Anthem (Rand)/Publisher's Foreword
PUBLISHER'S FOREWORD TO THE
PAMPHLETEERS' EDITION OF
ANTHEM
It was one of those hurried trips across country, with all stop-overs cut short, so that I might spend a few days in Los Angeles—my home until only a year ago.
With a host of friends to visit, the time available was all too limited, but an invitation to dinner with Ayn Rand was a welcome "must."
Bill Mullendore and I, therefore, one evening, drove to her home, a house of glass and steel, such as one would expect to be chosen by the author of The Fountainhead.
A recording of that evening's conversation would be a prized possession, Rand and Mullendore being two of the accomplished individualists of our time.
The talk dwelt much on liberty, the reasons for its decline among us, and what could be done about it.
Mullendore said that he had long wanted to write a book about a society of complete collectivism, showing the ultimate consequences of the collectivist doctrine applied to the actual existence of men. He thought this would help people to understand its real meaning and, by contrast, the meaning of the principles of individualism.
Ayn Rand said, "I have written just such a book. It's a story called Anthem."
"Anthem? When did you write it and where can it be obtained?"
"I wrote it in 1937. It was published in England."
"And not published in this country at all?"
"No. Not at all."
"Why?"
"Those to whom it was submitted refused to publish it. You may make your own guess as to the reason why."
I borrowed her only copy of Anthem and read it on the eastbound Stratoliner. My secretary, to whom I gave the book to be returned, read it during her lunch hour and said: "This is a great book. Isn't it too bad that others can't read it?" Precisely what I had been thinking.
Then I thought of Pamphleteers, Inc. We had not intended to publish novels. But the purpose of our publishing venture is to further the cause of freedom and individualism. So we decided to offer you this novel, because we think it is an important contribution to our cause.
—Leonard E. Read