This is a collection of questions and answers drawn from post-lecture Q & A sessions. Reads like a magazine interview (well, a 200 page interview) where a short question is followed by a short answer. Rand's ideas do not come across all that well in this "soundbite" form. (I should note that this a criticism of the Q & A format, not of Rand's philosophy.) There are a few interesting bits, like when she dresses down audience members who ask smart-assed questions or talks smack about public figures (especially Ronald Reagan and Jane Fonda), but this is not essential Rand by any stretch. In the introduction, the author (well, compiler, I suppose) says that this book was never viewed or edited by Rand (possibly because she had been dead for more than 20 years at the time it was released, but that's only a guess...) and therefore he does not know if she would have approved of it. I have my thoughts. This book is a passable way to kill a couple hours if you are already familiar with Rand, however I would strongly advise against using it as an introduction to her philosophy.

Quote from the book:

"To give up some freedom because of allegations about pollution is to give up your freedom of judgment, your freedom of production, your freedom to control your life. Those rights are morally inalienable. Even if the ecologists had some knowledge - which is singularly eloquently absent-it is still up to them to convince you; then you can obey voluntarily. Their superior knowledge would not give them the right to demand that we all give up our freedom."

Wow just wow. Someone must have been paid to say something like that.
This is a clear example where the speaker hides behind words carrying sentimental value and weight like "freedom" to justify all shorts of nonsense.

Great collection of Q and A with Ayn Rand! Gives the reader added insights and glimpses into the Objectivist philosophy. Really liked her advice to writers and her sense of humor.

I learned quite a bit about Ayn Rand herself that I did not expect.
Her philosophy is quite consistent with her personality.

The only problem with this book is that there are still so many questions that I'd like to ask Ayn Rand, especially about the world some 25 years after her death, the well-organzied and concise log of her responses just isn't enough to satiate me.