Ayn Rand v/s The Best

Why do so many people like to dis Ayn Rand?

Here's another very intelligent man, Clive James, taking a swipe at her two most famous books in his latest magnum opus "cultural Amnesia": ""if those ["The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged"] were not two of the worst books ever written -- the worst books ever written don't even get published -- they were certainly among the worst books ever to be taken seriously."

Were Ayn Rand's two standout books really that bad? I've read a lot of books. And I like a lot of books. In fact, given time, I wouldn't be surprised if I'll end up appreciating a lot many things, much the same manner Clive James does. I wouldn't call myself a bad judge of books and other expressions of popular culture. I loved "The Fountainhead". I fail to understand why anybody would be so brutal about one of the most passionate takes on idealism and the problem with it.

Howard Roark remains one of the most memorable characters created in our time. And yet, this isn't the first time I've heard intelligent people being vituperative about this creation by Ayn Rand. I suspect this has much to do with the fact that Ayn Rand offended a lot of people and so people find it most convenient to express their dislike of her, as a person, by going hammer and tongs after her two most influential creations.

I am a nobody but I am somebody enough to strenuously diagree with Clive James and other equally big names on this one.