17 LITERATURE 17RAND, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. New York, 1957. Octavo, original green cloth, dust jacket, custom slipcase and chemise. $42,000 First edition, inscribed two months before publication: “To Hans—to show you a more romantic view of business and businessmen—as my form of the following toast: ‘To the greatness of America—and to hell with Europe!’ Affectionately, Ayn. August 20, 1957.” “From 1943 until its publication in 1957, [Rand] worked on the book that many say is her masterpiece, Atlas Shrugged. This novel describes how a genius named John Galt grows weary of supporting a society of ungrateful parasites and one day simply shrugs and walks away. He becomes an inspiration to like-minded men and women, all of whom eventually follow his example, until society, in its agony, calls them back to responsibility and respect” (ANB). Businessman Hans Hirschfeld was the husband of Florence Blumenthal, oldest sister of Nathaniel Branden. Rand considered Branden to be her “intellectual heir” and she dedicated Atlas Shrugged to him and to her husband, Frank O’Connor. Rand’s intense philosophical and personal relationship with the young Branden became a sexual relationship as well in 1954. It was Blumenthal who introduced Branden to Rand’s work. The Branden-Rand relationship ended in 1968 after Rand discovered Branden’s affair with the woman who became his second wife. Rand irrevocably and publicly “excommunicated” Branden from Objectivism. Blumenthal was the only one of Branden’s sisters to subsequently take his side against Rand at the time of the break. Minor restoration to rear inner paper hinge; text and cloth nearly fine. Minor restoration to bright, beautiful dust jacket. A remarkable pre-publication presentation copy. “To Show You A More Romantic View Of Business… To The Greatness Of America And To Hell With Europe!”
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