“This is not just a book – it is an event . . .”

Dear Reader,

The above statement was written by a Confessions of an Economic Hit Man reader, Rich Flanders, in a recent newsletter he sent to his network of contacts and colleagues.  Rich’s full quote is:

I decided to share my excitement about this with you because I feel this is not just a book – it is an event, with powerful cultural and political ramifications.  This book turns our understanding of history upside down, and I implore you to read it as soon as you possibly can.  The more people there are who are aware, the more easily change can be brought about.

Confessions has gone from a book that was too controversial to publish—and was rejected by more than a dozen of the largest mainstream publishing houses—to a book that has made it onto more than 20 different bestseller lists, including those of The New York Times, BookSense, Washington Post, Denver Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today.  It has appeared on the top 10 of nearly all of the bestseller lists, and it has been on some lists for as many as 14 weeks since its publication in November 2004.

The sales success of Confessions has been driven largely by people like Rich Flanders who have spread the word about it.  While the mainstream media in the U.S. have mostly stayed away from this book – as if it was too hot to handle – thousands of individuals have championed it on their websites, in messages to their email lists, on radio shows, and in gatherings all over the world.

Many hundreds of messages about this book have been posted on websites, sent to John Perkins, and shared with Berrett-Koehler.  As I have read scores of these messages, I have been struck by their common themes, which I believe help explain why this book has become such a huge grassroots phenomenon.

“This book changed my life.”

That has been the message of many readers.  Phillip Sego wrote in his online review, “In this past year, I’ve read many political books.  Each was well written, topical, and informative.  However, this book had more of an impact on me than all the others combined.”

“Now it all makes sense.”

This headline from an online review has been repeated over and over again in readers’ comments.  As Joanna Pallock remarked, Confessions “took the whole big picture and made it so clear how we got to where we are today based on 40+ years of imperial behavior.”  The most frequently repeated comment by readers is that “This book finally connects all the dots.”  As Jeffri Smith wrote, Confessions “seemed to tie together all the circumstances and events of the last fifty years into a seamless tapestry of clear vision and awareness.”

“An eye-opening, page-turning, intense reading experience.”

Many readers have reported on how they could not stop reading Confessions until they finished it.  Ellen Block wrote, “I’m mentally exhausted from reading Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.  I read it in 24 hours, practically non-stop.”

“Connects to my own experiences.”

Some readers have reported their own personal experiences around the world that mesh with John Perkins’ accounts.  For example, Mal Warwick writes, “Over the years, I have traveled in nearly 100 countries, and I have witnessed the fruits of the ill-conceived policies that John Perkins helped to promote as an Economic Hit Man.  I have spoken with hundreds of people who have learned, through bitter personal experience, the truth of his assertions.”  For many other readers, Confessions has helped them to understand in new ways what they have experienced and observed, to see how many everyday experiences are part of larger global patterns.

“I am passing on this book to everyone I know.”

This comment from one correspondent has been echoed hundreds of times.  Many people feel urgency and a mission to take action in response to this book, and the starting point is usually telling others about it.  “I’ve been recommending the Perkins book non-stop and am thrilled that it is creating such a magnificent furor,” writes Janet Thomas.  Many are posting their recommendations on online sites such as GlobalDialogueCenter.com and Amazon.com.  Tim Johnson writes on Amazon: “If you read no other book for the remainder of your life, read this one.  Every person alive deserves to know what is happening.”

We hope that you, too, will help spread the word about this book and bring its messages into conversations and public debates all over the world.  The area on this site called "What You Can Do" suggests many ways of doing so, which we hope will aid you in taking action.

Best regards,
Steven Piersanti
President and Publisher
Berrett-Koehler Publishers