The ultimate truth here is that Rand was an utter GIANT but somewhat flawed as well.
Interesting. How is it you know “the ultimate truth” if there is no evidence to counter the Branden’s “self-serving lies”?
Absent alternative biographies from the ARI crew, the two Branden books stand as the definitive works on The Life Of Rand. History will conclude thus. The silence of Peikoff, Schwartz, Binswanger and others who knew Rand is deafening and intolerable. Silence here is assent.
Are you aware of the feature film, “Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life”?
Are you aware of the 20 page essay by Peikoff titled, “My Thirty Years with Ayn Rand: An Intellectual Memoir”?
Have you read, “Letters of Ayn Rand”?
Or “Journals of Ayn Rand”?
Are you familiar with “Ayn Rand’s Life: Highlights and Sidelights,” by Harry Binswanger?
How about “Facets of Ayn Rand” by Charles and Mary Ann Sures?
What about “Ayn Rand and the Atlas Shrugged Years: Reminiscences and Recollections,” by Mary Ann Sures with Harry Binswanger?
Have you read “Ayn Rand” by Jeff Britting?
How about “Ayn Rand and Song of Russia” by Robert Mayhew?
All of this is in addition to Valliant’s 433 pages and 492 footnotes. So, I ask again, how much is enough? What has not been answered? What claim have the Branden’s made that has not been refuted?
There’s a lot to consider on this thread. One quick point is that I do not know Nathaniel Branden in any serious way – I’ve just chatted with him a few times and read some of his books (plus all his Objectivist essays). Same with Brook, Binswanger, Hull and a few others. As for all the works cited by AisA–this list is long and I really had no idea.
Shoshana Milgram is currently working on a biography of Miss Rand (covering her life from birth up to the publication of Atlas Shrugged), with the full cooperation of ARI and its Archives.
One quick point is that I do not know Nathaniel Branden in any serious way – I’ve just chatted with him a few times and read some of his books (plus all his Objectivist essays). Same with Brook, Binswanger, Hull and a few others.
OK, so then the question is: Why have you singled out Mr. Branden as your “favorite” ?
OK, so then the question is: Why have you singled out Mr. Branden as your “favorite” ?
Good lord, you really attack her from all sides, do you.
I don’t really see a real problem here.
She just said: Maybe Branden isn’t quite the asshole you think.
She read his texts and said that there is some merit to them and wondered why there are no alternatives. The alternatives that exist were unknown to her.
She only knew one of them and she believed Branden made a more convincing case. Even though she may be biased by having chatted with him, from her point of view this made sense.
Sometimes, in the middle of a fight, it helps to step back and reevaluate the situation.