139 East 35th Street
New York City
August 17, 1943
Mr. Tom M. Girdler
Republic Steel Corporation
Cleveland, Ohio
Dear Mr. Girdler:
Thank you for your letter of July 27th. I was deeply impressed and very grateful to learn that you had purchased “The Fountainhead” and Isabel Paterson’s “The God of the Machine.” I had not really intended my letter to be a sales talk to make you buy books—I would have been glad to send them to you and wanted only an assurance that they would be read, since I don’t believe in forcing books on busy people nor in sending out books that will remain unwanted. But since you showed an interest great enough to make you buy them—(I guess you do believe in the capitalist system)—an author can only feel the deepest appreciation.
I shall be more than happy to have a chance to meet you and talk to you—and I am frankly delighted if my letter made you wish to do so. Will you let me know when you are in New York or telephone me at Murray Hill 6-6549?
Sincerely yours,
Ayn Rand
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