Based on hundreds of previously unpublished interviews, Scott McConnell creates a unique portrait of Ayn Rand, the bestselling author of We the Living, Anthem, The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged. Focusing primarily on the private life of this large-scale personality, McConnell spoke with her family members, friends, admirers, colleagues, as well as Hollywood stars, university professors, and writers. Arranged chronologically, the interviews cover a wide range of years, contexts, connections and observations, centering on one of the most influential and controversial figures of the twentieth century. From Ayn Rand's little sister and the woman who inspired Peter Keating, one of the main characters in The Fountainhead, to her secretaries and dentist, those who knew her offer a fresh, at times surprisingly candid, look at a complex and remarkable writer, philosopher and human being.