Reviews

The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021 by Susan Glasser, Peter Baker

nferraro90's review

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5.0

With the midterms around the corner, I figured I’d submit myself to another thorough documenting of the cartoonish 4 years of Trump in office. This book is long, (14 hours to listen to on audio at 2.5-2.7x speed) but damn does it keep you hooked. Even if you’re already well read into politics, this book provides staggering levels of detail on just how insane and unfit trump was to be in office. Where this book differs from the many published on the trump presidency is how it tells the stories of the infighting on his staff, between those who sought to enable him, and those who realized he was a wannabe autocrat hell bent on chaos. There’s something to be said for the checks and balances within our government that this abject madman didn’t completely destroy the country during his time in office (not to say he hasn’t had severe consequences on it). Required reading for anyone who wants to understand just what the country endured from 2016-2020 (and likely beyond)

adamnmurad's review against another edition

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slow-paced

1.75

bk6m's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative sad tense slow-paced

3.0

If you have read a lot of Trump Books (I have) this a really good one. The authors are so smart and so well sourced. It gets slow in the middle, but they are trying to tell you everything and they take their time. They go into each and every character. I felt more understanding of each chief of staff. 

bookwarm_220's review against another edition

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dark informative tense medium-paced

5.0

Comprehensively researched and reported story of the four years of the Trump administration.  Well-told narrative history.

ausdj2's review

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informative fast-paced

4.5

A gripping history, only spoiled by very occasionally slipping into emotional opinion. Otherwise, brilliant.

jeremyanderberg's review

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4.0

Rather than the feel of the gossipy, headline-grabbing books of the Trump Era, this 650-page book is thoughtful, measured, and analytical. Reports the facts without grandiose assertions/assumptions. Plus, it has a real thesis behind it rather than jus serving as a tell-all.

Highly recommended.

lwalker77's review against another edition

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4.0

Listened on Audible. This book was tough to get through at times, not because it was bad but because it was a reminder of the chaos of the Trump years. I personally found it a great reminder of the danger Trump and Trumpism was and is for this country and how fragile democracy really is. I was also thankful for many in the White House during that time who tried to do the right thing. This was a very good book.

cook_memorial_public_library's review

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4.0

A 2022 staff favorite recommended by Rob. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sthe%20divider%20baker__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold

williamc's review against another edition

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dark informative reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

starlightnb's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0