A Very Stable Genius

This is a very thorough, factual, and compelling account of Trump and the evolution of his administration since he took office. It is written in a way that makes for easy reading and I especially appreciate that. Excellent, excellent book for anyone who wants to have all the information before making any judgements about Donald Trump.

With so many books out about Trump and more to come, he will soon be competing with Hitler, Napoleon, Jesus, and Alexander the Great for the most number of publications in print to appear about a single individual. I will leave it up to others to decide which one he should most likely be compared to.Until now I felt that the two books written by Michael Wolff were the best overall presentation of Donald J. Trump and his administration whose presidency has already altered the fabric of that office forever - or at least until everyone on the face of this planet today has passed away along with an additional three generations to follow. (Assuming we still have one given the denial of Climate Change and Science that currently emanates from the WH.) Having already read far more than I ever expected to regarding The Donald as well as Javanka, I still decided to purchase this book based upon its authorship. Rucker and Leonnig have made multiple appearances on MSNBC and have never disappointed. With the publication of A VERY STABLE GENIUS they have only added to their collective and individual reputations.Given the length of this book - well over 400 pages - and a recent promise by its authors that there will probably be more "Epilogues" to come it is a most difficult task to pick and choose what sectors of this book to talk about or emphasize. Even with its lavish depth, Trump's "reptilian" ability (in the words of one critic) to protect himself and hide key information one way or another makes it almost impossible to fully penetrate the veil of secrecy that surrounds him despite the best efforts of the aforementioned two authors. Tax information has still been withheld; exact specificity of monetary loan sources remains obscure; what was said in private meetings with Putin is still unknown; the Mueller Report was so tarnished prior to its official release by Trump's latest henchman - William Barr - that its focus still expounds the falsehood that he "was totally exonerated"; etc., etc.In an attempt not to duplicate what others have already stated, I shall present my own summary analysis of Trump and his Presidency based upon what I read in AVSG in addition to my own observations of these past three+ years. At the outset I will say that it is not a pleasant task. Diving into a full latrine is a fair comparison. Indeed. While reading AVSG, there were times when I laughed, cried, cursed, and just plain wanted to scream. Its authors have exposed what is already known, thought to be known, unknown, and unknowing. However, they have brought a clarity and depth to their expose which is astounding. Just consider the sheer number of interviews! This book is a "hot potato". Hopefully, it should give one pause and make one think before "flying off the handle". The rhetoric and language used during commentator debating says it all.Now for some particulars: The title of this book is a direct quote from the mouth of its subject - Donald J. Trump. Yet anyone who has to call himself that, and more than once, is the exact opposite. Trump is neither "stable" nor a "genius", unless you put the word "evil" before the latter. His constant temper tantrums, quixotic decisions, perpetual paranoia, and willful lying put the "lie" to that first word. According to those in the know, Trump was a poor student. He has demanded that his college transcript be kept secret or he'll sue (something he constantly threatens which also is indicative of instability). Trump gives the impression that, because he went to the Wharton School of Business, he holds some kind of business degree. He doesn't! Trump possesses a degree in economics and anthropology (of all things) which he probably took to fulfill his science requirement. He is fundamentally uninformed and impaired when it comes to basic history, geography, and culture. This is clearly delineated in this book. The subject of nepotism is delved into. The crudity that exists in the WH with the "F" word being the most frequently used is highlighted. No surprise there given what Trump says on his various campaigns. LOYALTY above all else is always being considered, questioned, tested, and criticized. There is even an entire chapter titled "Loyalty and Truth" which deals with the likes of M. Cohen, W. Barr, M. Mulvaney, R. Mueller, et al. Like the others, this may sound familiar but with more detail. The chapter titled "Axis of Enablers" is especially enticing. It clearly shows how Trump can be manipulated by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. I cannot remember what office they were elected to. Mitch McConnell is another story. He has run defense for Trump as if he were an entire football team protecting a quarterback. He and Barr are the perfect present day Cardinal Richelieu for Trump's Louis XIII.Twenty-five chapters, an Epilogue, and 16 detailed pages in small print constitute the End Notes which are highly informative in their own right. All in all, for now, this book in my opinion is the crowning achievement for the literary tsunami that continues to flood the publishing market involving the 45th President of the United States.

An amazing report.

An excellent piece of reportage of Trumps presidency. We all know that he is unfit to hold the office of President but the "adults" in the room proved unable or unwilling to exercise control or take a principled stand. This book shows that the U.S. is governed by a basically a spoilt child, one who truly believes that the world revolves around him satisfying his wishes. We see the temper tantrums, the impetuous behaviour the self pitying sense of victimisation. We see all the low points and there are many of those. One thing stood out for me and that was his behaviour to the military leadership. He may be the Commander in Chief but how none of them either hit him or worse is a miracle. Personally if I was one of those military chiefs I would owe this man no loyalty and pray for the day when he can constitutionally be removed.

Edifiant, consternant, inimaginable. A rire ou à pleurer, selon votre goût pour le second degré. La lecture permet de toucher du doigt les limites de la démocratie...