First published 2024
Jonathan Alter chronicles the first criminal trial of an American president. As one of few journalists permitted inside the courtroom, Alter observed Donald Trump's felony proceedings for 23 days from mere feet away. The trial remained largely hidden from public view despite intense media attention because cameras were banned. Alter documents the legal proceedings, the courtroom characters, and the trial's connection to the 2024 presidential election. He weaves in his personal relationships with political figures including Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain, and Joe Biden. The book covers Biden's decision to step aside for Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor, which placed the criminal trial at the center of electoral politics. Alter reflects on his own political awakening and growing concerns about American democracy. The account combines courtroom reporting with fresh details about the summer 2024 political events that followed the trial.
Genres: history, american, crime, biography-memoir, 21st-century, journalism, current-affairs, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: courtroom-drama, insider-perspective
Period: 2024
256 pages · Hardcover · BenBella Books