Fear - Woodward

[Gulo Blue]

Not a great a book in a literary sense. The same point is made over and over. Trump has an anti-globalism agenda. He's surrounded by people that say he doesn't understand the dominoes that would fall if he did what he wants to do; he doesn't understand that trade, defense, and intel capabilities are inextricably interconnected. The people around him fall on a spectrum from following orders and working to convince him to not do the things he wants to flat out stalling and ignoring orders. Lots of disturbing details along the way. I haven't finished it, but it seems clear that it isn't going to go anywhere. It's not a story with an arc or a larger message. Just a revolving door of people trying to maintain the status quo with a President that doesn't want to.

 

[Michchamp]

anti-globalism in the sense that it seeks to prevent corporations from subverting democracy through trade agreements is actually good.

Trump is too much of an aimless yutz politically to actually achieve anything in this regard.

I've also heard the book is pretty lousy.

 

[Gulo Blue]

anti-globalism in the sense that it seeks to prevent corporations from subverting democracy through trade agreements is actually good.

Trump is too much of an aimless yutz politically to actually achieve anything in this regard.

I've also heard the book is pretty lousy.

Anti-globalism like you take our trade deficit with a country, add how much we spend on having troops there, and that sum = how much that country is screwing us.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I heard enough about the book in news reports to get the jist.

I don’t have to bother reading it.

Thanks for letting me know that I’m not missing anything.

 

[Michchamp]

kinda related in my mind, but Seymour Hersh's memoir "Reporter" is supposedly great. I plan to read that.

it's not focused on Trump, but it seems like he got big in his career at the same time as Bob Woodward.

Hersh was a legit reporter though; Bob Woodward not so much.

 

[Gulo Blue]

I heard enough about the book in news reports to get the jist.

I don?t have to bother reading it.

Thanks for letting me know that I?m not missing anything.

This should have been my summary. If you've heard much about the book, you've got the gist.

 

[tinselwolverine]

This should have been my summary. If you've heard much about the book, you've got the gist.

Yeah, everything in your OP I already knew.

 

[TheVictors]

I've been reading it on flights, etc. but am losing interest based on what Gulo posted. It's repetitive and honestly Woodward's flow isn't my favorite.


The compelling aspect of the book is in the day to day insanity - The White House being a daycare for the big baby, often throwing temper tantrums or just completely and totally being clueless about topics and policy that any President would be expected to understand.


Comes across as portraying the Trump Admin as a dumpster fire ...probably didn't need to read the book to figure that out.