Atlas Shrugged & The Fountainhead 2 book setAbout the AuthorBorn February 2, 1905, Ayn Rand published her first novel, We the Living, in 1936. Anthem followed in 1938. It was with the publication of The Fountainhead (1943) and Atlas Shrugged (1957) that she achieved her spectacular success. Ms. Rand's unique philosophy, Objectivism, has gained a worldwide audience. The fundamentals of her philosophy are put forth in the nonfiction books Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, The Virtue of Selfishness, and Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal.