Atlas Shrugged
FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE of Rand’s masterpiece; INSCRIBED BY RAND TO LUDWIG VON MISES: “To Dr. and Mrs. Ludwig von Mieses- / -Cordially- / Ayn Rand / 8/22/57”. A spectacular association copy linking two of the most influential economic figures of the twentieth century.
In August 1957 – nearly two months before the book was available to the public – Rand presented this copy of the first edition of Atlas Shrugged to Ludwig von Mises (sometimes spelled “von Mieses”), the Austrian-American economist and philosopher who was one of the leading figures of the modern libertarian movement, and immediately found a sympathetic ear.
After reading Atlas Shrugged, von Mises wrote to Rand, offering strong praise for the book. In a letter to Rand dated January 23, 1958, he wrote:
“… I enjoyed very much reading Atlas Shrugged and… I am full of admiration for your masterful construction of the plot. But ‘Atlas Shrugged’ is not merely a novel. It is also—or may I say first of all—a cogent analysis of the evils that plague our society, a substantiated rejection of the ideology of our self-styled 'intellectuals' and a pitiless unmasking of the insincerity of the policies adopted by governments and political parties. It is a devastating exposure of the 'moral cannibals,' the 'gigolos of science' and of the 'academic prattle' of the makers of the 'anti-industrial revolution.' You have the courage to tell the masses what no politician told them: you are inferior and all the improvements in your conditions which you simply take for granted you owe to the effort of men who are better than you.
“If this be arrogance, as some of your critics observed, it still is the truth that had to be said in this age of the Welfare State.
“I warmly congratulate you and I am looking forward with great expectations to your future work.”
The intellectual and philosophical bond between Rand and von Mises remained strong and the Ludwig von Mises Institue notes that "it was largely as a result of Ayn's efforts that the work of von Mises began to reach its potential audience” (Roderick Long).
Ayn Rand inscribed this copy on August 22, 1957, while the book was not available to the public until October 10, 1957, making this one of the earliest known inscribed copies. (We’ve located two other copies - inscribed to Cecil B. DeMille and Liln E. Rogers, the mother of Ginger Rogers, – inscribed on the same day.)
A remarkable association linking two of the most important defenders of classic liberalism of the 20th century.
New York: Random House, 1957. Thick octavo, original green cloth, original dust jacket; custom box. Only the most trivial wear.
A beautiful copy, and one of the most significant copies, of one of the most influential books of the century.
Price: $145,000 .