I read this from the starting point of finding Rand abhorrent, and being deeply suspicious of those who admire her. I can't say that my view has changed. Quite a short book, interesting, but nothing new about the morally bankrupt Ayn Rand.

I grew up with a parent who worshiped Ayn Rand and the cult of objectivism. As a historian, I've always read her works as a very interesting view into the life of a person who lived under two seemingly antithetical governments. This book goes a good job of providing some counter-points to the standard narrative we hear about her (which is generally from adoring fans) and helped me really come to terms with what her ideals mean in practice today.

Mean Girl is a short primer on Ayn Rand, in particular her influence on policy (and policymakers) in America. I've never read any of Rand's books and I've never quite understood what the deal was with her. That is, I knew the books had a reputation for being torturous and ponderous paeans to the free market, but I didn't get why certain people extol their virtues at every turn or why Rand was so revered. This book does a good job explaining her appeal (and also why she's the worst). A work of cultural studies, it gives some biographical details about Rand (her life in Bolshevik Russia, her work in Hollywood, testifying for the House Un-American Activities Committee) and short summaries of her works, and then puts it all in context. Duggan explains Rand's (literal, at times) cult of personality, and its impact on Alan Greenspan, who then of course went about de-regulating our financial system. She also talks about Rand in the time of the Kochs, Tea Party, and Trump in the last chapter. I wish that this part had been longer; I'd have liked a more thorough analysis. (Her insights into the love of Rand in Silicon Valley were especially interesting.) Duggan talks about neoliberalism, as well as Rand's love of capitalism and hatred for anyone she didn't consider elite in a really clear way. Definitely a good overview for anyone trying to understand Rand's continued influence.

This was a wonderful book that cleared up a lot of misinformation about Ayn Rand. This book was good for filling in some of the information I didn't have about her.