Dr.Mall Ninja
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Me too.
Paul Barrett’s: Glock, The Rise of America’s Gun
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Paul Barrett
Member
Libraries
I'm a huge fan of them. Please do make sure your local library orders a copy of my book, and then go read it there.
At the same time, I'm both amused and slightly alarmed by the suggestion that several people have made that they would not want to "contribute money" to an author of a book that might be worth reading but with which they might have some disagreements (maybe...who knows? ... they haven't read it yet, after all). It's a free country, and you shouldn't buy anything you don't want to buy. I'm certainly not pleading for the couple of bucks in royalties I make from the sale of each copy of the hard cover. But how would a society produce a diversity of viewpoints and investigative enterprises if everyone thought that way? I, for one, am glad to pay for both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The journalists at both papers are working hard and doing a good job, even if the papers have differing ideological profiles. I spent 18 years working on staff at the Journal, and I have contributed many articles to the the Times, so I know they are both worth supporting. As a reader, I trust myself to draw my own conclusions. I don't see people I may disagree with on some issues as the enemy. All that said, thanks for going to the local library and asking for GLOCK.
Onward.
I'm a huge fan of them. Please do make sure your local library orders a copy of my book, and then go read it there.
At the same time, I'm both amused and slightly alarmed by the suggestion that several people have made that they would not want to "contribute money" to an author of a book that might be worth reading but with which they might have some disagreements (maybe...who knows? ... they haven't read it yet, after all). It's a free country, and you shouldn't buy anything you don't want to buy. I'm certainly not pleading for the couple of bucks in royalties I make from the sale of each copy of the hard cover. But how would a society produce a diversity of viewpoints and investigative enterprises if everyone thought that way? I, for one, am glad to pay for both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The journalists at both papers are working hard and doing a good job, even if the papers have differing ideological profiles. I spent 18 years working on staff at the Journal, and I have contributed many articles to the the Times, so I know they are both worth supporting. As a reader, I trust myself to draw my own conclusions. I don't see people I may disagree with on some issues as the enemy. All that said, thanks for going to the local library and asking for GLOCK.
Onward.
Doors
Member
My Review of Glock, The Rise of America’s Gun
I didn't know where else to post this. I met Paul on Twitter and he gave me a review copy to read and I thought I would share my review with you guys.
Glock: The Rise of America's Gun is not the work of a Glock fanboy like many of these gun books are. It is the gun version of Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World. Of course it is an historically-accurate representation of the life and times of Gaston Glock and everything GLOCK, Inc., and its line of handguns.
It is also a complete history of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, a history of gun-related politics and policies, and also a very accurate and sober portrayal of America's love for and of guns.
In the same way you read Cod even though you're not into fish or fishing, you really should read Glock. If you're anti-gun, you'll learn both about the culture of firearms in America and how powerfull and intelligent -- savvy -- a force your enemy really is. If you're pro-gun, the Glock revolution will blow your mind, especially in contrast with how pathetically every gun manufacturer in the world performed against GLOCK, especially poor Smith & Wesson, a company that watched as GLOCK came in and single-handedly replaced every .38 Special revolver in every police station in America with not only a high-capacity, semi-automatic, magazine-fed pistol, but with a Glock 17.
I can keep on going. Each story is more amazing than the next. The chutzpah of Gaston Glock is only bettered by the cajones of his right hand man during the early days in Atlanta, Mr. Karl Walter, a man who turned the conservative and serious world of arms sales and arms dealing in America into a discoteque, into a circus, into a strip club, into a world of Hollywood action flicks, rap music videos, and an army of Glock devotees that is only bettered by those mad men and women who are obsessed with their 1911.
Let me explain why I know so much about this book and it's not even out yet. Well, I read an advanced Gally copy of the book. On November 4th, Paul Barrett contacted me to review his upcoming book, Glock: The Rise of America's Gun. He chose me because I guess I am pretty open about both my gun ownership and my attraction to Glocks. Though I have only been shooting for a year, I already have a pretty nice collection of three Glock handguns: a Generation 3 Glock 23 in .40 S&W, a 9mm First Generation Glock 17 -- the original -- a retiree from the DC police department, and my Generation 4 Glock 26, my Baby Glock, in 9mm.
So, in an exemplary blogger outreach campaign, Mr, Barrett sent me a Galley copy to read. And I read it. I consumed it and was mesmerized. I was mesmerized by how much I didn't know about these United States, about gun legislation, about gun bans and bans on high-capacity magazines. I was flabbergasted by the loopholes in these bans that were so big you could taxi a 747 through them,
I was not mesmerized by the typical fanboy depiction of their favorite gun and gun maker, I was mesmerized by a book writen by a in investigative journalist who dig into the GLOCK empire, and its ripple effects on not just Law Enforcement but popular culture, rap music, politics, television, and hundreds of movies.
I really didn't know anything about the history of firearms in America or how they're sourced and have been banned; how they're imported -- or, rather, sourced and then assembled -- and how they're marketed and sold.
And that's not even scratching the surface of all that is GLOCK, Inc, and its illustrious founder, Gaston Glock, an Austrian nerd who ended up developing, designing, and producing the most iconic pistol since the Colt 1911:
If you liked Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World, Salt: A World History, The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell, Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World, or Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, you'll love Glock: The Rise of America's Gun by Paul M. Barrett.
NOTE: I removed quotes and excerpts because I know folks are funny about copyright. If you want to read the whole thing, it is on my personal blog
I didn't know where else to post this. I met Paul on Twitter and he gave me a review copy to read and I thought I would share my review with you guys.
Glock: The Rise of America's Gun is not the work of a Glock fanboy like many of these gun books are. It is the gun version of Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World. Of course it is an historically-accurate representation of the life and times of Gaston Glock and everything GLOCK, Inc., and its line of handguns.
It is also a complete history of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, a history of gun-related politics and policies, and also a very accurate and sober portrayal of America's love for and of guns.
In the same way you read Cod even though you're not into fish or fishing, you really should read Glock. If you're anti-gun, you'll learn both about the culture of firearms in America and how powerfull and intelligent -- savvy -- a force your enemy really is. If you're pro-gun, the Glock revolution will blow your mind, especially in contrast with how pathetically every gun manufacturer in the world performed against GLOCK, especially poor Smith & Wesson, a company that watched as GLOCK came in and single-handedly replaced every .38 Special revolver in every police station in America with not only a high-capacity, semi-automatic, magazine-fed pistol, but with a Glock 17.
I can keep on going. Each story is more amazing than the next. The chutzpah of Gaston Glock is only bettered by the cajones of his right hand man during the early days in Atlanta, Mr. Karl Walter, a man who turned the conservative and serious world of arms sales and arms dealing in America into a discoteque, into a circus, into a strip club, into a world of Hollywood action flicks, rap music videos, and an army of Glock devotees that is only bettered by those mad men and women who are obsessed with their 1911.
Let me explain why I know so much about this book and it's not even out yet. Well, I read an advanced Gally copy of the book. On November 4th, Paul Barrett contacted me to review his upcoming book, Glock: The Rise of America's Gun. He chose me because I guess I am pretty open about both my gun ownership and my attraction to Glocks. Though I have only been shooting for a year, I already have a pretty nice collection of three Glock handguns: a Generation 3 Glock 23 in .40 S&W, a 9mm First Generation Glock 17 -- the original -- a retiree from the DC police department, and my Generation 4 Glock 26, my Baby Glock, in 9mm.
So, in an exemplary blogger outreach campaign, Mr, Barrett sent me a Galley copy to read. And I read it. I consumed it and was mesmerized. I was mesmerized by how much I didn't know about these United States, about gun legislation, about gun bans and bans on high-capacity magazines. I was flabbergasted by the loopholes in these bans that were so big you could taxi a 747 through them,
I was not mesmerized by the typical fanboy depiction of their favorite gun and gun maker, I was mesmerized by a book writen by a in investigative journalist who dig into the GLOCK empire, and its ripple effects on not just Law Enforcement but popular culture, rap music, politics, television, and hundreds of movies.
I really didn't know anything about the history of firearms in America or how they're sourced and have been banned; how they're imported -- or, rather, sourced and then assembled -- and how they're marketed and sold.
And that's not even scratching the surface of all that is GLOCK, Inc, and its illustrious founder, Gaston Glock, an Austrian nerd who ended up developing, designing, and producing the most iconic pistol since the Colt 1911:
If you liked Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World, Salt: A World History, The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell, Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World, or Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, you'll love Glock: The Rise of America's Gun by Paul M. Barrett.
NOTE: I removed quotes and excerpts because I know folks are funny about copyright. If you want to read the whole thing, it is on my personal blog
Paul Barrett
Member
Doors
Member
Very exciting. I can't wait to see you on the Colbert Report and hopefully on the Daily Show -- it seems like these two guys would be a perfect match for the book. Do you already know what your press schedule is? I know I would like to see your interviews on TV or listen on the radio. I could imagine you talking to Terry Gross on Fresh Air. Maybe some time with George Noory on Coast to Coast AM?
Paul Barrett
Member
Media appearances and book party invites
Hi, I'm the author of GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun.
In answer to the question about media appearances, I'm booked on the following NPR national shows (dates and times to follow): Fresh Air with Teri Gross, Tell Me More with Michel Martin, Marketplace, and The Takeaway with John Hochenberry. On Sunday, Jan 15, at 3pm, I'll be on Gun Talk Radio with Tom Gresham. I'm also going to participate in an authors' forum at SHOT Show in Las Vegas January 19 (sponsored by 5.11 Tactical). Lots of good stuff, and I'll post more info when the calendar is complete in a few days. You can also check my website for updates: www.glockthebook.com.
Meanwhile, I'm eager to discuss the book online. And you can order it at a nice discount for delivery Jan 10 here:
http://www.amazon.com/Glock-America...=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308165826&sr=1-6
I'd also like to invite members of this web forum to upcoming book parties -- one in New York and one in Washington DC.
Jan 10 (Tues) @ 7pm at Book Court, 163 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY (in the heart of Cobble Hill)
AND
Feb 4 (Sat) @ 6 pm at Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington DC
Friends, colleagues, and readers right off the street will be gathering to discuss GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun and lift a glass and have nosh. Please join Julie and me and all our wonderful pals at these two outstanding independent book stores.
All best & Happy New Year,
Paul Barrett
Author, GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun
Hi, I'm the author of GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun.
In answer to the question about media appearances, I'm booked on the following NPR national shows (dates and times to follow): Fresh Air with Teri Gross, Tell Me More with Michel Martin, Marketplace, and The Takeaway with John Hochenberry. On Sunday, Jan 15, at 3pm, I'll be on Gun Talk Radio with Tom Gresham. I'm also going to participate in an authors' forum at SHOT Show in Las Vegas January 19 (sponsored by 5.11 Tactical). Lots of good stuff, and I'll post more info when the calendar is complete in a few days. You can also check my website for updates: www.glockthebook.com.
Meanwhile, I'm eager to discuss the book online. And you can order it at a nice discount for delivery Jan 10 here:
http://www.amazon.com/Glock-America...=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308165826&sr=1-6
I'd also like to invite members of this web forum to upcoming book parties -- one in New York and one in Washington DC.
Jan 10 (Tues) @ 7pm at Book Court, 163 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY (in the heart of Cobble Hill)
AND
Feb 4 (Sat) @ 6 pm at Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington DC
Friends, colleagues, and readers right off the street will be gathering to discuss GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun and lift a glass and have nosh. Please join Julie and me and all our wonderful pals at these two outstanding independent book stores.
All best & Happy New Year,
Paul Barrett
Author, GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun
FIVETWOSEVEN
Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2009
- Messages
- 5,146
1911 is still America's gun, I've seen far more 1911s then Glocks at the shooting range. You can keep that unergonomic Block, I'll take my XD over it.
Paul Barrett
Member
How to get a signed copy of new GLOCK book
Thanks for asking about getting a signed copy of my new book about GLOCK.
One way to do this is to come to one of my live book events. The first one is January 10 (Tues) @ 7pm at Book Court, a lovely store in the Cobble Hill Section of Brooklyn. The street address is 163 Court Street. All welcome.
If you're going to SHOT Show in Las Vegas, I will participate in an authors' forum sponsored by 5.11 Tactical on Thursday January 19 at 2:30pm in the Venetian Hotel. Details will be available at the show.
If you're not traveling but are determined to get my name scribbled in your book -- and God bless you for your enthusiasm! -- we can arrange to do this long distance. Send me an email at [email protected] with your US mail address. I'll email you back with the details. You'll end up paying no more than what you'd pay at Barnes & Noble (about $26 list).
The least expensive and fastest way to get a copy of GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun is to click over to Amazon.com right now and "pre-order" at the 40% discount they're offering. They will deliver Jan 10, the official pub date. That won't have my signature, but you'll save a few bucks.
Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Glock-Americas-Paul-M-Barrett/dp/0307719936
Thanks for your interest and for reading!
All best,
Paul Barrett
www.glockthebook.com
Thanks for asking about getting a signed copy of my new book about GLOCK.
One way to do this is to come to one of my live book events. The first one is January 10 (Tues) @ 7pm at Book Court, a lovely store in the Cobble Hill Section of Brooklyn. The street address is 163 Court Street. All welcome.
If you're going to SHOT Show in Las Vegas, I will participate in an authors' forum sponsored by 5.11 Tactical on Thursday January 19 at 2:30pm in the Venetian Hotel. Details will be available at the show.
If you're not traveling but are determined to get my name scribbled in your book -- and God bless you for your enthusiasm! -- we can arrange to do this long distance. Send me an email at [email protected] with your US mail address. I'll email you back with the details. You'll end up paying no more than what you'd pay at Barnes & Noble (about $26 list).
The least expensive and fastest way to get a copy of GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun is to click over to Amazon.com right now and "pre-order" at the 40% discount they're offering. They will deliver Jan 10, the official pub date. That won't have my signature, but you'll save a few bucks.
Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Glock-Americas-Paul-M-Barrett/dp/0307719936
Thanks for your interest and for reading!
All best,
Paul Barrett
www.glockthebook.com
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Paul Barrett
Member
Acknowledging that GLOCK is a phenomenon worth understanding does not require you to renounce your loyalty to the 1911! Read GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun to find out why. The "simple gun for simple people" line strikes me as gratuitously snarky. No one is questioning the contributions that the 1911 has made, nor its continued popularity. Onward! -- Paul Barrett, Author, GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun
Ragnar Danneskjold
Member
American sales made Glock the company they are today. Most police departments use them, they are one of the very few guns cited by name in music and movies, and the average American who knows nothing of guns can tell you what a Glock is if asked. The same cannot be said of the 1911 or any other pistol. Calling Glock America's gun is not a stretch. The year is 2011, not 1911. Times change.
FIVETWOSEVEN
Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2009
- Messages
- 5,146
I don't even own a 1911. Glocks did start selling fast but now more companies are putting out their own poly pistols and people are buying those as well. Calling something like Glock as America's gun doesn't seem right. It should be the gun that other countries identify us with.
Ragnar Danneskjold
Member
What's something that most cities, counties, and states in the entire country have, who buy guns by the shipping container? Police departments. Most of them use Glock. That's a pretty big drop on the bucket, and it certainly outweighs a 100 year old pistol the single biggest buyer (the US military) hasn't used for 20 something years.
Baba Louie
Member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2002
- Messages
- 3,831
Good on ya Paul.
One heck of a story to be told truthfully. Looking forward to reading it. As Chivers did with the AK story in THE GUN, I'm sure your book will illuminate the "passion" (both pos & neg?) that came about due to Herr Glock's 17th patent design.
Simply reading the comments here and on other boards concerning this announcement, is illuminating unto itself, in a manner of speaking.
Now if someone would only write the simple story of Cerberus' or Freedom Group buying up arms and ammo makers left and right recently, putting it into context we can either understand from a financial POV or from a 2A POV (USA centric?), good, bad or ugly... is it a horrible conspiracy to (gasp) have Corporate America running the show putting all the eggs in one basket? (Yes I read your piece at BBW last year)
Any way, looking forward to your "G" book to add to the collection.
One heck of a story to be told truthfully. Looking forward to reading it. As Chivers did with the AK story in THE GUN, I'm sure your book will illuminate the "passion" (both pos & neg?) that came about due to Herr Glock's 17th patent design.
Simply reading the comments here and on other boards concerning this announcement, is illuminating unto itself, in a manner of speaking.
Now if someone would only write the simple story of Cerberus' or Freedom Group buying up arms and ammo makers left and right recently, putting it into context we can either understand from a financial POV or from a 2A POV (USA centric?), good, bad or ugly... is it a horrible conspiracy to (gasp) have Corporate America running the show putting all the eggs in one basket? (Yes I read your piece at BBW last year)
Any way, looking forward to your "G" book to add to the collection.
FIVETWOSEVEN
Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2009
- Messages
- 5,146
Turning in your old duty gear to buy a new Glock at around $150 is really economical and PDs jump on it.
Paul Barrett
Member
Baba Louie:Good on ya Paul.
One heck of a story to be told truthfully. Looking forward to reading it. As Chivers did with the AK story in THE GUN, I'm sure your book will illuminate the "passion" (both pos & neg?) that came about due to Herr Glock's 17th patent design.
Simply reading the comments here and on other boards concerning this announcement, is illuminating unto itself, in a manner of speaking.
Now if someone would only write the simple story of Cerberus' or Freedom Group buying up arms and ammo makers left and right recently, putting it into context we can either understand from a financial POV or from a 2A POV (USA centric?), good, bad or ugly... is it a horrible conspiracy to (gasp) have Corporate America running the show putting all the eggs in one basket? (Yes I read your piece at BBW last year)
Any way, looking forward to your "G" book to add to the collection.
I can shed some light on the Cerberus roll-up in the gun industry. I've written about the situation for Bloomberg Businessweek (yes, that Bloomberg...2A people may not like Mayor Mike, my employer, but he owns the best business magazine on the planet). Here are articles:
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_33/b4191041673261.htm
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_45/b4202025114499.htm
Beyond those two articles, I can say that I don't see any corporate conspiracy to round up the gun industry and do it harm. (There's been a laughable rumor in gun circles about George Soros being behind Freedom Group. Uh, no, Soros has nothing to do with Cerberus -- just because they're big Wall Street players does not make them the same entity.) Cerberus thought it saw an opportunity to buy a bunch of small companies (a roll-up) and squeeze out costs (layoffs, factory shut-downs) and then sell the whole thing off in an IPO. So far, the IPO has not happened, suggesting that this has not been a rewarding investment to date for Cerberus. But who knows? Freedom Group has not been terribly forthcoming. I do know there have been layoffs.
All best,
Paul Barrett
www.glockthebook.com
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Paul Barrett
Member
NRA's Mark Keefe IV reviews GLOCK book
Mark Keefe IV, editor of American Rifleman, in today's Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/enter...paul-barrett/2011/12/15/gIQAAwQUEQ_story.html
Mark Keefe IV, editor of American Rifleman, in today's Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/enter...paul-barrett/2011/12/15/gIQAAwQUEQ_story.html
bergmen
Member.
I just finished the book...
...yesterday. It is still soaking in and I am letting everything settle a bit before doing any sort of comprehensive post on the book.
I will say, however, that in my opinion Paul is an exceptional author and the book is very well written. It is obvous that a tremendous amount of research went into the composition of the book and the book does an outstanding job of pulling highly diverse subject matters together to portay a very complex subject in terms that allow the reader to connect the dots in a fairly straghtforward manner.
Incidentally, Paul's views of the NRA throughout the book parallel my own very closely. Even as a life member, I have concerns about their approach to RKBA. I don't need to elaborate here other than to indicate that I think Paul is right on the mark.
I began to get concerned when I got a few pages into chapter 19 "The Impact of the Austrian Pistol: Good for America?". I have a personal premise that I believe is important to consider when thinking of firearms and crime:
The possession of a firearm is not a causal factor in the commission of a gun related crime, it is supplemental and incidental to it.
It is specifically a matter of choice of the perpetrator to commit the crime, the firearm only being a tool to assist in facilitating the crime. Removing the gun from a murderous individual still leaves society with a murderous individual who can easily move to knives, baseball bats, claw hammers, machetes or any other inanimate object to threaten, kill or injure the victim.
Gun control laws only effect law abiding citizens since by the very nature of the acts of criminals, far more serious laws are already at risk of being broken when lethal force is being applied or contemplated. How can a mere gun control law be any sort of a deterrent?
Gun control laws are indicators of the implicit mistrust by the government of law abiding citizens since the lawless will not abide by them anyway.
It is impossible to control the actions of individuals by attempting to control inanimate objects that are incidental to the commission of lethal crimes. The result of draconian laws (such as those in Chicago or New York City) have the adverse effect of a disarmed law abiding populace providing a landscape of defenseless victims that cannot fight back in the face of lethal threats.
High capacity magazines and the firearms that use them should not be indicted as a facilitator of highly publicised mass killings by crazed perpetrators. It is the nutcase pulling the trigger that is the only causal factor in these crimes.
There is far more to this than what I have described here but the foundation of this premise is important in light of the roll of weapons in lethal crimes.
Dan
...yesterday. It is still soaking in and I am letting everything settle a bit before doing any sort of comprehensive post on the book.
I will say, however, that in my opinion Paul is an exceptional author and the book is very well written. It is obvous that a tremendous amount of research went into the composition of the book and the book does an outstanding job of pulling highly diverse subject matters together to portay a very complex subject in terms that allow the reader to connect the dots in a fairly straghtforward manner.
Incidentally, Paul's views of the NRA throughout the book parallel my own very closely. Even as a life member, I have concerns about their approach to RKBA. I don't need to elaborate here other than to indicate that I think Paul is right on the mark.
I began to get concerned when I got a few pages into chapter 19 "The Impact of the Austrian Pistol: Good for America?". I have a personal premise that I believe is important to consider when thinking of firearms and crime:
The possession of a firearm is not a causal factor in the commission of a gun related crime, it is supplemental and incidental to it.
It is specifically a matter of choice of the perpetrator to commit the crime, the firearm only being a tool to assist in facilitating the crime. Removing the gun from a murderous individual still leaves society with a murderous individual who can easily move to knives, baseball bats, claw hammers, machetes or any other inanimate object to threaten, kill or injure the victim.
Gun control laws only effect law abiding citizens since by the very nature of the acts of criminals, far more serious laws are already at risk of being broken when lethal force is being applied or contemplated. How can a mere gun control law be any sort of a deterrent?
Gun control laws are indicators of the implicit mistrust by the government of law abiding citizens since the lawless will not abide by them anyway.
It is impossible to control the actions of individuals by attempting to control inanimate objects that are incidental to the commission of lethal crimes. The result of draconian laws (such as those in Chicago or New York City) have the adverse effect of a disarmed law abiding populace providing a landscape of defenseless victims that cannot fight back in the face of lethal threats.
High capacity magazines and the firearms that use them should not be indicted as a facilitator of highly publicised mass killings by crazed perpetrators. It is the nutcase pulling the trigger that is the only causal factor in these crimes.
There is far more to this than what I have described here but the foundation of this premise is important in light of the roll of weapons in lethal crimes.
Dan
FIVETWOSEVEN
Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2009
- Messages
- 5,146
Like the Marine Expeditionary Unit? Oh wait, they use Kimber 1911s designated the M45. That is their issue sidearm. I've seen a few departments replace their Glocks with something else. As I recall, the NH State Police used Glocks for a few years and then replaced them with the S&W M&P.
Fishslayer
Member
Indeed...
NinjaFeint
Member
Late to the party, I just grabbed it on my Kindle. Time to read
Ragnar Danneskjold
Member
Actually, it's just their Force Recon guys that use the M45. That's few hundred M45s to the hundreds of thousands+ M9s that are issued to the rest of the regular US military. If you were trying to make a point about the popularity of the 1911 in the current US military, I think you missed it.
RoyRogers
Member
I purchased the hardcover through Amazon last week. The author reveals his unenlightened bias toward disarming Americans. Also disappointing is his failure to include photos and diagrams, with the exception of a single drawing of a pistol--lazy writing.
Paul Barrett
Member
Author of GLOCK book responds
First, thank you all, again, for your interest in the book and your (mostly) thoughtful comments.
In reverse order...
The notion that I favor disarming anyone (other than criminals and the insane) simply cannot be derived from my book, GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun. That's a smear, pure and simple, one beneath the generally high standards of this website.
Bergmen's long post strikes me as well worth discussion. I appreciate his positive assessment of the book, of course. Thank you. I am intrigued that a Life Member of NRA shares my generally skeptical view of NRA. The question of whether NRA best serves the interests of gun owners with its never-ending culture war is well worth discussing. I am not suggesting that everything NRA says is wrong. The organization's focus on criminals, rather than the tools criminals use, deserves respect. Crime is the main problem, not guns. But I am often struck that so many intelligent gun owners fail to ask whether NRA's perpetual state of panic may be more of a cynical fundraising technique than a serious assessment of political and social reality. In any event, it's a complex topic, and one that deserves calm discussion among people who are not afraid to disagree on some points so that they might find common ground on others.
Btw, I highly recommend a review of my book published in the Washington Post and written by NRA's Mark Keefe IV, editor-in-chief of American Rifleman, NRA's flagship publication. Here's a link --
http://www.washingtonpost.com/enter...paul-barrett/2011/12/15/gIQAAwQUEQ_story.html
In the spirit of civil discourse, all the best...
Paul Barrett
Author, GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun
First, thank you all, again, for your interest in the book and your (mostly) thoughtful comments.
In reverse order...
The notion that I favor disarming anyone (other than criminals and the insane) simply cannot be derived from my book, GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun. That's a smear, pure and simple, one beneath the generally high standards of this website.
Bergmen's long post strikes me as well worth discussion. I appreciate his positive assessment of the book, of course. Thank you. I am intrigued that a Life Member of NRA shares my generally skeptical view of NRA. The question of whether NRA best serves the interests of gun owners with its never-ending culture war is well worth discussing. I am not suggesting that everything NRA says is wrong. The organization's focus on criminals, rather than the tools criminals use, deserves respect. Crime is the main problem, not guns. But I am often struck that so many intelligent gun owners fail to ask whether NRA's perpetual state of panic may be more of a cynical fundraising technique than a serious assessment of political and social reality. In any event, it's a complex topic, and one that deserves calm discussion among people who are not afraid to disagree on some points so that they might find common ground on others.
Btw, I highly recommend a review of my book published in the Washington Post and written by NRA's Mark Keefe IV, editor-in-chief of American Rifleman, NRA's flagship publication. Here's a link --
http://www.washingtonpost.com/enter...paul-barrett/2011/12/15/gIQAAwQUEQ_story.html
In the spirit of civil discourse, all the best...
Paul Barrett
Author, GLOCK: The Rise of America's Gun
Mr. Barrett:
The way you phrase your skepticism of the NRA depicts a negative bias that can easily be translated by some as a desire for disarmament. After all, the NRA is our ultimate defender for the right to bear arms. Your short tenure on this forum to promote your book does not entitle you to cite the “high standards” of the forum to chastise a member’s opinion for whom you disagree.
I point to two sentences in your post for illustration: “The question of whether NRA best serves the interests of gun owners with its NEVER-ENDING CULTURE WAR is well worth discussing.” “But I am often struck that so many intelligent gun owners fail to ask whether NRA's PERPETUAL STATE OF PANIC may be more of a CYNICAL FUNDRAISING TECHNIQUE than a serious assessment of political and social reality.” Loading your queries in a negative light and then asking for a calm discussion is oxymoronic.
Fact is, America is in a culture war and there is no leadership to bring us together. The standing ovations the Gingrich received last week is symptomatic of the frustration and anger over the direction America is taking. The actions evoked by the NRA are a “serious assessment of political and social reality”. I am surprised a man of your intellect can not see this.
The way you phrase your skepticism of the NRA depicts a negative bias that can easily be translated by some as a desire for disarmament. After all, the NRA is our ultimate defender for the right to bear arms. Your short tenure on this forum to promote your book does not entitle you to cite the “high standards” of the forum to chastise a member’s opinion for whom you disagree.
I point to two sentences in your post for illustration: “The question of whether NRA best serves the interests of gun owners with its NEVER-ENDING CULTURE WAR is well worth discussing.” “But I am often struck that so many intelligent gun owners fail to ask whether NRA's PERPETUAL STATE OF PANIC may be more of a CYNICAL FUNDRAISING TECHNIQUE than a serious assessment of political and social reality.” Loading your queries in a negative light and then asking for a calm discussion is oxymoronic.
Fact is, America is in a culture war and there is no leadership to bring us together. The standing ovations the Gingrich received last week is symptomatic of the frustration and anger over the direction America is taking. The actions evoked by the NRA are a “serious assessment of political and social reality”. I am surprised a man of your intellect can not see this.
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