John A. Palchak asks:

You have previously discussed your reasons for writing Judgment Day. Would you be willing to tell us your reasons for publishing a new revised edition of your memoir with a changed title?

Nathaniel Branden responds:

The original memoir was entitled “Judgment Day: My Years with Ayn Rand.” When I was invited to prepare a new edition of the work, I decided I liked the subtitle more than the title—so the book will be called “My Years with Ayn Rand.” As to the revisions, I had a number of purposes.

I wanted to correct some (relatively small) factual errors in the book, such as mistaken dates.

I wanted to correct some misleading implications in a few passages, of which I was unaware at the time of writing.

I wanted to add material that would clarify my motivation as well as that of Barbara Branden and Ayn Rand on a number of issues. I wanted to cut material I had come to regard as superfluous and that slowed down the story. Also, I wanted to eliminate material that caused pain to a few people and that I realized the narrative did not need.

I wanted to present a more benevolent and balanced portrait of certain persons with whom at one time my relationship was adversarial. When I wrote the original work, there was more anger in me than I appreciated; I wanted to eliminate that from the new edition, and I believe I have.

Very importantly, I wanted to include some significant material about Ayn Rand that I regret having cut from the first edition. In conclusion, I wanted the new version to be more positive in its overall emphasis.