Exclusive Roundtable Event: How Ayn Rand Survived the Russian Revolution

In 1917, twelve-year-old Ayn Rand watched in horror as Russia descended into chaos. Civil war raged across the country, limiting access to food and fuel. Under the dictates of “war communism,” her father’s business and property were seized, leaving the family without any means of supporting themselves.

Decades later, in private interviews recorded between 1960 and 1961, Rand looked back on those years, recounting the terror and upheaval she experienced, and the values that helped her preserve a benevolent view of existence.

On Saturday, December 6, 2025, ARI Members are invited to an exclusive Roundtable event featuring newly released excerpts from these rare recordings. ARI archivists Audra Hilse and Brandon Lisi will discuss Rand’s experience of the Revolution and how it relates to her moral convictions and her lifelong admiration for reason, freedom, and human achievement. Become an ARI Member today and join us for this third installment in ARI’s ongoing series of biographical releases.

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