Nelson DeMille's best-selling thrillers can be complicated. In many of his books -- from The General's Daughter (1992) to Night Fall (2004) -- DeMille's gutsy, wisecracking heroes must navigate a perplexing web of deceit, duplicity, and danger to uncover the truth.

DeMille's politics, on the other hand, are straightforward. When asked in a January 12, 2000 interview with Newsday about his political beliefs, the #1 best-selling author flatly declared that he was a "libertarian." He added, "I think there's a strong libertarian movement toward smaller government."

At first glance, these comments may be surprising, since DeMille's novels are not overtly political nor explicitly libertarian. But look a little closer. Many of DeMille's books display a libertarian cynicism about politicians and government. For example, Night Fall -- inspired by the true story of TWA Flight 800, which exploded off Long island in 1996 -- theorizes that high-level government officials conspired to cover up the true cause of that tragedy. And as critic Supriya Chaudhuri has noted, the protagonists in DeMille's books must frequently deal with "political masters" who are "utterly ruthless, have no respect for human life, and...are both stupid and devious."

So maybe DeMille's libertarianism isn't unexpected -- especially after you see his list of "10 favorite books," compiled for Barnes and Noble in 2004. Included are two of the 20th century's most famous dystopian novels about the dangers of all-powerful governments (1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley), and one novel that mocks the futility of war (Catch-22 by Joseph Heller).

Here's another clue: according to DeMille, the book that "most influenced" his life is Atlas Shrugged. Talking about Ayn Rand's magnum opus, he told Barnes and Noble: "I read this book in college, as many of my generation did, and I was surprised to discover that it said things about our world and our society that I thought only I had been thinking about... It was a relief to discover that there was an existing philosophy that spoke to my half-formed beliefs and observations."

Okay, case closed. But don't expect to ever find DeMille's name on the ballot as a libertarian candidate. To get elected to public office, he told Newsday, you have to "compromise yourself" -- and writers and actors who get involved in politics tend to "make idiots out of themselves."

Besides, why would DeMille leave his current job? He's one of the country's most popular authors, and his books have sold more than 30 million copies. One of them, The General's Daughter, was also made into a hugely successful 1999 movie starring John Travolta.

DeMille, who writes his books on yellow legal pads with a #1 pencil, has also published By the Rivers of Babylon (1978), Mayday, with Thomas Block (1978), Cathedral (1981), The Talbot Odyssey (1984), Word of Honor (1985), The Charm School (1988), The Gold Coast (1990), Spencerville (1994), Plum Island (1997), The Lion's Game (2000), and Up Country (2002). In 2004, he edited The Best American Mystery Stories 2004 (with Otto Penzler).

Over the years, DeMille has earned critical praise as one of the best thriller writers in America. The Denver Post wrote: "In the rarefied world of the intelligent thriller, authors just don't get any better than Nelson DeMille." The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called him "a first-rate writer," while the Los Angeles Features Syndicate said DeMille is a "brilliant storyteller."

DeMille served in the U.S. Army from 1966-1969 and saw combat as an infantry platoon leader in Vietnam. After returning, he earned a degree in Political Science and History and then worked as an insurance fraud investigator. In the early 1970s, he wrote five police detective novels under the pseudonym Jack Cannon, before starting to publish more ambitious books under his own name in 1978. DeMille is a member of The Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America, and American Mensa.

-- Bill Winter

Quotable

"[I'm a] libertarian. I think there's a strong libertarian movement toward smaller government." -- Nelson DeMille in Newsday, January 12, 2000

Books & Tapes

To purchase books and tapes about or by this Libertarian Celebrity, search the world's best selection of books 
on liberty at Laissez Faire Books. For books or tapes that are not about liberty, search the vast resources at Amazon Books.