I first read Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged after my 10th boards and was heavily heavily influenced by her ideas for the next few yrs. There were times I would be doing something normal and then feel - Ayn Rnd would not have approved, it was very confusing, I would wonder how I could find Ayn Rnd as weell as what I was doing- both ok.
I asked an ?Art of Living? teacher once- and she said- the weest could never understand the indian concept of selflessness and submerging the ego.
BTW, Ayn Rnd committed suiceide- right? does disillusion u, na?
Still, no denying, she writes wonderfully, convinces u a lot, excites u, affects u emotionally and mentally- one of the best writings I have read.
And her ?we the living? is very convincing about how in spite of the best intentions, communism fails totally- though the book drags a bit, but as convincing as ?the animal farm? by george orwll.
But the best thing is to- enjoy Ayn Rnd, widen your perrspective but don?t take her too seriously.