50th Anniversary of Atlas Shrugged

[Kat]

Just a reminder to register for the event now to take advantage of the discount.

See you there!

Kat

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Kat and I are in Washington.

Tonight we intend to go to Ciro's restaurant for supper and finally meet the great chef. If anyone wants to tag along, please send a message.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

We had a wonderful time at Ciro's. Unfortunately it was only Kat and I. We can report that Ciro is not everything he appears to be online.

He is so much more.

We will mention some details later over in the Kitchen after we return from the trip.

Michael

[Chris Grieb]

The day is here.

Michael; You found a car. Glad you had a good time. Sorry I couldn't join you. Chris

Edited October 6, 2007 by Chris Grieb

[Chris Grieb]

The Atlas 50th was great. Almost 400 people attended. The best TAS event in a long time.I wlli have to digest so I can offer a great speaker though Mimi Gladstein on the first panel talking about Ayn Rand's use of screen writing techniques in Atlas.. Charles Murray's talk at lunch about Atlas and Achievement was greatly moving. Rob Bradley on Atlas and Business Ethics was very good.

There was no down size.

Edited October 7, 2007 by Chris Grieb

[Philip Coates]

Great news in the size of the turnout! I remebered when Oist speakers would fly across the country to speak (albeit on college campuses and albeit they were unknowns) only to speak to a dozen or twenty people.

I'm very happy to see TOC / TAS getting it's advertising and promotion act together. Plus putting together such a noteworthy and attractive line up of speakers!

[Bidinotto]

It was a complete triumph of an event. I'll blog about it shortly, with photos. Right now, sleep and then a workday call, however.

[Ed Hudgins]

Actually the registered attendance was pushing 300, a very good turnout with a packed room, our biggest event since the one 10 years ago. Barbara Branden's reflections were also a highlight. Anyone else who attended have any thoughts?

We'll be posting more on the event and will be letting you know about further Atlas Shrugged at 50 media coverage. Thanks to all who attended. MSK and Kat, great to see you, along with Chris and others!

[Ed Hudgins]

By the way, I'll be sleeping right through Columbus Day!

[zantonavitch]

It's nice to see I'm not the only one who's exhausted -- even 24 hours afterwards! To make it worse for me, I had a killer workday just before. But I think the key point is: That conference was exceptionally draining -- in an amazing and wondrous way -- both intellectually and emotionally.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

Ed, as the organizing motor behind it all and to coin a phrase , let me say, "Well done, Ed. Well done, TAS."

Full report coming tomorrow.

Michael

[Chris Grieb]

Ed;

You've earned the sleeping till the 9th.

Glad to meet the rest of you. As I have already said it was wonderful.

[Chris Grieb]

For those of you who missed the event it will be Book TV C-Span 2 next weekend. I am sure there will be more information later this week at the Book TV website.

[Bidinotto]

The Atlas 50th Celebration vastly exceeded not only my personal expectations, but my wildest fantasies.

An amazing group of prominent and talented people attended -- from business, the media, universities, the arts, the sciences, you name it. The speakers were all knowledgeable, energetic, insightful, funny, and impressive, paying due respect to every aspect of the enormous achievements of Atlas Shrugged. The headliners -- John Stossel, Charles Murray, Barbara Branden and Nathaniel Branden, and the Atlas movie production people (especially Michael Burns, the Rand-fan vice president of Lionsgate, and director Vadim Perelman) -- more than lived up to their advance billing.

Add to that the fact that the Marriott Renaissance Hotel was a terrific venue, the food excellent, the staff and service utterly impeccable. The staff of The Atlas Society (and I mean all the others on staff, not me, because I was engaged in magazine efforts and could do very little to help out) deserve enormous credit for their tireless work to make this happen, and at such a high level of quality.

I can tell you right now that the taping by C-SPAN 2, to air on October 13 ("Book TV"), can't begin to capture the excitement, scope, and quality of the occasion. For one thing, I don't think they filmed several of the key events -- for example, the reception at Cato, or the evening banquet gala with John Stossel and the movie panel. (WE filmed EVERYTHING, however...and you can be sure we'll be making it all available.)

THIS was the tribute Ayn Rand so richly deserved for her incomparable literary and philosophical achievement. I was privileged to be there as a participant, and it has left indelible memories for a lifetime.

[Chris Grieb]

Robert;

I agrree completely that what will appear on C-Span will not even come close to being there.

But hey it's C-Span. I don't think TAS has been on C-Span. ARI has been. It's a big step forward.

[Ed Hudgins]

Kyrel -- It was great meeting you! Sorry I didn't have much time to chat; quite busy as you gathered. Since there were people in town with whom I had business I had meetings all day Sunday and am only now chilling out a bit.

Yes, it was a long, somewhat exhausting day, like a good workout that ultimately leaves you healthy and energized!

Robert's report is right on the mark and you will be seeing a lot of follow-up.

Another highlight to mention: David Kelley closed the event by reading the passage from Atlas where Dagny is asked what she'd say to all the great individuals of the past if she met them in some heaven. She's told the right answer is, "Well done." On the 50th anniversary of Atlas, David raised a toast to Ayn Rand saying, "Well done!"

[Bidinotto]

All,

Let me single out Ed Hudgins as the spark plug and guiding light for this event. He was tireless in pursuing speakers, arranging panels, getting the hotel, and overseeing the logistics. Ed was the contact person for virtually everything related to the event. The outcome speaks for itself.

I think the Atlas 50th Celebration will go down as one of his foremost life achievements. He deserves all our thanks and congratulations.

--Robert

[James Heaps-Nelson]

All,

Let me single out Ed Hudgins as the spark plug and guiding light for this event. He was tireless in pursuing speakers, arranging panels, getting the hotel, and overseeing the logistics. Ed was the contact person for virtually everything related to the event. The outcome speaks for itself.

I think the Atlas 50th Celebration will go down as one of his foremost life achievements. He deserves all our thanks and congratulations.

--Robert

Congrats, Ed! Any time you can get 300 Objectivists and fellow travelers in one place you've done something special. From the accounts given, it sounds like an event worthy of Ayn Rand.

Jim

[BaalChatzaf]

Congrats, Ed! Any time you can get 300 Objectivists and fellow travelers in one place you've done something special. From the accounts given, it sounds like an event worthy of Ayn Rand.

Jim

Is it anything like herding cats?

Ba'al Chatzaf

[Ed Hudgins]

The Washington Examiner ran a short account of the event in its Monday, Oct. 8, 2007 paper with a photo of Stossel. Check it out!

---------------

'Atlas' ' 50th brings out filmmakers

October 8, 1:34 AM

Shrugging

(Photo by Carrie Devorah/For The Examiner )

Lovers of libertarianism and individualism gathered Saturday at the Renaissance Hotel downtown for a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Ayn Rand’s novel “Atlas Shrugged.”

Among those on hand were several principals involved in bringing the book to the big screen: Michael Burns, the vice chairman of Lionsgate, which is producing the film (he also attended Rand’s funeral 25 years ago); producers Howard and Karen Baldwin (the team that worked on “Ray”) and executive producer John Aglialoro, who happens to be a trustee of the Atlas Society, which sponsored the event.

Director Vadim Perelman, who directed “The House of Sand and Fog,” talked about how he wanted to bring the film to the screen in the way Rand would have wanted it.

A “safe estimate” for the film’s release is early 2009, said the Atlas Society’s Ed Hudgins.

ABC’s John Stossel and libertarian scholar Charles Murray provided the keynotes.

[James Heaps-Nelson]

The Washington Examiner ran a short account of the event in its Monday, Oct. 8, 2007 paper with a photo of Stossel. Check it out!

---------------

'Atlas' ' 50th brings out filmmakers

October 8, 1:34 AM

Shrugging

(Photo by Carrie Devorah/For The Examiner )

Lovers of libertarianism and individualism gathered Saturday at the Renaissance Hotel downtown for a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Ayn Rand’s novel “Atlas Shrugged.”

Among those on hand were several principals involved in bringing the book to the big screen: Michael Burns, the vice chairman of Lionsgate, which is producing the film (he also attended Rand’s funeral 25 years ago); producers Howard and Karen Baldwin (the team that worked on “Ray”) and executive producer John Aglialoro, who happens to be a trustee of the Atlas Society, which sponsored the event.

Director Vadim Perelman, who directed “The House of Sand and Fog,” talked about how he wanted to bring the film to the screen in the way Rand would have wanted it.

A “safe estimate” for the film’s release is early 2009, said the Atlas Society’s Ed Hudgins.

ABC’s John Stossel and libertarian scholar Charles Murray provided the keynotes.

It looks like TAS has a good bit of momentum going. Keep it up!

Jim

[Bidinotto]

With the continued generous support of our members, subscribers, and contributors, Jim, we'll move to much greater levels of influence and cultural impact. Thanks for you own loyal support.

[zantonavitch]

Let me single out Ed Hudgins as the spark plug and guiding light for this event. He was tireless in pursuing speakers, arranging panels, getting the hotel, and overseeing the logistics. Ed was the contact person for virtually everything related to the event. The outcome speaks for itself.

I think the Atlas 50th Celebration will go down as one of his foremost life achievements. He deserves all our thanks and congratulations.

--Robert

I agree. Give that man a raise! B)

[zantonavitch]

The Atlas 50th Celebration vastly exceeded not only my personal expectations, but my wildest fantasies.

An amazing group of prominent and talented people attended -- from business, the media, universities, the arts, the sciences, you name it. The speakers were all knowledgeable, energetic, insightful, funny, and impressive, paying due respect to every aspect of the enormous achievements of Atlas Shrugged. The headliners -- John Stossel, Charles Murray, Barbara Branden and Nathaniel Branden, and the Atlas movie production people (especially Michael Burns, the Rand-fan vice president of Lionsgate, and director Vadim Perelman) -- more than lived up to their advance billing....

I can tell you right now that the taping by C-SPAN 2, to air on October 13 ("Book TV"), can't begin to capture the excitement, scope, and quality of the occasion. For one thing, I don't think they filmed several of the key events -- for example, the reception at Cato, or the evening banquet gala with John Stossel and the movie panel. (WE filmed EVERYTHING, however...and you can be sure we'll be making it all available.)

THIS was the tribute Ayn Rand so richly deserved for her incomparable literary and philosophical achievement. I was privileged to be there as a participant, and it has left indelible memories for a lifetime.

I thought the basic idea of having a great many people -- of all varieties -- give many short, energetic, and upbeat presentations was an outstanding one. Altho' we still probably could have used a nice food-fight or paint-ball battle in the middle!

Ed Snider -- who I hope is a great friend of TAS -- gave a frank, direct, simple speech which I found very inspiring. His basic attitude seems to be "Just do it -- Just go for it." I wasn't aware until Saturday that he was the main driving force behind The Ayn Rand Institute -- not Leonard Peikoff. His go-getter approach to life is very impressive, and he actually seems like a true Randian, non-philosophical, businessman hero. He isn't intellectual -- but he's a genuinely good guy who gets things done!

The Mimi Gladstein presentation was surprising, amusing, and titillating. I think I agree that Rand was highly influenced by her early 20th century Hollywood background in her various latter portrayals of drama and sexuality in her novels. I also think, as Mimi said, this this may need to be updated for the movie. I also like the line Rand evidently said about why she had so many male heros and so few female ones in Atlas Shrugged: "It's my fantasy!"

I thought Tibor Machan was quite droll and entertaining. He maybe needs to give us all lessons in speech-making and the lost art of rhetoric.

And as Robert Bidinotto noted, the comments by Barbara Branden were both informative and quite moving. (They were also a touch hard to hear in that ultra-crowded Cato reception room. I hope the audio tape of this gets published first.)

John Stossel's speech, near the end, was also quite skilled, funny, and thoroughly entertaining.

Just a small handful of my impressions! I count on everyone else to help out here -- because much, much more went on!

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Just to keep suspense going, I am halfway through my report of the event.

Michael