Arthur Hailey "likes to write about things or places that touch almost everybody," editor Sam Vaughan told Ian James of the Associated Press in 2001. To many publishers such as Doubleday and Random House, Arthur Hailey was "the world's No. 1 storyteller." Arthur told Diane Copelon of the Associated Press in 1980, "I like to be timely. My wife calls me a 'newsoholic' because I follow the news very closely and I seem to have a sense of what is going to happen. Things I wrote about in 'The Moneychangers' (in 1975) – banking, money, hard currency – are all coming true at this moment (in January 1980). If anyone can find a formula in my books they're welcome to it. I write a profile of a segment of our times, complete with technology, which like it or not is a part of our lives."
After finished reading 'The Moneychangers', Sharon Roberts remarked, "Hailey always seems to come up with the right subject at the right time (particularly amazing considering the 3 years he takes to research and write a book), fill it with all kinds of fascinating and offbeat facts, and wrap it in a cohesive narrative full of engrossing subplots involving bunches of characters. 'The Moneychangers' is created in the unmistakable Hailey style. It's painlessly informative and highly readable. I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Moneychangers', hope you do."
Seymour Rothman believed, "It is easier if you understand the Hailey formula. You select a background and research it so thoroughly that you feel you are a part of it. Then you plan a storyline, decide what sort of characters it will take to tell this story, then work on these characters until you know them physically, mentally, and thoroughly. Then you throw a problem at them related to the background you selected, and watch them solve it. If it gets too dull you throw in some commercial business – sex, crime, violence, mental illness. That’s it."
Earle Copp insisted, "Arthur Hailey has his own formula for novels. His background is a big business – a bank in 'The Moneychangers', the auto industry in 'Wheels' (1971). His protagonist is a virile man somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 years old, married but with family problems, a rising executive in the corporation of Hailey's choice. His liaisons are with women within and without the industry, sometimes even his foes."
Jim Slotek observed, "In 'Hotel' (1965), the setting is an old, distiniguished New Orleans hotel in financial trouble. Therein one finds the usual one-dimensional love affairs, crimes and passions all acted out in game style by some worthy character actors. Hailey gives his reader a thorough examination of the business he has chosen, picturing both the good and the evil sdes. And, his plots usually have 2 or 3 climatic episodes dealing with business crises."
Malcolm Foster added, "As for 'Wheels' format, the mixture is much the same as before: Hailey follows the interrelated lives of 10 or 15 characters involved at all levels and in all aspects of a particular industry, and does such a thorough job that you end up feeling you could run a hotel dining-room, handle an airport control, or manage an automobile assembly line with almost no further instruction." Arthur told Seymour the hardest thing about writing 'Wheels' was to decide what to leave out. Arthur's research left 'Wheels' with more detail than he could possibly use, "yet everything seemed so interesting."
In 1984, Arthur Hailey wrote about the pharmaceutical industry in 'Strong Medicine' (publisher Doubleday; price $22.95 in 1984, book 448 pages). Arthur argued, "There are people alive today who would be dead were it not for the drugs that saved their lives. I don't think the drug industry is more or less venal than any other major industry. It's just that it deals with products that can make the difference between life and death, where the results can sometimes be dangerous or marvelous."
Arthur spoke to pharmaceutical experts and executives to help write the book, "They gave me needed information though I made no promises. You have to remember that any drug, even the most beneficial, has some side-effects, so that marketing comes down to weighing the risk against the benefit." In 1986, Xinhua news agency reported Arthur Hailey's 'Airport' (1968) and 'Hotel' were among the best-sellers in Shanghai bookstores. Back in 1980, Arthur told Diane Copelon, "Pride is harmful, but I will admit to being proud that my books are in 30 languages and discussions for a 31st are under way."
In January 1979, Doubleday published 'Overload'. Arthur maintained, "The United States is moving to a critical electrical shortage, which may happen in Germany and the rest of the world in the next few years. The accident at Three Mile Island slowed up nuclear development, the effect is there and the shortage, which is going to be critical, will change the American way of life." The central character in the 402-page book, 'Overload' ($10.95 in 1979) was Nimrod Goldman, assistant to the chairman of the fictional Golden State Power & Light Company. Associated Press books editor Phil Thomas acknowledged, "As usual, Hailey has thoroughly researched his subject and 'Overload' contains just about any bit of information anyone might want to know about how a utility functions. Those seeking information on a limited subject might find 'Overload' interesting reading."
