Having Just Finished Mary Trump's Book,

[MineralMan]

Last edited Fri Jul 17, 2020, 06:28 PM - Edit history (1)

I can say this: Her final three chapters are the most striking picture of Donald J. Trump as he is as President I have ever read. The rest of the book sets up a prologue to her detailed and crushing analysis of the threat Trump is to the continued existence of the United States of America.

She takes Trump apart, and takes us right up to right now, showing how his past has led him to be the very worst President of the United States one can possibly imagine. However you have felt about that disgusting man in the past, it is nothing compared to how you will feel after reading this book.

It is a masterful work of biography, from a person who has seen and known Donald J. Trump and his family since she was a child. She dissects Donald Trump and his family so neatly that you will believe every word she writes. She is simply telling the truth.

Please read the entire book. It's well-written, and a fast read. But, it is the final chapters that make it a searing condemnation of our current President that should shake everyone right to their bones.

READ IT! Seriously. Take the time and read the book.

Thanks for your attention.

[leftieNanner]

1. Just called our local bookstore and they are sold out

Put my name on the list for when they are able to restock.

Rachel's interview with Mary last night was fascinating.

Thanks for the recommendation, MM.

[Goodheart]

4. It's available on Kindle

[womanofthehills]

43. And Audible- I recently downloaded it

Just started It - but I need to finish a book club book today - then I plan to get into it big time tomorrow. I listened to her interview with Rachel. If you missed it- you can podcast it.

[spooky3]

2. Thank you. It is amazing that Dr. Trump was able to

come out of such dysfunction as well as she did. Credit to her for her strength, hard work, and courage.

[Kitchari]

27. Agree

So laudatory that Mary Trump first pursued the study of Psychology and then extricated herself from this family circle, which is VERY hard to do, and THEN is giving the world the Real information

[Hekate]

3. Waiting to hear from the public library! I don't know where we are on the list, but I think we were

...the ones who asked them to buy it in the first place, so hopefully soon.

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

5. I finished it last night.

I agree with your assessment. It’s the best trump book I’ve read.

[redstatebluegirl]

6. I ordered it last week, it is now on back order.

[guillaumeb]

7. Ordered, and on the way.

[dmr]

24. My book arrives Sunday.

I guess you know what I'll be doing Sunday.

I can't remember the last time I've anticipated reading any book.

Through the years I've had so many questions, and I'm hoping this book helps to answer them.

[Stuart G]

8. K and R..Thank You for your opinion. I plan to read it..

[ibegurpard]

9. This one I'm OK with

That chucklefuck Bolton, however, can go pound sand right up his ass.

[calimary]

22. Agreed. I may order Mary Trump's book.

Bolton's book? Nah. He had his chance to be a hero and an American patriot and testify during the impeachment hearings, and he passed it on by. Too busy speeding down the "buy my book" fast-lane. He'll get no money from me!

[RockCreek]

10. Completely agree

Listened to audiobook. She read it, and I always like ones read by the author to get the extra emphases, intonation, etc only an author could do accurately.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

32. Oh, it's on audible? Great, I like a good listen.

[musclecar6]

11. I read it too

One of those tell all books I’m glad I read. She covers it quite well. Excellent and well worth it.

[Frustratedlady]

12. Rachel said last night that one million copies of Mary's book sold the first day.

I am waiting for mine. Glad it will be worth the wait.

[dalton99a]

13. It is a great read.

I can only imagine the envy with which Donald watched Derek Chauvin’s casual cruelty and monstrous indifference as he murdered George Floyd; hands in his pockets, his insouciant gaze aimed at the camera. I can only imagine that Donald wishes it had been his knee on Floyd’s neck.

Instead, Donald withdraws to his comfort zones—Twitter, Fox News—casting blame from afar, protected by a figurative or literal bunker. He rants about the weakness of others even as he demonstrates his own. But he can never escape the fact that he is and always will be a terrified little boy.

Donald’s monstrosity is the manifestation of the very weakness within him that he’s been running from his entire life. For him, there has never been any option but to be positive, to project strength, no matter how illusory, because doing anything else carries a death sentence; my father’s short life is evidence of that. The country is now suffering from the same toxic positivity that my grandfather deployed specifically to drown out his ailing wife, torment his dying son, and damage past healing the psyche of his favorite child, Donald J. Trump.

“Everything’s great. Right, Toots?”

[MineralMan]

14. Good quote!

[I_UndergroundPanther]

52. Thank you

For pointing out toxic positivity. It's destroying so many people. Pronoia is what it is. Some people get exploited by shit like the secret or course in miracles and other new age destructive beliefs.

It takes honesty to look at things as they are instead of pretending otherwise.

[HotTeaBag]

58. A quote like this is exactly why I can't bring myself to read the book.

"I can only imagine the envy with which Donald watched Derek Chauvin’s casual cruelty and monstrous indifference as he murdered George Floyd; hands in his pockets, his insouciant gaze aimed at the camera. I can only imagine that Donald wishes it had been his knee on Floyd’s neck."

She's trying way too hard.

[panfluteman]

15. I Just Got a Copy of Mary Trump's Book

And yes, it has started out to be a very good read. And each time I sit down to read it, I will always chuckle to myself, thinking about the "Story Hour" ads put out by The Lincoln Project.

[Karadeniz]

16. It is also a wonderful how-not-to book on parenting. Parents should read it!

[MineralMan]

17. That, too, for sure!

[gordianot]

18. I have also read the book.

What I find astounding his niece was like a sponge taking it all in and managed not to be damaged herself. It may have been her motivation to become a Psychologist. What has she missed? Who else has been damaged beyond help?

[JCMach1]

19. I have told this story before, but I met him in the mid-90's

in the Houston airport.

By meet, I mean I saw him screaming at his entourage in the middle of an airport... full expletives, bluster and anger.

I never forgot one of the worst human beings I randomly ran into.

Even if he had been the most progressive politician of a generation based on what I saw, I would never have touched him with a ten foot pole.

[smirkymonkey]

21. I will never understand why people gravitate toward this train-wreck, work for him, fawn over him,

enable him, cover up for him and even worship him. He is the most odious, horrible, vile man on the planet, yet there are still all these "hangers-on".

What is wrong with them? What do they see in him? How little they must think of themselves to put up with his abuse and gaslighting. I wouldn't put up with someone like that for 5 minutes. It's just baffling. What is this "power" he has over certain people?

[Nasruddin]

25. Likewise

I wonder if Mary Trump's book has any insight on this.

Think what you may about Scott Adams, but I have wondered if he might be right about Mr Trump's hypnotic abilities (at least on some people). Narcs are notorious for their manipulative abilities on some people, but it's usually in person and they shop around.

[smirkymonkey]

30. I'm sure she must have mentioned something about it, since it is the main source of his

supposed "power", but I won't have her book for another few weeks at least, so I can't say. It's not the first time in history something like this has happened, but I would really be interested in the psychology behind it, especially when so many of us are just as repelled as they are attracted.

How can one person get to be so polarizing in a society? There are very few people who are neutral about him.

[thucythucy]

39. I wonder if it has to do with literacy.

By that I mean--there seems to me to be a divide between people who read for information (and pleasure) and people who don't.

It's not that some people are totally illiterate, although that happens as well. But many people never get to the point where they're comfortable reading, where reading is a genuine pleasure. These folks, unless they make an extreme effort to track down high quality documentaries, are limited in the information they can receive, in nuance and complexity. Reading, I think, also is helpful in developing empathy, sympathy. A great book will take you right inside someone else's head, give you a perspective you might never have been able to imagine on your own. There are some great films that do this as well--but it's far more difficult, I think, to pull this off visually.

In politics and history especially reading makes all the difference in the world.

And those who aren't comfortable reading can develop--as a way of justifying this problem--an actual contempt for the written word. They don't read the New York Times or the Washington Post because it's "fake news." Trump doesn't read his daily briefing--not if it's longer than a page or two. The people in my life who are the most rabid Trump supporters, with one or two exceptions, get their information from TV or Facebook or talk radio. The idea of reading a history book, for instance, is utterly foreign to them. To read a long article even is something they'd never do for pleasure or information.

The internet and TV make it possible for people who barely read or never read at all to feel they are as informed as the person who goes through a book a week. That much of this "information" is shallow tripe wouldn't occur to them because they have nothing against which to compare it.

George Orwell said in a essay that sloppy writing is evidence of sloppy thinking. I think marginal reading skills are often evidence of marginal skills in critical thought.

These are precisely the people, by and large, that find Trump so appealing. They formed their opinion of him while watching "The Apprentice" and most have seen no reason to change that opinion, not until one of his failures or acts of cruelty touch them or a loved one directly. And even then, they're more likely to blame the "liberal elite"--all those highly educated "experts" with their specialized knowledge they barely know exists.

Anyway, that's my thinking today. The division is between those who are comfortable reading, and those who aren't.

The written word has always been a powerful tool for equality and justice. And those who are suspicious or even scornful of the written word are very often on the side of tyranny.

[smirkymonkey]

41. +1000

[crickets]

46. Well said. nt

[I_UndergroundPanther]

54. I agree with you about reading.

I make an exception for dyslexics tho.
Dyslexia makes it harder for people to read.

Every dyslexic I have met however wants to be able to read well. They bust thier hump to read,and I admire it. I have dysgraphia and math is still hard for me. But I try.

Don't know about anyone else's situation tho.

People who can read but don't like to definitely limit who they are by not reading.

[thucythucy]

57. You're absolutely right to point this out.

And it's vitally important that society finds a way for people with dyslexia and other reading or language disabilities to have access to the written word.

Thank you for pointing this out.

I know several people with dyslexia, and none of them have contempt for the written word, the sort of contempt we so often see from Trump and his supporters.

[Hamlette]

59. She touches on it in her book when talking about Fred Sr,

Fred was a tight wad. He was worth about $1B when he died in 1999. He wanted to hand over his business empire to his son. First it was Fred Jr. and when Freddie was not a good fit, he turned to Donald.

Donald had watched as Freddie was destroyed by their father for not wanting to go into the business and he, Donald, learned from Freddie's mistakes. Fred Sr. then choose Donald to take over the business. He staked everything on him. Promoted him, gave him money, but Donald kept failing. But Donald self promoted. Even though his projects were a disaster, he and the press were in love with each other and Daddy loved that. Fred saved clippings of every mention of Donald in the paper.

And when Donald started to fail spectacularly, Fred couldn't admit that he had been wrong about Donald so continued to support him. Fred needed someone to take over the business and women didn't count (Fred was an asshole in his own right so deserved what he got.) It was/is too hard for some to admit they were wrong in supporting Donald in the first place.

This is not equivalent at all but I defended Clinton a tad more vociferously than I should have. No, I don't believe he raped anyone but he put us all through hell for a blow job. I didn't back down until friends I admired got through to me. It was not a battle worth fighting and yes, we were right to stop impeachment, but he should never have put us in that position in the first place.

[dmr]

26. That's what I don't understand, and I truly want to know.

I just don't get it. Why am I different? Why are all of here at DU so different? What is it in Donald, or what is it in us? I need to know.

[smirkymonkey]

29. It's like we see a completely different person than they do.

It may just have to do with having different values. He is so repulsive to most of us, we couldn't imagine wanting to be around him for any amount of time, yet they seem to feel that there is something about him that will rub off on them and make them rich, famous and powerful.

It's such a delusion, because in reality, he is none of those things. He only pretends to be. He is only (in)famous because he lives for the camera and the media, but most of us would be happy to never see him again in our lives.

He appeals to the shallow, the stupid and those who live for nothing but money and power, but are too blinded by their own arrogance to realize that he will eventually bring them all down with him. Someday, someone will write a book about this phenomenon after doing a lot of research, until then we only have conjecture.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

36. I scratch my head over the same questions. It drives me crazy.

All I can say is, I was friends with a woman who, I found out, is a trumphead. She’s a Daily Caller reading conservative, it turns out. (I hadn’t known for many years how conservative she is.)

Her personal life is really dysfunctional, she’s constantly on again off again with her cop boyfriend who has short-man syndrome, her relationship before him was a psychopath...

The only thing I can figure is that MAGAts may or may not be dumb, but they *are* dysfunctional. When you have always had disordered relationships, you can’t see narcissists for what they are. There are certain personality types that predators like trump target. I think there’s something there too, in the personality type that gets sucked in by trump and his ilk.

[smirkymonkey]

40. I kind of think you might have given Mary an idea for another book!

A psychoanalysis of people who are in the Trump Cult and why? These people are very damaged and that is a layman's
term, but I think Mary could be able to help us understand the other side of the equation as well. T

[BlancheSplanchnik]

48. I'd love to read her take on that.

We know conservative brains are different from Liberals’. I think that’s the central reason we can’t understand how anyone can think that way.

[hadEnuf]

31. Perhaps it's an envy of being able to "boss" people around.

Or a simple worship of authoritarianism.

Trump speaks to those who are selfish, feel entitled, are cruel and are hateful. To those who blame everyone else for their own shortcomings. Trump is going to help them get even with all of those "assholes" who are taking what is rightfully theirs. Trump makes them feel like he is one of them.

Until he isn't and then he dumps them like garbage.


Trump is a carnival barker, a con man and a snake oil salesman. And he has found a lot of rubes.

[smirkymonkey]

37. I think you have a point here. He definitely appeals to the cruel, the authoritarian and those who

are absolutely bitter about their own lives and refuse to take responsibility for them. They want to blame others and he shows them the way. He makes them feel better about their own abject failures in life.

But you are right, he uses them until he gets what he wants or needs from them and then kicks them to the curb and then they wondered how their Dear Fuehrer could have possibly rejected them, and what they possibly could have done to deserve it.

I'm no psychiatrist, but I would guess that a lot of these people are from abusive, authoritarian upbringings and this is what "love" feels like to them. They don't know any better.

[Books_Tea_Alone]

45. It's the same people who invest time in any reality TV

None of it is real- Housewives, Kartrashians, 99-day Fiancé, Duggar's, American Idol, on and on.. until the Apprentice..it's all scripted to lure us in, we believe it to be true. Same with T.Rump'sillusion as a "Successful businessman". As soon as we as a country stop dumbing down our entertainment we will always seek the lowest common denominator.

[marlakay]

50. They believed the apprentice show was real

Heck first few times I saw it I thought it was. It made him look strong and solid and in charge.

What a joke on us a sick one we got stuck with.

[eissa]

20. Just finished reading it today

And agree with your assessment. This is not another political hit piece, it’s the warning of a family member who has experienced the trump family’s legendary cruelty and vindictiveness. What a fucked up family.

[Heartstrings]

23. My uncle dropped his copy off last night....

Last edited Fri Jul 17, 2020, 11:10 PM - Edit history (1)

It’s going to be sweltering this weekend so will relax and read it indoors.

[MineralMan]

33. Sounds like a good plan!

[Delmette2.0]

28. I don't know if i will order the book.

I do keep remembering a deposition i watched just before the 2016 elecition. He started out testifying that he knew every detail of the contract he signed and was a very hands on person. The lawyer launched into details. The first one he had to be reminded of the page xxx. He turned to the page and said he couldn't read it because he didn't have his glasses. The lawyer offered to enlarge the text and he said never mind. I knew then he had been lying from the beginning and stopped watching. That was all I needed to know.

[Upthevibe]

34. MineralMan...Thank you so much for your

excellent review.

[MineralMan]

35. My pleasure. I hope everyone reads it.

[Trueblue Texan]

38. Your take is spot on, Mineral Man...

She is a great writer, has excellent facility with language, and obviously tells the truth, unlike other members of the Trump family. Reading the book, I feel a greater sense of urgency to get the psychopath out of office NOW!

[MuseRider]

42. I was not going to do it but

I had 3 Audible credits so I used one. Pretty freaky, scary, damning book. It paints a perfect picture of how a human gets to this point. Frightening. Abominable. One could almost feel sorry for him but nope, he is a monster and most people are good enough at any age to see themselves for what they are and the one's who like what they see do not change. Donald fucking Trump cannot see past his own nose.

[mcar]

44. Got it on kindle

and have read the intro and a few chapters. I totally agree. This is a well written book and a crushing analysis.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

47. Almost one million sold on the first day

and Donald has no bragging rights. It's all him but he has no bragging rights. Trump has no doubt never been in the state of mind he is in now. And he knows it's really real. No bragging rights to be had for Donald ,with a brand name like trump he wonders ,how can this be happening. Trump may be considering inviting Roseanne Bar and Chris Christie for lunch at the white house , they can all eat the meat loaf.

[Lulu KC]

49. I'm #238 on the waiting list

at the public library. They have ordered 77 copies but the books haven't arrived yet. Let's see, once they come in I should be about a month out.
Never have I calculated this before about any book! Waiting impatiently.

[MineralMan]

53. I'm not that patient. That's why I ordered the Kindle version.

Kindle reader apps are available for every imaginable platform.

[gulliver]

51. Ordered it just now. I only had to type "too" in the search for it to appear at the top of the list!

[lunatica]

55. I ordered it from Amazon

It will be delivered quite soon.

Amazon emailed me to say the book is selling for less than I paid for it by a few cents which they’ve credited back to me.

I hope she makes a ton of money on it because that will bother him much more than anything else. And I hope she sues the Orange off his ass.

[ancianita]

56. Just got it yesterday (finally) and will start soon. Thank you for your analysis.

[Sherman A1]

60. I will not buy or read this book

I will simply not give a single dime to anyone named Trump. I am sure she has done precisely as you have stated in your OP, but I already understood he was a despicable human being and I do need that reinforced with details of his past or his psychological profile.

[MineralMan]

62. OK. Thanks for letting us know...

[ladym55]

61. My husband and I both ordered the book from the library

The Kindle version does not have a long wait time, so we are eager to get started.

Thanks for the review!