Nathaniel Branden
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Branden, né Nathan Blumenthal (born 9 April 1930 in Brampton
, Ontario
, Canada
), is a psychotherapist
and writer best known today for his work in the psychology of self-esteem
from a humanistic
perspective (see self-esteem in humanistic psychology). A former student and one-time romantic partner of novelist Ayn Rand
, Branden had a prominent role in promoting Rand's philosophy
, Objectivism.
In 1958, Branden established the Nathaniel Branden Institute
(NBI) as an educational organization to spread the philosophical principles of Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand. Branden offered a series of lectures called "Basic Principles of Objectivism". Alan Greenspan
, future chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank, would contribute with a lecture called "The Economics of a Free Society". The NBI office was located at 120 E. 34th St. in New York City
. The lecture series was first presented in the old Sheraton-Atlantic Hotel on 34th St. and later, in the Empire State Building
.
Barbara Branden (née Weidman), who married Branden in White Plains, NY in January of 1953, also contributed to the work of the Institute with a series of lectures on The Art of Thinking. Barbara and Nathaniel separated in 1965.
The Rand-Branden business partnership lasted till May 1968. Rand announced in the The Objectivist, Branden would no longer be her intellectual heir and ordered all future printings of Atlas Shrugged
not to carry his name in the dedication page. At the time, Rand did not reveal she was having a secret love affair with Branden who was twenty-four years her junior and he was leaving her for a younger woman who was also an attractive model whom Branden would eventually marry. However, Branden divulged this information in his book, Judgment Day: My Years with Ayn Rand
.
After the rift with Ayn Rand, Branden went on to develop what he initially called "biocentric psychology," basing his work mainly on the psychology of self-esteem. Branden's brand of Biocentric Psychology is neither Freudian nor behaviorist in nature. According to Branden, "...The establishment of Wilhelm Wundt
's experimental laboratory in 1879 is often regarded as the formal beginning of scientific psychology. But when one considers the views of man and the theories of his nature that have been put forth as knowledge in the past hundred years, it remains a moot question whether the starting date of the science of psychology lies behind us—or ahead."
Branden received a BA in psychology from the University of California Los Angeles, an MA from New York University
, and in 1973, a Ph.D.
in psychology from the California Graduate Institute
(CGI), then an unaccredited, state-approved school whose graduates may be licensed by the state to practice psychology. Graduates of unaccredited state-approved schools such as CGI are limited to associate membership in the American Psychological Association
.
, however, "the affair was agonizingly painful," both to her and Rand's husband.
For many years Branden was considered to be a leading figure in the Objectivist movement; indeed, many perceived him as being second only to Rand herself. He was the leader of a group of Rand's closest associates known as The Collective, which also included his wife Barbara Branden
, Leonard Peikoff
and Alan Greenspan
. At the time, Rand considered him to be a soul mate of hers and designated him her "intellectual heir." In 1958 Branden founded the Nathaniel Branden Institute
to promote Objectivism through lectures and educational seminars around the United States. The NBI became enormously successful, and soon had representatives all over the US and around the world. During the period of her affair with Branden, Ayn Rand wrote Atlas Shrugged
, which she considered to be her magnum opus. She named one of the minor characters in the book "Nathaniel" after Branden. He was a heroic 19th Century railroad builder, an ancestor of the book's main protagonist whom she seeks to emulate and whose picture she keeps on her wall throughout the book.
In 1965 Branden separated from his wife. In 1968, the close relationship between Rand and Branden came to an abrupt end when Rand discovered that Branden had been having a sexual relationship with a third woman, actress Patrecia Scott, without Rand's knowledge, for more than four years. While Rand had grown skeptical of Branden's feelings, she had also grown skeptical of his general intellectual "drift" along with the weakening commitment to Objectivism that Branden would admit to in later interviews. Rand then expelled Branden from the Objectivist movement. She published a letter in The Objectivist repudiating Branden for these reasons, including his dishonesty, but she did not mention their affair. Branden published a response in which he, too, did not disclose an affair, but in which he publicly accused Rand of desiring such an affair with him. He claimed that their age difference was "an insuperable barrier," for him, to such an affair. The two never reconciled, and Branden remained persona non grata
to the mainline Objectivist movement, particularly the group that would go on to form the Ayn Rand Institute
.
In 1989 Branden published his account of this time in his life. The memoir was entitled Judgment Day. Then in 1999, Branden re-published a revised edition, entitled My Years with Ayn Rand. Branden's account provides an inside view of Ayn Rand as a person, the development of Objectivism, its inner circle, and the tumultuous relationships between Ayn Rand and her associates. Branden supported David Kelley
's notion of Objectivism as an "open system" in a 1999 article he wrote, "Who Owns Objectivism?" Branden has since rejected certain elements of the Objectivist philosophy, particularly what he considers its strictly cognitivist
view of psychology, and his memoirs chronicle many of what he charges to be emotionally repressive elements of Rand, some of which he argues show up in her fiction. He has likewise argued that followers' obsession with Rand herself led to an unhealthy cult of personality
within the movement, damaging the common sense of both Rand and other Objectivists. Branden has also been known to talk freely of his interest in matters that Rand would have considered epistemological "mysticism," such as ESP, and has had a publicized relationship with Ken Wilber
. However, while Branden has claimed that Wilber is "one of the most brilliant minds I have ever encountered," he also states that "[i]f you are familiar with Ken's ideas, you know that he and I have our disagreements, much as I admire his work. Ken is a mystic
. I am not."
Branden has retained his support for the fundamentals of the Objectivist ethics. In his book "Honoring the Self" (Branden, 1983), he devotes Chapter 12 to a defense of Ayn Rand's metaethical theory, saying that, "the foundation of her ethics is an unassailable contribution" (Branden 1983, p205).
in psychological health, and has outlined six volitional
practices he considers essential to achieving and maintaining self-esteem: "living consciously," "self-acceptance," "self-responsibility," "self-assertiveness," "living purposefully," and "personal integrity." As a therapist, he has promoted the use of sentence completion as a clinical and personal development tool for generating awareness of implicit knowledge and stimulating shifts of perspective. His more recent therapy practice tends to use a blend of sentence completion exercises, exercises derived from energy therapy, humor, and "just plain talking". Branden continues to write and practice psychotherapy in Los Angeles, California
, as well as present seminars and workshops on self-esteem.
In 1990, he became a member of the advisory board for the National Council for Self-Esteem (now known as the National Association for Self-Esteem), an organization "dedicated to integrating self-esteem into the fabric of American society." However, Branden's view of self-esteem differs from those of some in the self-esteem movement, because he focuses on self-esteem as the result of actual accomplishments, while some others encourage self-esteem as a sense of positive self-worth independent of accomplishments.
and married Patrecia Scott (a divorce with Barbara Branden having occurred before his break with Rand). In 1977, Scott unexpectedly died at home due to what was thought to be an epileptic seizure presumably triggered by sunlight off the water in the pool while feeding their dog. Branden married a third time in 1978, wedding businesswoman Devers Israel. They later divorced. He subsequently married his fourth wife, Leigh Horton. Branden retained a relationship—sometimes friendly, sometimes acrimonious—with his first wife, Barbara, who wrote a successful book, The Passion of Ayn Rand
, which detailed Branden's relationship with Rand and the bitter breakup. The book was made into a motion picture in 1999 titled The Passion of Ayn Rand starring Helen Mirren
as Rand and Eric Stoltz
as Branden.
Branden's books have been translated into 18 languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. In addition, Branden contributed essays to two of Ayn Rand's essay collections, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal
and The Virtue of Selfishness
.
Brampton, Ontario
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and the seat of Peel Region. As of the 2006 census, Brampton's population stood at 433,806, making it the 11th largest city in Canada. It is also one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, with an average...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
), is a psychotherapist
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
and writer best known today for his work in the psychology of self-esteem
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...
from a humanistic
Humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective which rose to prominence in the mid-20th century, drawing on the work of early pioneers like Carl Rogers and the philosophies of existentialism and phenomenology...
perspective (see self-esteem in humanistic psychology). A former student and one-time romantic partner of novelist Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
, Branden had a prominent role in promoting Rand's philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Objectivism.
In 1958, Branden established the Nathaniel Branden Institute
Nathaniel Branden Institute
The Nathaniel Branden Institute was an organization founded by Nathaniel Branden in 1958 to promote Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. The institute was responsible for the many Objectivist lectures and presentations across the United States of America...
(NBI) as an educational organization to spread the philosophical principles of Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand. Branden offered a series of lectures called "Basic Principles of Objectivism". Alan Greenspan
Alan Greenspan
Alan Greenspan is an American economist who served as Chairman of the Federal Reserve of the United States from 1987 to 2006. He currently works as a private advisor and provides consulting for firms through his company, Greenspan Associates LLC...
, future chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank, would contribute with a lecture called "The Economics of a Free Society". The NBI office was located at 120 E. 34th St. in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The lecture series was first presented in the old Sheraton-Atlantic Hotel on 34th St. and later, in the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
.
Barbara Branden (née Weidman), who married Branden in White Plains, NY in January of 1953, also contributed to the work of the Institute with a series of lectures on The Art of Thinking. Barbara and Nathaniel separated in 1965.
The Rand-Branden business partnership lasted till May 1968. Rand announced in the The Objectivist, Branden would no longer be her intellectual heir and ordered all future printings of Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand, first published in 1957 in the United States. Rand's fourth and last novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing...
not to carry his name in the dedication page. At the time, Rand did not reveal she was having a secret love affair with Branden who was twenty-four years her junior and he was leaving her for a younger woman who was also an attractive model whom Branden would eventually marry. However, Branden divulged this information in his book, Judgment Day: My Years with Ayn Rand
Judgment Day: My Years with Ayn Rand
Judgment Day: My Years with Ayn Rand is a memoir by Nathaniel Branden that focuses on his relationship with his former mentor and lover, Ayn Rand...
.
After the rift with Ayn Rand, Branden went on to develop what he initially called "biocentric psychology," basing his work mainly on the psychology of self-esteem. Branden's brand of Biocentric Psychology is neither Freudian nor behaviorist in nature. According to Branden, "...The establishment of Wilhelm Wundt
Wilhelm Wundt
Wilhelm Maximilian Wundt was a German physician, psychologist, physiologist, philosopher, and professor, known today as one of the founding figures of modern psychology. He is widely regarded as the "father of experimental psychology"...
's experimental laboratory in 1879 is often regarded as the formal beginning of scientific psychology. But when one considers the views of man and the theories of his nature that have been put forth as knowledge in the past hundred years, it remains a moot question whether the starting date of the science of psychology lies behind us—or ahead."
Early life and education
Nathaniel Branden was born Nathan Blumenthal as the only boy in a family of sisters in Brampton, Ontario; his sister Elayne Blumenthal, a nurse, was part of the Ayn Rand "collective" as were his older sisters Florence (Hirschfeld) and Reva (Fox). Another family member, Allan Blumenthal, a cousin and a successful practicing psychiatrist, was also a member of "The Collective". Branden completed high school in Canada, his native country.Branden received a BA in psychology from the University of California Los Angeles, an MA from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, and in 1973, a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in psychology from the California Graduate Institute
California Graduate Institute
The California Graduate Institute was founded in 1968 as an independent graduate school specializing in psychology, marital and family therapy, and psychoanalysis. CGI and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology formally announced in fall 2008 that they were uniting...
(CGI), then an unaccredited, state-approved school whose graduates may be licensed by the state to practice psychology. Graduates of unaccredited state-approved schools such as CGI are limited to associate membership in the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
.
Role in the Objectivist movement
In 1950, after having become a fan of Ayn Rand's novels and exchanging letters and phone calls with her, the 19-year-old Branden met Rand. The pair went on to develop an eighteen-year personal and professional relationship. Eventually, Rand and the much younger Branden had a romantic affair. While both were married to other people at the time, both of their respective spouses consented to the affair before it started. According to Barbara BrandenBarbara Branden
Barbara Branden is an American Objectivist writer, editor, and lecturer, known for her relationship and subsequent break with philosopher Ayn Rand.-Life:...
, however, "the affair was agonizingly painful," both to her and Rand's husband.
For many years Branden was considered to be a leading figure in the Objectivist movement; indeed, many perceived him as being second only to Rand herself. He was the leader of a group of Rand's closest associates known as The Collective, which also included his wife Barbara Branden
Barbara Branden
Barbara Branden is an American Objectivist writer, editor, and lecturer, known for her relationship and subsequent break with philosopher Ayn Rand.-Life:...
, Leonard Peikoff
Leonard Peikoff
Leonard S. Peikoff is a Canadian-American philosopher. He is an author, a leading advocate of Objectivism and the founder of the Ayn Rand Institute. A former professor of philosophy, he was designated by the novelist Ayn Rand as heir to her estate...
and Alan Greenspan
Alan Greenspan
Alan Greenspan is an American economist who served as Chairman of the Federal Reserve of the United States from 1987 to 2006. He currently works as a private advisor and provides consulting for firms through his company, Greenspan Associates LLC...
. At the time, Rand considered him to be a soul mate of hers and designated him her "intellectual heir." In 1958 Branden founded the Nathaniel Branden Institute
Nathaniel Branden Institute
The Nathaniel Branden Institute was an organization founded by Nathaniel Branden in 1958 to promote Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. The institute was responsible for the many Objectivist lectures and presentations across the United States of America...
to promote Objectivism through lectures and educational seminars around the United States. The NBI became enormously successful, and soon had representatives all over the US and around the world. During the period of her affair with Branden, Ayn Rand wrote Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand, first published in 1957 in the United States. Rand's fourth and last novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing...
, which she considered to be her magnum opus. She named one of the minor characters in the book "Nathaniel" after Branden. He was a heroic 19th Century railroad builder, an ancestor of the book's main protagonist whom she seeks to emulate and whose picture she keeps on her wall throughout the book.
In 1965 Branden separated from his wife. In 1968, the close relationship between Rand and Branden came to an abrupt end when Rand discovered that Branden had been having a sexual relationship with a third woman, actress Patrecia Scott, without Rand's knowledge, for more than four years. While Rand had grown skeptical of Branden's feelings, she had also grown skeptical of his general intellectual "drift" along with the weakening commitment to Objectivism that Branden would admit to in later interviews. Rand then expelled Branden from the Objectivist movement. She published a letter in The Objectivist repudiating Branden for these reasons, including his dishonesty, but she did not mention their affair. Branden published a response in which he, too, did not disclose an affair, but in which he publicly accused Rand of desiring such an affair with him. He claimed that their age difference was "an insuperable barrier," for him, to such an affair. The two never reconciled, and Branden remained persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
to the mainline Objectivist movement, particularly the group that would go on to form the Ayn Rand Institute
Ayn Rand Institute
The Ayn Rand Institute: The Center for the Advancement of Objectivism is a 501 nonprofit think tank in Irvine, California that promotes Ayn Rand's philosophy, called Objectivism. It was established in 1985, three years after Rand's death, by Leonard Peikoff, Rand's legal heir...
.
In 1989 Branden published his account of this time in his life. The memoir was entitled Judgment Day. Then in 1999, Branden re-published a revised edition, entitled My Years with Ayn Rand. Branden's account provides an inside view of Ayn Rand as a person, the development of Objectivism, its inner circle, and the tumultuous relationships between Ayn Rand and her associates. Branden supported David Kelley
David Kelley
David Kelley is an American philosopher, author, and advocate of Objectivism. He is founder and senior fellow of The Atlas Society. He lives in Washington, D.C..-Education and career:...
's notion of Objectivism as an "open system" in a 1999 article he wrote, "Who Owns Objectivism?" Branden has since rejected certain elements of the Objectivist philosophy, particularly what he considers its strictly cognitivist
Cognitivism (psychology)
In psychology, cognitivism is a theoretical framework for understanding the mind that came into usage in the 1950s. The movement was a response to behaviorism, which cognitivists said neglected to explain cognition...
view of psychology, and his memoirs chronicle many of what he charges to be emotionally repressive elements of Rand, some of which he argues show up in her fiction. He has likewise argued that followers' obsession with Rand herself led to an unhealthy cult of personality
Cult of personality
A cult of personality arises when an individual uses mass media, propaganda, or other methods, to create an idealized and heroic public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are usually associated with dictatorships...
within the movement, damaging the common sense of both Rand and other Objectivists. Branden has also been known to talk freely of his interest in matters that Rand would have considered epistemological "mysticism," such as ESP, and has had a publicized relationship with Ken Wilber
Ken Wilber
Kenneth Earl Wilber II is an American author who has written about mysticism, philosophy, ecology, and developmental psychology. His work formulates what he calls Integral Theory. In 1998, he founded the Integral Institute, for teaching and applications of Integral theory.-Biography:Ken Wilber was...
. However, while Branden has claimed that Wilber is "one of the most brilliant minds I have ever encountered," he also states that "[i]f you are familiar with Ken's ideas, you know that he and I have our disagreements, much as I admire his work. Ken is a mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
. I am not."
Branden has retained his support for the fundamentals of the Objectivist ethics. In his book "Honoring the Self" (Branden, 1983), he devotes Chapter 12 to a defense of Ayn Rand's metaethical theory, saying that, "the foundation of her ethics is an unassailable contribution" (Branden 1983, p205).
Role in the self-esteem movement
As a psychologist Branden has argued for the importance of self-esteemSelf-esteem
Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...
in psychological health, and has outlined six volitional
Volition (psychology)
Volition or will is the cognitive process by which an individual decides on and commits to a particular course of action. It is defined as purposive striving, and is one of the primary human psychological functions...
practices he considers essential to achieving and maintaining self-esteem: "living consciously," "self-acceptance," "self-responsibility," "self-assertiveness," "living purposefully," and "personal integrity." As a therapist, he has promoted the use of sentence completion as a clinical and personal development tool for generating awareness of implicit knowledge and stimulating shifts of perspective. His more recent therapy practice tends to use a blend of sentence completion exercises, exercises derived from energy therapy, humor, and "just plain talking". Branden continues to write and practice psychotherapy in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, as well as present seminars and workshops on self-esteem.
In 1990, he became a member of the advisory board for the National Council for Self-Esteem (now known as the National Association for Self-Esteem), an organization "dedicated to integrating self-esteem into the fabric of American society." However, Branden's view of self-esteem differs from those of some in the self-esteem movement, because he focuses on self-esteem as the result of actual accomplishments, while some others encourage self-esteem as a sense of positive self-worth independent of accomplishments.
Personal life
In the 1970s, Branden moved to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and married Patrecia Scott (a divorce with Barbara Branden having occurred before his break with Rand). In 1977, Scott unexpectedly died at home due to what was thought to be an epileptic seizure presumably triggered by sunlight off the water in the pool while feeding their dog. Branden married a third time in 1978, wedding businesswoman Devers Israel. They later divorced. He subsequently married his fourth wife, Leigh Horton. Branden retained a relationship—sometimes friendly, sometimes acrimonious—with his first wife, Barbara, who wrote a successful book, The Passion of Ayn Rand
The Passion of Ayn Rand
The Passion of Ayn Rand is a 1999 film directed by Christopher Menaul. It is based on the book of the same title by Barbara Branden...
, which detailed Branden's relationship with Rand and the bitter breakup. The book was made into a motion picture in 1999 titled The Passion of Ayn Rand starring Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
as Rand and Eric Stoltz
Eric Stoltz
Eric Hamilton Stoltz is an American actor, director and producer. He is widely known for playing the role of Rocky Dennis in the biographical drama film Mask, which earned him the nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture...
as Branden.
Books
- Who Is Ayn Rand? (with Barbara BrandenBarbara BrandenBarbara Branden is an American Objectivist writer, editor, and lecturer, known for her relationship and subsequent break with philosopher Ayn Rand.-Life:...
) (1962) - The Psychology of Self-Esteem (1969)
- Breaking Free (1970)
- The Disowned SelfThe Disowned SelfThe Disowned Self was written by Nathaniel Branden in 1971. It was Dr. Branden's third book in the area of psychology ....
(1971) - The Psychology of Romantic Love (1980)
- The Romantic Love Question & Answer Book (with Devers Branden) (1982)
- Honoring the Self (1983)
- If You Could Hear What I Cannot Say (1985)
- How To Raise Your Self Esteem (1987)
- Judgment Day: My Years with Ayn RandJudgment Day: My Years with Ayn RandJudgment Day: My Years with Ayn Rand is a memoir by Nathaniel Branden that focuses on his relationship with his former mentor and lover, Ayn Rand...
(1989) - The Power of Self-Esteem (1992)
- The Art of Self Discovery (1993)
- The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem (1994)
- Taking Responsibility (1996)
- The Art of Living Consciously (1997)
- A Woman's Self-Esteem (1998)
- Nathaniel Branden's Self-Esteem Every Day (1998)
- Self-Esteem at Work (1998)
- My Years with Ayn Rand (1999) (revised edition of Judgment Day)
- 32nd Anniversary Edition of Psychology of Self-Esteem (2001)
- The Vision of Ayn Rand (2009) (book version of his "Basic Principles of Objectivism" lecture series)
Branden's books have been translated into 18 languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. In addition, Branden contributed essays to two of Ayn Rand's essay collections, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal
Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal
Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal is a collection of essays, mostly by Ayn Rand, with additional essays by her associates Nathaniel Branden, Alan Greenspan and Robert Hessen. The book focuses on the moral nature of laissez-faire capitalism and private property...
and The Virtue of Selfishness
The Virtue of Selfishness
The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism is a 1964 collection of essays and papers by Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Branden. Most of the essays originally appeared in The Objectivist Newsletter, except for "The Objectivist Ethics", which was a paper Rand delivered at the University of Wisconsin...
.
See also
- Objectivism (Ayn Rand)Objectivism (Ayn Rand)Objectivism is a philosophy created by the Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand . Objectivism holds that reality exists independent of consciousness, that human beings have direct contact with reality through sense perception, that one can attain objective knowledge from perception...
- Objectivist movementObjectivist movementThe Objectivist movement is a movement to study and advance the philosophy of Objectivism. It was founded by novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand. The movement began informally in the 1950s and consisted of students who were brought together by their mutual interest in Rand’s novel, The Fountainhead...
- LibertarianismLibertarianismLibertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
- Libertarianism and ObjectivismLibertarianism and ObjectivismAyn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism has been and continues to be a major influence towards the libertarian movement. Many libertarians justify their political views upon aspects of Objectivism...
External links
- NathanielBranden.com
- Nathaniel Branden biography on Leading Thinkers Board at Best Practice Institute
- The Libertarian Alternative—Ayn Rand and Objectivism (Interview with Nathaniel Branden on Google video, 2006)
- Booknotes interview with Branden on Judgement Day: My Years with Ayn Rand, July 2, 1989.
- Who Is Nathaniel Branden? a review by R.W. Bradford, LibertyLiberty (1987)Liberty is a leading libertarian journal founded in 1987 by R. W. Bradford in Port Townsend, Washington, and currently edited from San Diego, California, by Stephen Cox...
, July 1989, Vol. 2, No. 6