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.)

Amazing to take a look "inside"

Great story on the history of such a significant and historic firearm. Bit of a roller coaster as well which was enjoyable.

The gun the changed America

Would you consider the audio edition of Glock to be better than the print version?

Glock is a book about the maker of the gun as much as the gun itself. The story goes into great detail of the genius of the American marketer and how he was treated by Goustov Glock and the politics of the time when the Glock replaced the Smith and Wesson revolver.
The gun really does shine as a unique weapon among the tried and true revolver and the other semi auto revolvers.
The author covers every issue this gun was involved in including the corporations ability to move from country to country to skirt tax laws, the NRA hard lines, the gun control lobby fear tactics, the governments weak gun laws, and the lawsuits from gun owners who accidentally shoot themselves and expect to be compensated.
I really enjoyed the research and conclusions drawn by the author who also revealed his own feelings towards gun control, safety, training and necessity.

Fantastic!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! Fantastic recount of the birth of one of the greatest pistols ever created.

What did you like best about this story?

It doesn't read like a documentary. It really tells a story alongside offering all the information you could ever ask for about Glock.

Which scene was your favorite?

Every chapter is fantastic.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! It was difficult to have to take a break.

Any additional comments?

I would recommend this to anyone who is a Glock enthusiast or anyone who is interested in handguns. I will be listening to it again, I'm sure!

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Would recommend and have recommended to any friend interested in pistol shooting and/or a Glock owner. Fascinating look into the unlikely success of the Austrian pistol manufacturer in the US.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mr. Glock himself, as he apparently metamorphosed from an affable, trustworthy middle-income geek & factory manager (as well as unexpectantly brilliant first-time pistol designer) to an awkward, arrogant billionaire and foolishly prejudicial misogynist, losing control of his nouveau-riche hubris. The transformation as depicted in Barrett???s book is breathtakingly mind-boggling.

What about Kiff VandenHeuvel???s performance did you like?

Well-spoken, authoritative and convincing voice. He gives the listener the impression he wrote the author???s prose himself lending extra credibility to Barrett???s words.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

It invaded. It killed. It conquered. Glock: America's Gun.

Great look at gun history of Glock

The liberal author keeps the book bias-free until the last 25% where he goes into gun banning and hating the NRA. I'd say that's better than average. Narrator did a great job and the writing was engaging.

Everyone should hear this

What did you love best about Glock?

I don't even own a weapon, but I had to hear the Glock story. Funny, spell check in this review does not recognize Glock! Hilarious.

Fascinating!

As a firearms enthusiasts and a lover of Glock handguns, I found the detailed history of the firearm and its invention fascinating. Not once did I feel bored by the story or find my mind drifting. This was actually my 2nd time through the audio book and I enjoyed it just as much the 2nd time as I did the first.

interesting look into glock.

lots of info. it did lack in the development of the glock though. would recommend

even if you don't own a Glock you should get this

this book on Glocks was informative was amazing and told the history of semi-automatic weapons that I never knew about but yet I own a Glock, and learn things from this book about clocks that I didn't think I would. it has a wealth of information for Glock owners or even would be Glock owners I totally recommend this book for anybody who really enjoys guns the history of guns and Glocks.

That’s a thriller not gun story “wow”

So many facts bring at light … the glock business story is way more interesting than mechanical story super short