Ayn Rand Vs. Dr. Leonard Peikoff

[EC]

Here's the difference between the two as I see it. Reading Peikoff's writing is like reading a textbook at many times, while reading Miss Rand's works give you all the essential's you need to understand her points AND usually pack an emotional punch that leaves you elated and in tears at the same time. The only work by her that has never brought those feelings to me is ItOE because of the nature of the work. This is the unique essence that only SHE can bring to her works as both the creator and as a professional novelist. Peikoff on the other hand, is great at integrating alot of different concepts into excellent technical writing.

[Dismuke]

I think how difficult OPAR is for a new reader depends, in large part, how familiar that reader already is with Ayn Rand's writings - especially with her non-fiction. I really don't suggest reading it until one has finished reading all of Ayn Rand's essays which have been republished in book form. That will give one a much better framework as to where Dr. Peikoff is coming from.

Back when Dr. Peikoff was still writing OPAR, he offered through the old Second Renaissance book service a taped lecture course on the book - and attendees were provided with a rough draft copy of the chapters that Dr. Peikoff had completed up to that point. I don't have access to that course in order to provide an exact quote, but I recall Dr. Peikoff talking about some of the difficulties inherent in writing such a book. His objective was to provide a systematic presentation of the essentials of Objectivism in a single volume - not necessarily an exhaustive argument for every one of it points and premises. He pointed out that it would have been much quicker and easier to have written the book in multiple volumes which would have given him plenty of room to elaborate on each point. But, of course, to do so, would have defeated the purpose of what he set out to do. All of that is definitely something which will have an impact on the writing style of such a work and the pace at which the material is covered and the degree it is elaborated on.

Trying to compare Dr. Peikoff to Ayn Rand in this context is not especially fair, I think, because they were writing to different audiences (I think Dr. Peikoff assumed an audience with a greater level of familiarity with Objectivism and a deeper interest in technical philosophy than Ayn Rand assumed when she wrote essays for the subscribers of her newsletter, many of whom were merely familiar with her fiction) and towards different ends.