Reader troubled by columnist’s reasonings

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To the editor:

I found Ms. (Marla) Boone’s July 20 editorial on reading humorous, but troubling. Why the criticism of Ayn Rand, whom Boone admits to not reading?

Ayn Rand came to the United States from a communist country. She loved and appreciated our freedoms and capitalism (not crony). Like Boone’s sister, my library is heavy on Rand, Frank Lloyd Wright, philosophy, cars and yes, cats. In the know-the-enemy section are Mao’s Little Red Book and Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals.” I grew up with a businessman father who believed in equal trade capitalism and love for the USA, as did Rand. Reading Rand seemed exciting – what could and should be, a nation of reason, with producers not looters.

If “Atlas Shrugged” seems too hard, start with her 90-page “Anthem,’ which centers around a library and incandescent light bulbs! Richard Petty’s autobiography will entertain you, give you racing pointers and show you how a man worked to go from nothing to something. Mike Royko’s collected editorials are excellent fun. Thomas Sowell will give you reason and economics.

Please don’t disparage deeper works. Rand called for a “culture of reason” and is worth reading.

Linda Weber

Sidney

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