Atlas Shrugged, (for good or evil depending on your moral code), is THE book to understand what is happening and why in political economy, government, religion and conflicts with others.
If you know that Alan Greenspan is an artefact of AynRand you will understand that his policies and actions were completely premeditated to destroy the US economy.
Atlas Shrugged is written as fiction. She stated that her purpose was to write good fiction. However, this "fiction" is considered by many to be a textbook for the NWO and the Illuminati. It is capitalistic and elitist, but not mercantile in philosophy.
Her other fiction, like Anthem and even The Fountainhead pale in comparison to the depth and perception of this very disturbing philosophical treatise disguised as fiction. Once you read and understand it, you will never be able to see the world in the same way.
I was not able to understand it fully until I read it a dozen times or more, but each time I read it, I got more out of it and was able to apply it to more of my past and present experiences. Reading Atlas Shrugged is always worth the trip.