A review by mattreadsbooks97
The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir by John R. Bolton

5.0

John Bolton has been a political figure and commentator I have admired for a while. While his hawkish views can be a lot for some, I find them admirable. That being said, I thought this was an insightful look both at the inner workings of the White House and how they were contorted during the chaotic Trump administration. Learning about John Bolton trying to reign in Trump and his often whirlwind views which twisted as the news coverage and whispers of dictators blew was enthralling. The book is much more than simply an airing of grievances or a light scattering of salacious details, Bolton delivered a comprehensive view of why he supported certain policies and the arduous task he had in trying to implement them in a White House that ran up against the wider political bureaucracy which was helmed by a President with no fixed beliefs or moral standing. John Bolton has a clever whit in his writing style where he will poke fun, allude to future events, and even joke about trying to pronounce foreign locations which are hard to simply read in your mind. I really enjoyed this book, and hope to see and read more from John Bolton in the future.