First published 2012
Paul Barrett traces how an obscure Austrian curtain rod manufacturer named Gaston Glock transformed American gun culture in 1982. Drawing from fifteen years of research, Barrett chronicles the pistol's journey from Austrian army adoption to dominating two thirds of U.S. police departments. The lightweight plastic frame weapon arrived precisely when law enforcement agencies realized their six round revolvers left officers outgunned by drug dealers carrying semi automatics. Despite firearm salesman Karl Water's initial reaction that the gun looked ugly, its advantages became clear. The Glock could fire seventeen bullets without reloading, survived extreme conditions like underwater drops and helicopter tosses, and cost less to manufacture than Smith and Wesson revolvers. Barrett weaves together corporate maneuvering, political intrigue, Hollywood glamorization, and violent confrontations, including an assassination attempt on Glock himself by a former associate. The narrative reveals both the company's marketing strategies to police agencies and civilians, and the broader transformation of American gun culture around this Austrian innovation.
Genres: history, 20th-century, business, crime, action, non-fiction, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: corporate-corruption, rags-to-riches, underdog-story
Setting: Austria, United States
Period: 1982, 20th Century
291 pages · Hardcover · Crown