was a true product of anti communism which disrupted her early life but it also made her what she became.
Her. Quote
To achieve, you need thought. You have to know what you are doing and that's real power

In the end I enjoyed it and have learnt a lot about how we as a society in western countries now mostly live and follow the philosophy of objectivism whether we know it or don't know about it or what it is and that's just so funny. Anyway I'm feeling enlightened and loved learning about Ayn Rand.

An easy read which is well organized and indexed. We're given exposure to some of Rand's less formally declared beliefs, notably about various artists and writers (some of whom are relatively obscure). A useful peak into the talks she gave, some in semi-private settings.

This book is awfully biased toward her views but it still explains a lot. I'd love to chat with her about this century and see if any of her staunch objectivism would change.

An easy read and insightful. You don't need to agree with Ayn Rand's ideology in order to enjoy the book. The q&a format makes it easy to skip around and ask yourself questions about topics you don't normally consider. It's a short "must read" if you want to get a broad view of Rand's opinions. This is also a good book for the purpose of "listening to others" without actually talking to that person.

"Ayn Rand Answers: The Best of Her Q & A" is an intellectually stimulating compilation that vividly brings to life Ayn Rand's incisive mind and steadfast principles. Edited meticulously by Robert Mayhew, this book is a curated collection of Rand’s impromptu responses to an array of topics ranging from philosophy and politics to art and daily life.

What stands out in this volume is Rand’s unflinching dedication to Objectivism, her philosophy that champions reason, individualism, and rational self-interest. Her answers, often direct and unapologetically provocative, offer readers clear and thought-provoking insights. They reflect her deep commitment to her beliefs and provide a window into her broader worldview.

For both long-time admirers and those new to Rand’s work, this collection is a rich resource. It captures the essence of her thinking and the expansive influence she wielded over diverse intellectual terrains. Each response not only elucidates her perspective but also challenges and inspires readers to reflect deeply on their own views.

A great compilation of the best of Ayn Rand's question and answer periods following her lectures.[return][return]Robert Mayhew's excellent editing organizes the questions and answers into chapters drawn around broad themes (e.g., politics, ethics, metaphysics and epistemology, and art), then into smaller sub-sections. This keeps the reading flowing, instead of jumping around from topic to topic almost at random as would occur in a live Q&A session.[return][return]While some of Ayn Rand's answers will be obvious to long-time students of Objectivism, many of them shed new light on her philosophy, and almost all of them give the reader a better picture of Ayn Rand as a person, whether it is her quick wit, her warm benevolence in giving the benefit of the doubt to most questioners and patiently explaining her philosophical principles to them, or her righteous indignation at genuinely dishonest, hostile, or insulting questions. Even her answers to questions on narrow, concrete issues at the time of the session (such as the Vietnam war) are applicable to events today (such as the Iraq war) because her answers address the deeper abstract principles involved (such as proper foreign policy).[return][return]On my first reading, I noticed only two drawbacks. First, a few of her answers leave you wanting more, and you wish that she were still alive and in the room with you so that you could ask her follow-up questions. That's not to say that she doesn't give a full enough answer to the question as asked, given the context of a live public Q&A session, but rather that her intriguing answers leave you feeling sad that you are merely reading a book and not actually in the room during one of those Q&A sessions. Second, if you've ever heard a recording of one of her Q&A's (or were lucky enough to have attended one), you are aware of how much you are missing from the live setting--for example, from the audience reactions, as they audibly gasp in shock or indignation at some remark Ayn Rand makes, but by the end of her answer after she explains the comment, they are cheering. That's an added bonus of the live setting that the book format unfortunately can't reproduce, but if you're a student like me and can't yet afford to spend a few hundred dollars on recordings of all her lectures, this book is the next best thing.

Brilliant due to its sheer horror.

Ayn Rand Answers: The Best of her Q & A is a wonder selection of her answers to questions that anyone is just dying for answers. From politics, philosophy to arts, Rand answered every single question with succinct, witty and clear explanation. Oh Rand, you make me laugh~