The Last Word on Ayn Rand–From the Peace Corps Itself

Back in 1964-65, in those golden years of the agency when PCVs were all given book lockers, Jack Prebis (Ethiopia 1962-64) was responsible for complying several editions of  the books selected for the lockers. Jack worked at HQ from the fall of 1964 to the late summer of 1965 so he would have been in charge of, I think, the third and fourth versions. After reading the blogs about Rand and Ryan on the site today, Jack emailed me with this small piece of early Peace Corps trivia.

Atlas Shrugged was included in the first booklocker given to PCVs but then the Peace Corps banned it from future collections after a Volunteer read the novel and invoking Rand message decided to ET.  

“I was specifically told not to include Rand in any future lockers,” Jack writes. “And I got the message.”

The Peace Corps had the last word.

p.s. I wonder…. Do you think that young PCV who ETed was Paul Ryan?  Nah!