Part of what's interesting about the "Overton Window" is its place in the book division of Beck's $32-million-a-year media operation, which also includes his radio and TV programs, a magazine and a stage show. Though his name appears alone on the cover of this first novel, the title page lists three "contributors" and Beck is quite open about the fact he didn't write the book. "I don't write," he told USA Today, "I speak. I get bogged down in writing." The novel, he said, is "my story," but one of the contributors "went in and put the words down…. I am a team kind of guy." Oddly collectivist for a guy who assigns such primacy to individualism. Off the evidence here, he might want to spend part of the next million upgrading the team's talent.
Speaking of that, it's interesting to put Beck's day-to-day polemics in Mr. Overton's window. The kinds of elaborate, darkly fanciful conspiracy theories he routinely spins used to be confined to the back shelves of slightly disreputable bookstores and the lacy fringes of the Internet. (For example, this week, along with hawking the book, he's demonstrating how the entire Gulf catastrophe is an intricately interlocking plot to further enrich George Soros.) Today, thanks to Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch, they've found a whole new audience and a kind of acceptability unthinkable short years ago.
:rofl:
And, of course, some of the Comments:
buymypartsnow at 8:54 AM June 23, 2010
When a person like Glenn irritates the left as he seems to, it tells me he's right on. And as liberals tend to do, they resort to name calling. Just look at the comments. So predictable. I've read the book and it's pretty good for a first novel. I enjoyed the "faction" and thought the story was very telling about what happens behind the closed doors of politics. Keep up the good work Mr. Beck and America will stand behind you.
Yes. This is politics. Yep. Something tells me this one lives in Mom's Basement and can only type with one hand while watching Beck's show every night.
jlee4680 at 8:12 AM June 23, 2010
I'm surprised there are so many Beck fans here. Who knew they were even literate? It's sad and depressing that Beck has so many people devoted to his lunacy.
Anyway, this book reminds me of Thomas Dixon's "The Clansman." A poorly written political novel with no qualms about distorting historical facts. And a similar message. And rhetoric.
Just another parallel between the tea party movement and the KKK.
:rofl:
SteveKeegan at 1:47 AM June 23, 2010
If only the world's problems were as simple as Glen Beck.
:rofl:
dmblum1799 at 12:34 AM June 23, 2010
What can you say about people who follow Glen Beck? America is in trouble. These nitwits actually believe what they believe.
:rofl:
The rest are haul-overs from Beck's website, as they all parrot the same nonsense repeatedly.