Scan barcode
A review by ketutar
The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President by Bandy X. Lee
3.0
Hmm... It is a thought-provoking book.
Unfortunately it's a very uneven book. I just wish they had used more discernment choosing the experts to write these essays. Some are really good and should be read by everyone, I think. Some are really bad, and shouldn't be in this book. It is really hard to review it, because it's a combination of 5 star essays and 1 star essays. That's why I gave it 3 - sort of medium. I did learn things, and I did enjoy some parts of it very much.
My first reaction when I read the subtitle of this book was "Diagnosing someone like that? Highly unethical and unprofessional!". Then I read the book and realized I was wrong - this book is not about diagnosing Donald Trump. It is a discussion (more or less) about what mental health experts see when they look at Donald Trump, and how that might impact the USA and the world, as Donald Trump is the President of USA.
That's all well and good, but a lot of this book is just adding to the mess. More demonizing, creating division, suspicion, fear and uncertainty. It gives very little solutions, very few answers, not much comfort or ways of dealing with the fear.
Sure, he's dangerous, but what can we do about it? Nothing, just sit and wait for the axe to fall. Or the bombs.
I think the premise is interesting, but some of the authors aren't impartial, neutral and professional.
One thing that bothers me is that even though the material used is all public and commonly available for everyone to verify the statements, most of them use only a rather limited selection. I was expecting to see some positive qualities to be mentioned, but there aren't any. (Well, to be fair, there are some. Very little, though.)
I also don't see any references to the culture and society where Donald Trump grew up in. A country where bullies are considered leaders, where might has always meant right and mob mentality rules, where children are raised to do what they are told to do without questions, a country where safety means more than liberty, and guns are more valuable than children, where riches and power is valued higher than human rights, kindness and understanding, where showing emotions is being weak - he is the ideal.
Parts of it are really hard to read, like chewing shoe leather, pulling teeth or some other such activity. It has taken me way too long time to actually finish it, but I am happy having read it. It did give me some ideas and insight and some compassion toward the Trumpsters.
Unfortunately it's a very uneven book. I just wish they had used more discernment choosing the experts to write these essays. Some are really good and should be read by everyone, I think. Some are really bad, and shouldn't be in this book. It is really hard to review it, because it's a combination of 5 star essays and 1 star essays. That's why I gave it 3 - sort of medium. I did learn things, and I did enjoy some parts of it very much.
My first reaction when I read the subtitle of this book was "Diagnosing someone like that? Highly unethical and unprofessional!". Then I read the book and realized I was wrong - this book is not about diagnosing Donald Trump. It is a discussion (more or less) about what mental health experts see when they look at Donald Trump, and how that might impact the USA and the world, as Donald Trump is the President of USA.
That's all well and good, but a lot of this book is just adding to the mess. More demonizing, creating division, suspicion, fear and uncertainty. It gives very little solutions, very few answers, not much comfort or ways of dealing with the fear.
Sure, he's dangerous, but what can we do about it? Nothing, just sit and wait for the axe to fall. Or the bombs.
I think the premise is interesting, but some of the authors aren't impartial, neutral and professional.
One thing that bothers me is that even though the material used is all public and commonly available for everyone to verify the statements, most of them use only a rather limited selection. I was expecting to see some positive qualities to be mentioned, but there aren't any. (Well, to be fair, there are some. Very little, though.)
I also don't see any references to the culture and society where Donald Trump grew up in. A country where bullies are considered leaders, where might has always meant right and mob mentality rules, where children are raised to do what they are told to do without questions, a country where safety means more than liberty, and guns are more valuable than children, where riches and power is valued higher than human rights, kindness and understanding, where showing emotions is being weak - he is the ideal.
Parts of it are really hard to read, like chewing shoe leather, pulling teeth or some other such activity. It has taken me way too long time to actually finish it, but I am happy having read it. It did give me some ideas and insight and some compassion toward the Trumpsters.