This month I will be reviewing three books. Here I will be reviewing I'll Take Your Questions Now by Stephanie Grisham.
I want to start by saying I don't normally spend time on this type of book because we lived the events in real time and it was traumatizing enough the first go round so why put myself through it again. That said, I did read Bob Woodward's book Rage and Mary Trump's first book, whatever that was called (Too Much and Never Enough?). I thought given his journalist background that Woodward's book would have more credibility and be unbiased. And I'm not saying it wasn't those thing but to be honest, my take away from the book was that he had a lot of input on the book that wasn't from Trump, even though it was promoted as being written almost exclusively based on interviews he had with Trump himself. He also ended it by stating he didn't think Trump was fit for office, something I didn't need to read to know to be true.
As for Mary's book, I think I thought there might be some juicy gossip about the family in it. And while I believed all the stories she told, at the end of the day she came off as skeevy as her uncle. It may be the only time that Trump was right in saying that the author of a book about him was only in it for a payday and to hurt him - not that I felt any sympathy for him, because I didn't and don't. I just don't think Mary came across how she probably thought she did.
As for I'll Take Your Questions Now, I don't remember why I wanted to read it. I think it was the book that I sent a link to a friend of mine about and said it could be interesting and that I might make an exception and read it, and obviously I did.
You know how you read a mystery or thriller and don't want to put the book down because you just have to know what happens next? Well, I kind of had that reaction to this book in that I didn't want to put it down. I knew how it ended though, no mystery there but the storytelling was great and Grisham is actually a good writer. She came across as sympathetic in her telling of events. I had seen her on a couple of interviews where she commented on how she didn't hold back or spare anyone - including herself - and I think that's accurate. I hadn't expected to like the book - or her - but I did. I also believed her telling of the stories because they were consistent with what we saw play out in real time.
What I find ironic though, the Trumps (Donald and Melania) both put out statements when it was announced this book was coming out that it was filled with lies, that she wrote it for a payday and that she was just trying to cash in on the Trump name and was a loser and incompetent, etc. That's pretty standard fare for what they say regarding books that they believe will be damaging to them, right? Here's the deal, she says very little bad about either one of them! While she does allude to the fact that things weren't always great between them, she talks about how charming, funny, supportive and welcoming the former president and first lady were with her. She basically blamed Trump's advisors for some of the worst decisions he made. It was roughly three quarters of the way through the book before she talks about seeing the bad side of Donald and she basically praises Melania for the entire book! But hey, maybe they were right and it's all lies, right?
She did make it clear though that she did NOT like Jared or Ivanka - at all. There was never a honeymoon stage with them, she didn't like them from page one and that didn't change - it only got worse from there. So there's that.
She did address why she stayed at the job for as long as she did. Aside from the power felt by holding a position in the White House, she had a family, saw that former staff from the administration couldn't find work when they left, and really she wasn't seeing the bad side of things - she was kind of insulated from that in a way. She seemed to attribute the bad side of things to the fact that it was a highly stressful job, given that it was within the White House. And I can actually get on board with that because, I worked temp jobs (by choice) for more than ten years because I loved the flexibility it afforded me. Then one day I woke up and decided I needed more stability and accepted a job in the single most toxic work environment I had ever had the displeasure of working in, and yet I stayed there for almost sixteen years. So I get trying to adapt and make the best of a bad situation so that you can pay the bills. It's easy to sit in judgment and say "this is what I would've done" but you never really know what you would do until you're put in that situation, do you?
So, as far as books about the Trump administration go, this the only one I could recommend. The material is not really new but the perspective is. In my opinion it was interesting and very well written.
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4 comments:
What an interesting and thoughtful review. I didn't read Mary Trump's book. I had the same reaction to her as you. Love the word "skeevy." (which auto-correct does not love :) ). And I saw enough interviews with Bob Woodward and my TBR pile is so tall that I didn't get to his book. But I may read this account. Thank you for reviewing! (And three books, no less!)
Thanks for the thoughtful review, Lucy. That said, I will pass on this book, I think.
In defense of Mary Trump, I did read her book and found it illuminating. Yes, it's a tell-all, and partially payback for what Uncle Donald and her grandfather did to her family, but deservedly so. Fred and his kids were badly treated by the rest of the Trumps. But then, I do enjoy schadenfreude at times.
Linda
I agree, it was a hard time to live through. I did find learning about the family and their early connection to Canada. - Margy
I think it important to reflect back on what happened. I may read this!
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