Reviews

Rage by Bob Woodward

benitakol's review against another edition

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fast-paced

4.5

travisriddle's review against another edition

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4.0

A detailed accounting of the Trump presidency, using direct interviews with Trump and his staff.

It details his divisiveness, indecision, failure to lead, and correctly concludes he is the wrong person for the job.

clwils982's review against another edition

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5.0

So, I felt a lot of RAGE listening to this book, so it was aptly named. I also listened to the other Woodward book about 45. I liked this one better. I guess bc of the virus? Anyway, I found this to be deeply... angering. Read it, listen to it, take it to heart. Then vote him out.

ben3845's review against another edition

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4.0

I picked up Rage as a Bob Woodward fan — his storied history as a reporter that uncovered Watergate, legendary access, and fairness as a reporter make him a must-read author for me. Woodward wrote Rage at the beginning of COVID, in the midst of Trump’s reelection campaign, and during the summer of protests following George Floyd’s murder. It’s a sharp contrast from Fear, his first Trump Administration book, in that Trump agreed to 17 interviews over the course of this one, and none for Fear. The depth of access unfortunately further reveals the lack of depth in our 45th president, with the president bouncing around between attacks on the media and his opponents while Woodward presses about serious questions that could serve history if seriously answered. The coverage of the book led me to believe that it would focus more heavily on COVID than it did, but the rest of the content was still mostly compelling. I didn’t care much for the rehashing of the Mueller investigation or cabinet intrigue stories, but Woodward gives real depth to the Trump administration’s bizarre diplomacy efforts with North Korea. It’s interesting to re-examine the COVID storylines with a little perspective at this pandemic stage. I didn’t fully appreciate some of the failures of China’s response (Wuhan residents couldn't travel to Beijing, but could fly to London as the virus spread?) until reading this book. Modern political books are an acquired taste, but I’d put this one in the upper third of them if you enjoy the genre.

doblyatmos's review against another edition

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4.0

Worth reading for the hilarious private letters between Trump and Kim Jong-un alone. Woodward has unparalleled access to Trump and those close to him - with several on the record interviews with 45 himself. James Mattis comes across particularly well, portrayed as a thoughtful adult in the room when the US was spiralling close to potential nuclear war.

A pacey and compelling read, this won't change anyone's opinions on Trump - he comes across as ever a man with zero self-awareness and intellectual curiosity - but enjoyable all the same.

fedak's review against another edition

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3.0

Not a whole lot in here that wasn't in the news or in the articles that surrounded the release of the book.

Would rather have just listened to the raw interviews that the books were based on.

felitfelix's review against another edition

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5.0

This is the very few characters that the only thing I feel on is absurdity. I enjoy the book though, giving us the insider view of an unprecedented presidency.

travers99's review against another edition

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4.0

I read this through Audiobook and have spent nearly the whole book trying to construct a comprehensive review. I'm at a loss.
The writing, journalism and objective narrative in this book is fantastic. Hats off to the author for remaining so seemingly calm and responsive.
The muse can be summed up by the following quote "Trump blew what could be described as a frustrated raspberry".

mildhonestbonsai's review against another edition

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4.0

At first I didn't want to read this book because I felt like I wasn't going to get much of what I already don't know myself about this administration just by witnessing with what is going on. I will say that I don't regret reading the book since it gave me more insight of what I already knew. It also reminded me of other events that happened in this first term that I completely forgot since being in this pandemic felt like 2016 - 2019 was 100 years ago.

I will just leave this review with a passage from the book:

"A president must be willing to share the worst with the people, the bad news with the good. All presidents have a large obligation ato inform, warn, protect, to define goals and the true national interest. It should be a truth-telling to response to the world especially in crisis. Trump has, instead, enshrined in personal impulse as a governing principle of his presidency."

portlandcat's review against another edition

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3.0

So...Depressing...