Is Glenn Beck the new Oprah?

Oprah's book club ... Glenn Beck's promotion of books and their authors. The man some love to hate is a rising star to many wordsmiths who enjoy the benefit of his huge audience.

The New York Times wrote:

Virtually every novelist in America fantasizes about being picked to appear on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show. But now an increasing number of writers have discovered a new champion: Glenn Beck, the outspoken media darling of populist conservatism.

On his radio show and cable television programs, first on CNN Headline News and now on the Fox News Channel, Mr. Beck has enthusiastically endorsed dozens of novelists, a majority of them writing in the thriller genre. Mr. Beck, who now attracts 9 million weekly listeners on radio and 2.7 million daily viewers on television, often selects authors whose plots or characters reflect political stances that mirror his own. But he also promotes the work of authors who may disagree with many of his views.

“He’s our Oprah,” said Brad Thor, a writer of political thrillers who has appeared on Mr. Beck’s radio and television programs several times. “God love him, we’re very fortunate.”

They went on to say:

While his focus is thrillers, Mr. Beck stands out among talk show hosts in that he regularly interviews authors who write fiction at all. “I think it’s an aspect of the show that maybe has flown under the radar because of some of the more controversial things that have taken place on the air,” said Daniel Silva, an author of spy thrillers. Mr. Beck, Mr. Silva said, “has provided a really unique venue for novelists to come and talk about their work on television.”

Proving he is not partisan in his book selections, Glenn Beck promotes authors of books he enjoys whether they are conservative or liberal.

He also engages with writers whose books may reflect political views divergent from his own. In a recent radio interview with Andrew Gross, the author of thrillers set among the wealthy families of Greenwich, Conn., Mr. Beck and the author talked about Mr. Gross’s latest novel, “Don’t Look Twice,” which features a plot twist involving political profiteering in Iraq.

“You’re on the liberal side of things, which is, you know, fine,” Mr. Beck said to Mr. Gross, before telling listeners that the book was “riveting.”

In a telephone interview Mr. Gross, who said Mr. Beck’s politics “don’t sit entirely well with me,” said he has been attacked by both conservatives and liberals for appearing on Mr. Beck’s show.

Glenn Beck ... the new Oprah. Who knew?