New Height Books

Frequently Asked Questions

What is New Height Books?

New Height Books is a collection of Romtantic Realist literaure and Rational Nonfiction collected from the reading lists of prominent Objectivist organizations and the readers of this site. For more information please visit the about page.

What is Romantic Realism?

"Romantic Realism" is a term coined by Ayn Rand in her nonfiction work, The Romantic Manifesto, and it refers to art in its proper form: portraying the world "as it could and should be." "Could be" satisfies the requirement that art remain in the realm of reality, and "should be" places that reality in its ideal form, founded on a standard of morality and beauty. From "The Essentials of Objectivism:"

"'Art is a selective re-creation of reality according to the artist's metaphysical value-judgments.' The purpose of art is to concretize the artist's fundamental view of existence. Ayn Rand described her own approach as 'Romantic Realism': 'I am a Romantic in the sense that I present men as they ought to be. I am Realistic in the sense that I place them here and now and on this earth.' The goal of Ayn Rand's novels in not didactic by artistic: the projection of an ideal man: 'My purpose, first cause and prime mover is the portrayal of Howard Roark or John Galt or Hand Rearden of Francisco d'Anconia as an end in himself — not as a means to any further end.'"

For an in-depth explanation of Romantic Realism and its application to the field of literature, please read Ayn Rand's The Romantic Manifesto. Doing so is a prerequisite for submitting books to this site.

Where Did This List Come From?

The foundation of the book catalog was compiled by us from the recommendations and public reading lists of Objectivist publications and writers, such as Dr. Hurd, Capitalism Magazine and The Intellectual Activist.

Several more books were added from our own libraries, and from the submissions of our readers.

I Don't See "Book X," Where Is It?

If you've searched through the site for a book you judge as Romantic Realism and cannot find it, please use the submissions page to tell us about it.

I Found a Book Here That Isn't Romantic Realism, Now What?

While we can't guarantee that all of our readers will agree with everyone else's concept of what exemplifies Romantic Realism in literature on this site, you can take steps to have a book removed. The most important of which is to post a review of the book and provide concrete, objective evidence for why it shouldn't be honored with the title of Romantic Realism (read more on the terms and conditions page).

Alternatively, if you find a book you absolutely love, please review it as well and let us know what you think!

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