Yes, at least for a time. In general it's quite rare for a book to end with the protagonist failing, but in The Fountainhead, IIRC, the protagonist spends an extended period of time doing manual labor rather than architecture because he cannot practice it freely.

No, compassionate society is weak and prevents John Galt from achieving his true potential. Wasted 2 of my crucial formative years reading those books when I should have been studying for university entrance exams.

There are some interesting ideas. But my personal guide is Thoreau, who says "that government is best that governs the least". I've never heard anyone call Thoreau a libertarian, but I'd rather be a Thoreau libertarian than Rand-ian.

Never ceases to amaze me Ayn Rand resorted to receive social security benefits when she was old and broke, fact which makes her philosophy all the weaker. People need a safety net because unpredictible things happen that are beyond control.

I sympathise with her as a person. She went through a lot of trials and difficulties during her life. But to deny that other people matter in our lives is a strange stance. I decided that I don't want to go there. My work is to benefit humanity, little though it might be.