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nickedkins's review against another edition
3.0
This book makes some plausible arguments about the origins of Donald Trump's extremely odd personality. Mary Trump is one of the best-placed people on the planet to make these arguments.
However, there was a large blind spot regarding the behaviour of the rest of the Trump family, which I found distracting. When Fred Trump excludes Mary Trump's branch of the family from his will, she portrays it as a great injustice that the roughly $1 billion (largely ill-gotten) is to be split between four families instead of five. She complains about this for what felt like half an hour of the audiobook. She comes close to a realisation when she mocks other family members for feeling entitled to money they didn't earn, but she doesn't appear to have fully absorbed this idea.
100% inheritance tax, please.
However, there was a large blind spot regarding the behaviour of the rest of the Trump family, which I found distracting. When Fred Trump excludes Mary Trump's branch of the family from his will, she portrays it as a great injustice that the roughly $1 billion (largely ill-gotten) is to be split between four families instead of five. She complains about this for what felt like half an hour of the audiobook. She comes close to a realisation when she mocks other family members for feeling entitled to money they didn't earn, but she doesn't appear to have fully absorbed this idea.
100% inheritance tax, please.
donsar's review against another edition
3.0
Other than Bob Woodward's 'Fear', I confess I have little interest in reading the various Trump books. I am not American and my own country's news cycle is infuriating enough without adding the US drama to my day. Nonetheless, I can't help but imbibe the drip feed of scandals particularly when they make headlines all around the world.
This book is perhaps more accurately about Fred Trump Sr, deceased father of Donald Trump. Certainly, Mary Trump does an good job of recounting the biographical details of the childhood and young adulthood of her father and his siblings. But I can't help but wonder at the necessity of releasing this book at all. As a biography, it is perhaps strongest at representing the objectively messed up family dynamics. But it would seem that the book is meant to be a screed against Donald Trump who is actually portrayed as an almost sympathetic figure.
This book is well written but I think its long term impact will be as a source of information for Donald Trump's future biographers.
This book is perhaps more accurately about Fred Trump Sr, deceased father of Donald Trump. Certainly, Mary Trump does an good job of recounting the biographical details of the childhood and young adulthood of her father and his siblings. But I can't help but wonder at the necessity of releasing this book at all. As a biography, it is perhaps strongest at representing the objectively messed up family dynamics. But it would seem that the book is meant to be a screed against Donald Trump who is actually portrayed as an almost sympathetic figure.
This book is well written but I think its long term impact will be as a source of information for Donald Trump's future biographers.
lisakerd's review against another edition
2.0
Some information was enlightening, but Mary Trump’s writing style is convoluted and unconcise.
leggup's review against another edition
5.0
Not too much information was new, but it was still a valuable look into Trump's psyche. It's to easy to say, "He's a narcissist" when there's also the fear and vanity of a different flavor. Knowing the history and his upbringing illuminated some of his actions that seemed against his own benefit.
Don't expect any bombshells except about the SATs.
Don't expect any bombshells except about the SATs.
liz_newbern's review against another edition
3.0
This was definitely an interesting read, and I'm glad I read it. However, the last part of the book really turned me off. It was filled with the author's suppositions and is the cleares section of the book were the author's bias is really clear. It was interesting to put the Trump family in context and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the early life of the Trumps after they had immigrated to the United States.
spregasaur94's review against another edition
4.0
It’s honestly scary that this book describes the overall experience and upbringing of the man who had just sat in the seat of the “most powerful person in the world.” I listened to this on Audiobook, and I appreciated getting a deep dive into the family dynamics and personal upbringing of members of the Trump family. Having a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and also being the niece of Donald Trump, Mary Trump was able to bring so tangible and visual examples that confirmed some of my biggest fears. This book focuses mostly on Freddy Trump, Mary’s dad and Donald’s older brother, and Fred Trump, Mary’s grandfather and Donald and Freddy’s dad, and uses those lenses to expose Donald for what he truly is - hardly the central focus of his niece’s book about him.
libraryam's review against another edition
I didn’t choose this book; someone chose it for me.
I can only describe it thusly—if you saw a car wreck on the side of the road and decided to park, walk over, and closely inspect the wreckage.
I can only describe it thusly—if you saw a car wreck on the side of the road and decided to park, walk over, and closely inspect the wreckage.