Originally conceived as a novel but then transformed into a play by Ayn Rand, Ideal is the story of beautiful but tormented actress Kay Gonda. Accused of murder, she is on the run, and she turns for help to six fans who have written letters to her, each telling her that she represents their ideal-a respectable family man, a farleft activist, a cynical artist, an evangelist, a playboy, and a lost soul. Each reacts to her plight in his own way, their reactions a glimpse into their secret selves and their true values. In the end their responses to her pleas give Kay the answers she has been seeking.

Ideal was written in 1934 as a novel, but Ayn Rand thought the theme of the piece would be better realized as a play and put the novel aside. Now, both versions of Ideal are available for the first time ever to the millions of Ayn Rand fans around the world, giving them a unique opportunity to explore the creative process of Rand as she wrote first a book, then a play, and the differences between the two.

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY LEONARD PEIKOFF

American novelist, playwright, non-fiction writer, and philosopher Ayn Rand was born Alisa Rosenbum in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg), Russia in 1905. By the time she completed her education at Petrograd State University, she had published her first essay and changed her professional name to Ayn Rand. Rand originally traveled to the United States on a visit to relatives in 1926, and decided to stay in the U.S. Determined to become a screenwriter, Rand settled in Hollywood and supported her writing by working at various positions in the film industry, including as an extra and as head of the costume department at RKO Pictures. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1931. Rand's first novel was published in 1936. Rand found her first serious financial success with her worldwide bestselling novel, The Fountainhead, in 1943. She wrote the screenplay for the popular film adaptation produced by Hall Wallis and starring Gary Cooper. Rand's best-known work, the international bestseller Atlas Shrugged, was published in 1957. Rand's philosophy of Objectivism is cited by selected contemporary politicians and prominent citizens as a major influence on their thinking. Rand died in New York City in 1982.