I always think it's stupid, I've read several of her books and it makes me a little upset each time. While I get that being an individual is important, but I think she takes it too far. She had some fucked up complex because she was Russian and her family was angry about having their wealth taken by commies (because they were well off while everyone around them was starving). In the end, she had a valid point that government shouldn't control speech like communist Russia, and while I understand why she left, I think she was one of those people who didn't understand a happy medium in government intervention.
Either way, I think she's a self-serving, bitter bitch and people who like her normally have no real view on life other than an incredibly sheltered one where they think her way of life would work. She's often reference by people who are argumentative and "unique" to the point of being asses. All the fans of her writing I've encountered have been the most aggravating, ignorant people, usually hipster kids trying to sound smart.
aynrand.org has more info on her.
that little crazy ruskie