An important historical account of the Trump era from a wide range of perspectives that nonetheless coheres.
An example of the value of historical analyses of very recent events, this book gives us some historians’ first takes on the Trump presidency.
“The Trump presidency was not an aberration but the culmination of more than three decades in the GOP’s evolution,” writes editor Zelizer, encapsulating a primary theme. With all of the essayists supporting that claim, the book demonstrates unusual coherence as well as admirable clarity, and the individual essays cover a vast array of topics: the Republican and Democratic parties, right-wing media, truth and disinformation, White supremacy, Latinx issues, women’s issues, immigration, infrastructure, climate change, race, class, technology, international relations (both generally and specifically about China and the nations of the Middle East), the FBI, and Covid-19. It’s a testament to the overall quality that one wishes for even wider coverage—essays, say, on the psychopathology of politics and on political language. Yet despite such gaps, the book’s contents, just as historical writing should, supersede earlier on-the-spot journalistic reportage of the Trump administration. Each essay adds context and fresh perspective to the events of a precedent-shattering presidency as well as causal explanations of much of what occurred. Occasionally, the contributors repeat oft-quoted words and cite well-known episodes, and facts about many front-page figures and events fill its pages. But little of what they write fails to cast welcome light on how and why the U.S. entered a new political era in 2016. Zelizer himself offers an excellent concise history of the Republican Party’s recent history, and other essayists conform to his balanced, sober, scholarly approach, which will be demanding for general readers. What’s most commendable is that all of their arguments and extensive knowledge are advanced in nonpartisan, critically fair, and neutral form. Given the variety of subjects, the result is an authoritative multiauthored contemporary history. Contributors include Michael Kazin, Mae Ngai, James Mann, Nicole Hemmer, and Margaret O’Mara.
An important historical account of the Trump era from a wide range of perspectives that nonetheless coheres.Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-691-22893-8
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Princeton Univ.
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
A philosophically rich critique of state violence and mass apathy.
An Egyptian Canadian journalist writes searchingly of this time of war.
“Rules, conventions, morals, reality itself: all exist so long as their existence is convenient to the preservation of power.” So writes El Akkad, who goes on to state that one of the demands of modern power is that those subject to it must imagine that some group of people somewhere are not fully human. El Akkad’s pointed example is Gaza, the current destruction of which, he writes, is causing millions of people around the world to examine the supposedly rules-governed, democratic West and declare, “I want nothing to do with this.” El Akkad, author of the novel American War (2017), discerns hypocrisy and racism in the West’s defense of Ukraine and what he views as indifference toward the Palestinian people. No stranger to war zones himself—El Akkad was a correspondent in Afghanistan and Iraq—he writes with grim matter-of-factness about murdered children, famine, and the deliberate targeting of civilians. With no love for Zionism lost, he offers an equally harsh critique of Hamas, yet another one of the “entities obsessed with violence as an ethos, brutal in their treatment of minority groups who in their view should not exist, and self-decreed to be the true protectors of an entire religion.” Taking a global view, El Akkad, who lives in the U.S., finds almost every government and society wanting, and not least those, he says, that turn away and pretend not to know, behavior that we’ve seen before and that, in the spirit of his title, will one day be explained away until, in the end, it comes down to “a quiet unheard reckoning in the winter of life between the one who said nothing, did nothing, and their own soul.”
A philosophically rich critique of state violence and mass apathy.Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780593804148
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A slick, vacuous glimpse into the former first lady’s White House years.
A carefully curated personal portrait.
First ladies’ roles have evolved significantly in recent decades. Their memoirs typically reflect a spectrum of ambition and interests, offering insights into their values and personal lives. Melania Trump, however, stands out as exceptionally private and elusive. Her ultra-lean account attempts to shed light on her public duties, initiatives, and causes as first lady, and it defends certain actions like her controversial “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” jacket. The statement was directed at the media, not the border situation, she claims. Yet the book provides scant detail about her personal orbit or day-to-day interactions. The memoir opens with her well-known Slovenian origin story, successful modeling career, and whirlwind romance with Donald Trump, culminating in their 2005 marriage, followed by a snapshot of Election Day 2016: “Each time we were together that day, I was impressed by his calm.…This man is remarkably confident under pressure.” Once in the White House, Melania Trump describes her functions and numerous public events at home and abroad, which she asserts were more accomplished than media representations suggested. However, she rarely shares any personal interactions beyond close family ties, notably her affection for her son, Barron, and her sister, Ines. And of course she lavishes praise on her husband. Minimal anecdotes about White House or cabinet staff are included, and she carefully defuses her rumored tensions with Trump’s adult children, blandly stating, “While we may share the same last name, each of us is distinct with our own aspirations and paths to follow.” Although Melania’s desire to support causes related to children’s and women’s welfare feels authentic, the overall tenor of her memoir seems aimed at painting a glimmering portrait of her husband and her role, likely with an eye toward the forthcoming election.
A slick, vacuous glimpse into the former first lady’s White House years.Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9781510782693
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
PERSPECTIVES
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
