Judgment Day: My Years with Ayn Rand by Nathaniel Brandon…. (Don’t Waste Your Money)

In a review for The New York Times, Susan Brownmiller said the memoir was “an embarrassing venture” that included “a massive dose of psychobabble”. In a review for National Review, Joseph Sobran described Branden as having “a layer of California psychobabble” and said, “At times he is rough on himself, but not nearly rough enough.” A review in The Blade of Toledo said the book offered “interesting glimpses of Ayn Rand and her life”, but also said, “It is noticeable that in most situations Branden emerges on the side of right, or at least lesser evil.”

Liberty magazine editor R. W. Bradford called the book a “valuable work” that “provides hitherto unpublished details” about Branden’s relationship with Rand, but said it provided an “unflattering self-portrait” of Branden that made Bradford more sympathetic towards Rand. He also complained that Branden’s discussions of his former associates in the Objectivist movement sometimes showed “cruelty” and “contempt” toward them.

Branden is certainly full of himself so it’s no surprise he can’t see what was done with him by. Rand decided to have a brief affair with him because he was 25 years younger than she was. Rand wasn’t attractive but boy could she talk and she simply talked Nathaniel right out of his undershorts. Neither of them provides any kind of moral guidance except of the most negative kind. If you kids read Judgement Day make sure they know it’s written by a terribly confused little mind.

Branden’s book was also reviewed in such publications as the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post,[7] Chronicles, and Kirkus Reviews.

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