Then he saw the auburn haired girl in the break room and learned she worked in the mail room, even knew where his office was. When he offered to help she ignored him so Noah looked over her shoulder and read the flier’s carefully written calligraphy.
“We the People
If you love your country but fear for its future,
Join us for an evening of truth that will open your eyes.”
Guest speaker names, topics, date and time were included with an invite to bring a friend and “raise your voice for liberty.”
Noah noted Molly’s sarcasm at his request for more information, knowing she saw it for the ploy it was, but he continued.
She snapped, “All you PR people do is lie for a living…the truth is just another story to you.”
Instead of defending himself, he looked in her eyes, held out his hand and said, “I’m Noah.”
She looked him up and down, and said, “Molly Ross.”
Noah couldn’t know his life changed in that instant. He couldn’t know Molly’s persuasive patriotism, her passionate belief that the America she loved and believed in was about to be changed forever or that her beliefs would change him too. He couldn’t know he would be drawn into the same life-threatening web of conspiracy and deception that made her a patriot who “vowed to remember the past and fight for the future.”
Thus begins Beck’s debut political thriller, of love, political chicanery, conspiracy theorists and terrorists attack on the United States that could be ripped from today’s headlines. It’s only when Noah’s perceptions are changed that he can believe in Molly’s fears for the future.
Beck uses a technique called the “Overton Window” to demonstrate how easy it is to alter perceptions of what once was considered radical and move people’s beliefs from radical to acceptable through time and familiarity. The author states it this way, “Move the Window and you change the debate. Change the debate and you change the country.”
Beck’s plot is chilling, his character descriptions good, but his overall character and plot development was weak and left me with questions the book didn’t answer. For example, his father, Arthur Gardner, I wanted to learn why he was cold and distant toward his son. Or why he elevated his son to Vice President of a company Noah showed little interest in.
Still, reading The Overton Window reminded me of some elements in the classic story of Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, my all time favorite book. While Beck’s work isn’t nearly as complete, Rand’s work of fiction saw society collapse with the government’s increasing control of industry just as this author does. Mysterious John Galt, Rand’s central character, believed without the profit motive-capitalism-society would collapse. While Beck’s focus is on subtle change, from our founding fathers intent, to government, to politicians through use of the Overton Window.
Beck exposes a political machine in America with clear examples, but it’s through speeches and quotes instead of character and story. However, I recommend the Overton Window for the political and social insights that warn of our nation’s loss of freedoms through lack of attention and non-involvement.
