Ayn Rand, born in Russia, became a kind of capitalist Joan of Arc leading the forces of pure will. Her philosophy, called Objectivism, focused on achievement of the individual's will. Her novels, including The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, were Nietzschean trips into the concept of the superman. Not surprisingly, her works have been distilled for their business and investment wisdom.

The authors of this book publish The Business Reader Review. Like other authors who have turned out such works of gestalt management as Jesus Christ CEO, they are selective in picking out bits of writing that appear to support the thesis that their subject was a good manager or at least knew good management.

Ms. Rand called money "the root of all good" and figured that, since corporations and entrepreneurs are in the business of making money, they must be moral. The authors deal with immoral entrepreneurs, such as "chainsaw" Al Dunlap who used phony accounting based on fictitious sales to boost stock of a company he managed, and conclude that "cash has no value if obtained by fraud." Unless, one might add, you can get away with it.

It's not likely that Ayn Rand and Business will make anyone a better stock picker, but it can make for better and more curious stock owners. If you've seen The Fountainhead, admired the architect role played by Gary Cooper, and been sympathetic to him, this book should be interesting.