Two excellent investigative reporters, they detail the history of this sordid story and provide overwhelming evidence of Trump’s relationship with Russia beginning with his first visit to Moscow in 1987. This book really connects the dots in his financial dealings with Russian oligarchs long before he had any political aspirations. As Joe Biden said: “If this is true, it’s treason.”
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff
Dismissed by critics for its gossipy, tabloid style, Wolff is the only one on this list who was given total access to the White House by Trump himself, based on an article about him he liked. This is a hugely entertaining read that confirms your worst suspicions about a dysfunctional WH, revealing that “100 per cent of the people around him” believe he is unfit for the office.
Fear: Trump in the White House
By Bob Woodward
The Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who was instrumental in exposing the Watergate scandal is probably the most respected chronicler of presidents in modern history. Fear lives up to its title as we learn of top aides stealing papers from Trump’s desk so he wouldn’t sign them, knowing he would forget about them. Quotes include his Chief of Staff calling him “an idiot” and “unhinged”.
His Secretary of Defence saying he has the understanding of a “fifth or sixth grader”. His personal attorney calling him “a fucking liar” and warning him that if he testified in the Special Counsel investigation, he would be wearing “an orange jumpsuit.” Overall, Woodward describes the administration as experiencing a “nervous breakdown”. Scary stuff indeed.
History will not be kind in assessing this national disgrace, which is easily the biggest scandal in American history.
After all of these books, I’ll need to reread Charlotte’s Web by EB White, just to cleanse my palate.
