What makes 2009 the Year of Ayn Rand is that there's a growing acceptance of the author's most stringent beliefs. Her fans disregard that Rand hated compromise — and therefore politics. She was an atheist and disdained libertarians, whom she deemed hippies and plagiarists. ("Please don't tell me they're pursuing my goals," Rand said in an interview. "I have not asked for, nor do I accept, the help of intellectual cranks.")

Nick Gillespie, editor-in-chief of Reason.com and Reason.tv, media with strong Randian roots, said Rand would probably hate her current moment in the spotlight. "As much as she hated people, she saved her true ire for those who were actually fans of hers," he said.