It's official.
Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto by
radio talk star Mark Levin is, as of today, officially that most
sought after of publishing achievements: a million books sold.
There are always two goals that exist in the fantasy world of a
publishers head: First is a book that sells a million copies,
second is a book that is certain to sell more than a million and
requires a printing larger than a million. Levin's book has
scored here as well, with 1.2 million now in print.
The announcement came from Louise Burke, Threshold Editions'
Executive Vice President and Publisher. Burke called Levin's
achievement "a rare publishing milestone."
Burke is correct about the milestone, since the book was
published barely six months ago and started out its debut already
in the number one slot of the New York Times bestseller list. It
spent 12 weeks there and is still in the top ten.
I
reviewed the book in the June issue of the
Spectator. This is without doubt the 21st century
version of Barry Goldwater's Conscience of a
Conservative, serving as what the publisher correctly calls
a "roadmap back" to the conservative movement's political roots.
What I enjoyed is that Levin really put in considerable work
translating the great basic texts of conservatism (Adam Smith,
Charles Montesquieu, John Locke, Edmund Burke) and related their
writings directly to the problems America is facing right now. If
you need a guidebook through the socialist swamp that is the Age
of Obama -- and well beyond that -- this is the necessary book.
The roadmap out.
What is particularly noteworthy is that this success comes
without the usual mainstream media attention that is accorded
liberal authors. As I have also noted in my "Media Malpractice"
article today, to this literal instant Levin has not been
invited on the usual round of network morning shows or profiled
in the Old Media papers with the exception of the
Philadelphia Inquirer.
There is a reason for this. What Levin has to say -- the book is
a clear enunciation of conservative principles -- absolutely
terrifies these people. People who are, as we all now have long
known, not impartial journalists but liberal activists
masquerading as journalists. The way Goldwater put it was that
these activists "had long held a monopoly on the information
flowing to the American people." And that was in 1961!
That monopoly is now gone. There is no more emphatic testament to
that than the fact that in spite of this media blackout,
Liberty and Tyranny as of this day is a million seller.
It is discussed on Fox. Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have had
Levin on their air to dissect the book in detail. The Internet is
flooded with conversations about this book.
As Glenn Beck talked with actor Jon Voight he casually asked what
Voight was reading, to which the actor's unhesitating reply was
"Mark Levin's book."
This is a moment that will surely cause some celebration in the
Levin clan. But for the rest of us this has a considerable
importance well beyond the knowledge a million Americans are
thumbing their way through this book. It is the realization so
many are learning, some for the first time, just why the
principles Levin discusses are important. The realization that
more and more people are understanding the impact of those
principles on the real world in which they live.
The publisher also announced, by the way, that they had signed
Levin up for another book. Mark Levin is on his way to becoming
the J.K. Rowling of conservatism.
Congratulations, Great One.
Now get off those damn laurels and get back to work!
