To Richard Neutra [Letter 272]

Richard Neutra was one of the major architects in what became known as “mid-century modern.” Among his most well-known buildings was the von Sternberg house, the San Fernando Valley house purchased by the O’Connors in 1944.

October 11, 1946 

Mr. Richard J. Neutra
2300 Silverlake Boulevard
Los Angeles 26, California

Dear Mr. Neutra: 

Thank you very much for the copy of the speech by the Federal Housing Administrator[*], which you sent me. I was very interested and amused to see it. Considering the man’s position, it was certainly funny to see him talking about THE FOUNTAINHEAD. I wonder what he thought of the dynamiting of the Federal Housing Project. 

With our best regards to you and Mrs. Neutra. 

Sincerely,

Ayn Rand

*The speaker was from the Federal Public Housing Administration. Neutra had written to AR that, although the speaker “did not fully understand all of the book, as his further speech shows, still he started his lecture off with an allusion to Fountainhead, which had impressed him.” There is no copy of that speech in the Ayn Rand Archives.