Paul Ryan, the youngest of four children in an Irish-Catholic family, was born in Janesville, Wis., where he still lives. At age 16, he found his 55-year-old father dead of a heart attack at the Ryan family home. His father’s death reportedly led to a period of soul-searching, during which he read the works of novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand and others. Ryan has cited Rand as a major influence on his decision to seek a career in public service, although he rejects her well-known atheism.

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