Too Much and Never Enough - Mary Trump, Ph.D.

In addition to my interest in American politics, I also enjoy taking a look at how things work behind the scenes, which is explanation for my summer reading choices. Both Dr. Mary Trump and Ambassador John Bolton are in unique positions to provide these insights that I find fascinating (not to mention, informative in this critical juncture). Of course, there are clear differences between their styles, which I will get into more thoroughly at the end of this review series. However, just a first, basic comparison is in order before I get into her book. 

First, while both are focused on President Trump, the framing is quite different: Bolton addresses his actions in the administration through the lens of foreign policy decisions; Dr. Mary Trump examines the forces that shaped the man. So, if you are imagining another book full of current(ish) criticism of the administration, be prepared for something completely different.

Second, there is the matter of purpose and perspective. One of the issues with Bolton's book is that he has to deal with a dual purpose: criticizing the president (and others) while also defending his own views and actions. Dr. Mary Trump does not have this handicap in her book, which, in my mind, allows for better clarity and flow in her narrative.

Finally, she seems to be a better writer in general than Bolton. This comes through both in a better sense of organization and a less conversational style. To be fair, there is a matter of subject matter that plays in her favor here: while Bolton's writing provides detail and palace intrigue, he is limited by the fact that he is writing about well-documented events quite fresh in the mind of most of his audience (and also compounded by the administration's continuous bent towards daily outrageous behavior). By focusing her context largely before the current timeframe, she is able to engage the audience with fresh topics and ideas.

Okay, with that out of the way, let's start.

Prologue:

Dr. Mary Trump begins by giving the audience a small vignette with all the family in the picture. The occasion is a birthday celebration for her aunts, taking place in the White House, hosted by Uncle Donald. She touches on family relationships (her father Frederick Crist Trump, III, had died decades before), and the surreal nature of where they all were. Her descriptions and insights into the scene and the players is quite interesting, introducing the larger family that is quite invisible (in contrast to the members that are not) in the public eye.  She ends the prologue with a scene of taking a picture with the president, getting the audience in the mood for the journey through history she is about to take them back to:
"Don't let them get you down," I said to him as my brother took the picture. It wasn't long after his first national security advisor had been fired in disgrace, and the cracks in his presidency were already beginning to show.
Donald jutted out his chin and clenched his teeth, looking for a moment like the ghost of my grandmother. "They're not going to get me," he said. (Trump 15) 

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