Ayn Rand's famous 1957 classic, Atlas Shrugged, has become more widely read and influential with each passing year, thanks in part to its brilliant dramatization of Rand's Objectivist philosophy and its celebration of self-reliance, integrity, rationality, and productive effort.

Like any great work of literature, however, Atlas Shrugged can be intimidating. Even those who have read and re-read it may feel they have not fully appreciated its vision of life. For the neophyte and the longtime admirer alike, The World of Atlas Shrugged provides essential context, brilliant commentary and authoritative insight into the novel's literary purpose and structure.