Glock

The Rise of America's Gun

By: Paul M. Barrett

Narrated by: Kiff VandenHeuvel

Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Based on 15 years of research, Glock is the riveting story of the weapon that has become known as America’s gun. Today the Glock pistol has been embraced by two-thirds of all U.S. police departments, glamorized in countless Hollywood movies, and featured as a ubiquitous presence on prime-time TV. It has been rhapsodized by hip-hop artists, and coveted by cops and crooks alike.

Created in 1982 by Gaston Glock, an obscure Austrian curtain-rod manufacturer, and swiftly adopted by the Austrian army, the Glock pistol, with its lightweight plastic frame and large-capacity spring-action magazine, arrived in America at a fortuitous time. Law enforcement agencies had concluded that their agents and officers, armed with standard six-round revolvers, were getting "outgunned" by drug dealers with semi-automatic pistols. They needed a new gun.

When Karl Water, a firearm salesman based in the U.S. first saw a Glock in 1984, his reaction was, “Jeez, that’s ugly.” But the advantages of the pistol soon became apparent. The standard semi-automatic Glock could fire as many as 17 bullets from its magazine without reloading. (One equipped with an extended 33 cartridge magazine was used in Tucson to shoot Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others). It was built with only 36 parts that were interchangeable with those of other models. You could drop it underwater, toss it from a helicopter, or leave it out in the snow, and it would still fire. It was reliable, accurate, lightweight, and cheaper to produce than Smith and Wesson’s revolver. Made in part of hardened plastic, it was even rumored (incorrectly) to be invisible to airport security screening.

Filled with corporate intrigue, political maneuvering, Hollywood glitz, bloody shoot-outs - and an attempt on Gaston Glock’s life by a former lieutenant - Glock is at once the inside account of how Glock the company went about marketing its pistol to police agencies and later the public, as well as a compelling chronicle of the evolution of gun culture in America.

©2012 Paul M. Barrett (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“This book - from a top-notch reporter - will enlighten you about both gun culture and business culture. It’s fascinating, even-handed, and packs considerable punch!” (Bill McKibben, best-selling author of The End of Nature, Deep Economy, and The Age of Missing Information)

“ Glock is a riveting tale with masterful pacing and meticulous research. Paul Barrett knows his subject intimately, and it shows.... It’s a must-read for anyone with an interest in handguns or the firearm industry or even American pop culture.” (Cameron Hopkins, editor in chief, Combat Tactics magazine; American Rifleman’s Industry Insider blog)

“With his customary insight and crystal-clear style, Paul Barrett has told the story of how a simple toolmaker from Austria came to be the dominant force in the manufacture and sale of pistols in the United States.... Glock is not at all just for the gun enthusiast. This book is for anyone concerned about the level of gun violence in America, and that should be all of us.” (Richard Aborn, president, Citizens Crime Commission of New York City; former president, Handgun Control, Inc.)

Nice Job realistic view..

Great performance as far as the read I agreed with 90% of the authors views pretty good in my world...

Great book

A great book about the glock pistol very informative Highly recommend this book to anyone intrested about glock

More In Depth and Interesting than I Expected

Where does Glock rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book was far more insightful, intriguing and fun to hear than I expected. I'm not a huge gun enthusiast but hearing about the story of Glock was extremely interesting and it was an easy story to follow thanks to the style.

Who would have thought?

It's a very interesting story. I didn't know much about the history of GLOCK the man, or the company either until this listen. Controversy with sex, guns, and money.

Really enjoyed this book.

This book was excellent, I loved the detail. The last 2 chapters the author gives his opinion, which i differ with - but I really recommend this book if you are into history and glocks.

Something For Anyone

This book offers something for everyone.

For the moderate history buff it’s an interesting dive into a chapter in history that provides many valuable explanations.

For the firearm enthusiast/pro gun individual it is an exciting trip back to how a major change in firearm technology & a tribute to an objectively brilliant inventor.

For the most strict proponent of gun control regulations & disarmament it is a good opportunity to get facts straight, debunk myths, and become more informed about a topic one has chosen to be involved in.

Great book, fun to listen to, very informative.

I am in law enforcement and carry a Glock every day, both on and off duty. Listing to this book was very fun, exciting, informative and relevant. Well worth the time and I am glad I listened to the book.

Very good narrator as well. Easy to listen to.

excellent look into the gun world

very good story of the rise of glock and other gun companies. excellent book !

Excellent Story of a Great Pistol

The story not many know. How the market was manipulated by Glock to take over the world.

Very impressive, informative, not political

What did you like best about this story?

The author does a very good job of not taking sides. He doesn't portray gun enthusiasts as nuts, nor does he display anti-gunners as extremists. He is down on the NRA but I agree with some of his criticisms. He picks one of the most respected experts, Massad Ayoob, and spends a lot of time with him learning what self defense is all about. I do not agree with many of his suggestions or conclusions at the end of the book but they are not presented in a hostile or argumentative manner. All in all he has navigated a minefield skillfully. He clearly wanted to present as truthful a history of the Glock firearms as he could, and it would be impossible without putting it in the context of gun culture. A very, very difficult thing to pull off without sounding partisan. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to hear the facts, not just someone who agrees with their point of view.

What about Kiff VandenHeuvel’s performance did you like?

The performance was businesslike and professional. The subject is such a potential minefield, it would be easy to detract from the character of the book, and Mr. VandenHeuvel does a very good job.

Any additional comments?

Remarkable from many aspects. I learned a lot. This is more about people than firearms, and that's what matters.