Ayn Rand has been both revered and disparaged as the author of controversial novels, essays, and other works that espouse her philosophy of Objectivism. A Russian-born American citizen, Rand celebrated laissez-faire capitalism in her writings, arguing that it is the only economic system that recognizes the sanctity of the individual. She described her philosophy as "the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason his only absolute," according to Barbara Branden in The Passion of Ayn Rand. An atheist, Rand was a proponent of "rational selfishness" and regarded the Judeo-Christian ideal of self-sacrifice inconsistent with individualism. Her emphasis on capitalism and the freedom of the individual made her an influential figure among some political conservatives, especially Libertarians. Critical response to her work has ranged from the hostile to the...