From the back of the 50th anniversary edition of Atlas Shrugged:
Born 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 three non-fiction books, Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, The Virtue of Selfishness, and Capitolism: The Unknown Ideal. They are all available in Signet editions, as is the magnificent statement of her artistic credo, The Romantic Manifesto.