To Jack Moen, a fan [Letter 324]

Item Reference Code: 036_01G_005_001

Date(s) of creation

February 6, 1948

Recipient

Jack Moen

Transcript

February 6, 1948 

Dear Mr. Moen: 

Thank you for your letter. I am grateful for your reaction to THE FOUNTAINHEAD, and I was startled by your saying that your other favorite in literature was Hugo’s LES MISERABLES. 

It happens that Victor Hugo is my favorite writer in all world literature, not for the content of his ideas, but for his literary method, and he is the only writer who had some influence on my style of writing. Of all the letters about THE FOUNTAINHEAD that I received, yours was the first one that mentioned Victor Hugo—and that is the only comparison of which I can feel proud. So I do believe that if you liked THE FOUNTAINHEAD, you probably liked it for the right reasons. 

I am enclosing a printed letter which may interest you. 

Cordially yours,

 

Ayn Rand