“He’s our Oprah,” said Brad Thor, a writer of political thrillers who has appeared on Mr. Beck’s radio and television programs several times. “God love him, we’re very fortunate.”
At a time when the book industry is struggling to maintain, much less increase, sales, publishers and authors say an appearance on Mr. Beck’s television or radio programs helps attract new readers. After James Rollins, the author of “The Doomsday Key,” a thriller about a group of Defense Department scientists trying to solve an ancient mystery, appeared this past summer on Mr. Beck’s radio program and then his television show — on which Mr. Beck promised viewers “it will keep you on the edge of your seat — Mr. Rollins met several people at a book signing who told him they had bought the book based on that recommendation, he said…
While his focus is thrillers, Mr. Beck stands out among talk show hosts in that he regularly interviews authors who write fiction at all. “I think it’s an aspect of the show that maybe has flown under the radar because of some of the more controversial things that have taken place on the air,” said Daniel Silva, an author of spy thrillers. Mr. Beck, Mr. Silva said, “has provided a really unique venue for novelists to come and talk about their work on television.”
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That’s a lot to move over.
SouthernGent on November 5, 2009 at 9:49 PM
Thread over in one.
Enoxo on November 5, 2009 at 9:50 PM
Except that Glenn actually writes books.
Mr. Thor did not do any service to Glenn by his “Oprah” comment BTW.
katy on November 5, 2009 at 9:55 PM
I have to say I enjoy Glenn’s “Common Sense” and “Arguing with Idiots.”
As for political thrillers, I have to thank Glenn for exposing me to Vince Flynn. The author is AMAZING. The Mitch Rapp series is terrific. Flynn also was a contributor to season 5 of ‘24.’
I have yet to read Thor, but will soon.
cubachi on November 5, 2009 at 10:03 PM
hoosierdaddy is not a big fiction reader, but he is very much a fan of Vince Flynn’s books. I picked up one for him and he said “How did you find this? Are there more???”
hoosiermama on November 5, 2009 at 10:19 PM
I love when he interviews authors because he has read their books and can really talk to them about it. We started to read Silva because of his interview with him. We had already started to read Baldacci, and really like his books.
Funny that the nyt wrote this article and still they won’t review his books.
God bless, Glenn, hope everything is OK and your operation is a success. Miss you like crazy.
Bambi on November 5, 2009 at 10:22 PM
I don’t get his radio show so I haven’t heard any of his fiction recommendations but his taste in non fiction books is superb. I’ve already read a lot of what he recommended (5,000 Year Leap, The Forgotten Man, Thomas Sowell) but he has lead me to some truly awesome books as well on American Progressivism (written by true believers) and “The Real George Washington” which is fantastic.
The man has taste and is well read. It comes across in his show too if you can get over the clownish aspects to it.
Daemonocracy on November 5, 2009 at 10:40 PM
Daemonocracy on November 5, 2009 at 10:40 PM
Agreed, and many of those books also had huge sales bumps due to Glenn’s show–top 10 or 20 on Amazon, even though many of them are not new books.
juliesa on November 5, 2009 at 10:51 PM
If Oprah goes on Glenn Beck to promote her next book and Glenn goes on her show to promote his, will the universe explode with Megan McCain proportions?
- The Cat
MirCat on November 5, 2009 at 11:00 PM
As an aside, on the Mike Malloy radio show that I tuned in for grins, Malloy called Glenn Beck a pr-ck. I didn’t know you can say that on the radio.
Andy in Agoura Hills on November 5, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Brad Thor is a great read incidentally.
Spirit of 1776 on November 5, 2009 at 11:07 PM
Obama equals Aroma
jaboba on November 6, 2009 at 6:45 AM
Heh- awesome. I love a Meggie dig- try to get one in whenever I can just for fun. Well played.
Monica on November 6, 2009 at 7:26 AM
You can actually say d*ck on the radio. You can say a**, but not a**hole, and you can say GD as well.
bikermailman on November 6, 2009 at 8:22 AM