Michael Wolff's explosive Trump White House tell-all is "essential reading for political junkies" and recommended for fans of House of Cards.
Wolff, Michael.
Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. Holt. Jan. 2018. 336p. index. ISBN 9781250158062. $30; ebk ISBN 9781250158079.
POL SCI
Journalist Wolff’s (
Burn Rate) controversial Trump White House tell-all is a ground-shaking exposé on the dysfunction, disorganization, and Machiavellian ambitions of various, often opposing, factions at the highest levels of the administration during its first year. As Wolff tells it, the aim of the book is not so much a deep dive into Donald Trump himself, though his portrait of an imperious and ill-informed man-baby comes across with clarity. Instead, it is an attempt to portray those closest to the 45th president, their unvarnished impressions of him, and, most interestingly, their machinations to influence and manipulate Trump into supporting their own political agendas. According to Wolff, the three major camps at war during Trump’s first year in office included Steve Bannon and his allies, representing the "alt-right," national-populist movement that saved a failing campaign and put Trump into office; the Republican establishment, represented by Reince Priebus in his former role as chief of staff; and “Jarvanka,” including the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, daughter Ivanka, and others characterized as “Wall Street Democrats.” Unfortunately, there are numerous copy editing and factual errors, including misspelled names, misidentified job titles, and erroneous dates cited. Wolff’s style, however, akin to some of the most readable long-form political commentary, is eminently enjoyable. As former White House press secretary Sean Spicer was allegedly known to quip, “You can't make this shit up.”
VERDICT Overall, Wolff's narrative offers a startling view of a chaotic West Wing besieged by competing sycophants, would-be kingmakers, and befuddled Washington insiders. Essential reading for political junkies and a compelling title for fans of
House of Cards and Henry VIII dramas.
—Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal & Library Journal