by Don Lemon
First published 2019
Don Lemon wakes up November 9, 2016 with more than a hangover. The CNN host faces a crushing realization that eighteen months of covering election chaos has left him complicit in the noise rather than cutting through it. After Trump's victory, Lemon spirals into destructive habits. He overeats, drinks heavily, and replays each day's disturbing events in endless mental loops. The relentless news cycle and vicious attacks from the new administration push him toward complete disconnection from family, purpose, and self. Rock bottom forces a choice. While he cannot control external political turmoil, Lemon recognizes he can master smaller forces in his own life. He turns to James Baldwin's words about chains falling off in the darkest moments. As media fixates on Trump's first hundred days, Lemon commits to his own hundred day transformation. He battles online distraction, emotional isolation, and destructive physical habits. This journey becomes his path back to core values and authentic purpose amid national upheaval.
Genres: american, politics, self-help, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, journalism, current-affairs
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-growth, redemption
Setting: United States
Period: 2016
304 pages · Kindle Edition · Dey Street Books
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness