by Joy-Ann Reid
First published 2019
Joy-Ann Reid argues that Donald Trump executed the longest con in American history. She contends that Trump convinced millions of voters their country was broken and that other nations were taking advantage of America. Trump repackaged prejudice as patriotism and portrayed diversity as weakness while promising that money could solve everything. Reid examines how Trump won the Electoral College through three swing states, then turned the presidency into a business opportunity. She documents the self-dealing, scandals, and corruption that dominated his administration. Reid connects Trump's behavior to influence from Vladimir Putin, describing the Russian leader as an autocratic former KGB officer who manipulated an inexperienced president. Through interviews with American and international experts, Reid places the Trump presidency within modern historical context. She analyzes the social changes that enabled his rise and evaluates whether America can repair the damage. The book offers readers an examination of how Trump succeeded and what his presidency means for the country's future.
Genres: history, american, political-science, politics, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: unreliable-narrator
Setting: America, United States
Period: 21st-century
304 pages · Hardcover · Mariner Books