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Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead, (1943)
Ayn Rand's first major literary success did not find an easy path to publication. A dozen publishers rejected the novel for being "too intellectual," and it was not until Rand's lucky thirteenth try that Bobbs-Merrill published the book in May 1943. Sales were slow at first but grew through word of mouth. By August 1945, the book reached number six on the New York Times Best Sellers list -- more than two years after its initial publication. According to Rand, the major theme of the book is "individualism versus collectivism, not in politics but within a man's soul." Since its publication, The Fountainhead and many of Rand's novels have become touchstones for those who believe individualism always takes precedence over collectivism. The novel has sold nearly seven million copies. |