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The Method to the Madness: Donald Trump's Ascent as Told by Those Who Were Hired, Fired, Inspired--and Inaugurated
A Rosetta Stone for understanding Donald Trump's style, mindset, and every action, made up of over one hundred interviews with his closest associates and adversaries over the last 15 years.
To his critics, Donald Trump is an impulsive, undisciplined crackpot who accidentally lucked into the presidency. But in The Method to the Madness, reporters Allen Salkin and Aaron Short reveal that nothing could be further from the truth. This objective, nonpartisan oral history shows that Trump had carefully planned his bid for the presidency since he launched what many considered to be a joke candidacy in 1999.
Between 2000 and 2015, when he announced his candidacy in the lobby of Trump Tower, he was able to identify an unserved political constituency, hone a persuasive message that appealed to their needs, and deliver it effectively, despite intense media opposition.
Through candid conversations with more than 100 subjects close to the President, Salkin and Short make the case that Donald Trump’s ostensibly erratic approach to politics is consistent with his carefully honed personal and professional style of information gathering, opinion seed-planting, and conclusion sharing. His business, media, and political dealings from this era serve as a guide for understanding the man, his mindset, and his every action.
The Method to the Madness is an accessible and unbiased oral history that brings readers into the private rooms where decisions are made, confidences are broken, strong words fly, and not all eye-witnesses see the same scene in quite the same way. Full of scoops both large and small, this is the first book to bring Trump, the politician, into focus.
To his critics, Donald Trump is an impulsive, undisciplined crackpot who accidentally lucked into the presidency. But in The Method to the Madness, reporters Allen Salkin and Aaron Short reveal that nothing could be further from the truth. This objective, nonpartisan oral history shows that Trump had carefully planned his bid for the presidency since he launched what many considered to be a joke candidacy in 1999.
Between 2000 and 2015, when he announced his candidacy in the lobby of Trump Tower, he was able to identify an unserved political constituency, hone a persuasive message that appealed to their needs, and deliver it effectively, despite intense media opposition.
Through candid conversations with more than 100 subjects close to the President, Salkin and Short make the case that Donald Trump’s ostensibly erratic approach to politics is consistent with his carefully honed personal and professional style of information gathering, opinion seed-planting, and conclusion sharing. His business, media, and political dealings from this era serve as a guide for understanding the man, his mindset, and his every action.
The Method to the Madness is an accessible and unbiased oral history that brings readers into the private rooms where decisions are made, confidences are broken, strong words fly, and not all eye-witnesses see the same scene in quite the same way. Full of scoops both large and small, this is the first book to bring Trump, the politician, into focus.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published July 9, 2019
42 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 24, 2021
This audiobook looks back at DJT's years before deciding to run for the presidency. It is played with different voices for each person interviewed. Contrary to popular belief, it was not the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2012 that tipped T into running.
The most interesting part to me, involved interviews and comments about the behind the scenes of T while hosting The Apprentice. Interesting and worth the entire book.
The most interesting part to me, involved interviews and comments about the behind the scenes of T while hosting The Apprentice. Interesting and worth the entire book.
July 12, 2019
The 2016 US presidential election has been the subject of many, many books published in the last four years. Will Donald Trump surpass Abraham Lincoln as the most written about figure in history? I don't think so, but I did enjoy Allen Salkin and Aaron Short's new book, "The Method to the Madness: How Donald Trump went from Penthouse to White House in Fifteen Years". It's an oral history - which some readers don't like - so you should know that before you bite for the book.
Short and Salkin's book begins around 1988. It ends with the Trumps' ride down the escalator at Trump Tower when Donald Trump announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for the 2016 race. Much of the cheering crowd at the base of the escalator were Trump employees and paid actors, but Trump gave a 45 minute speech - "I'm In" - and the crowd erupted. This moment was the culmination of 28 years of Donald Trump flirting with the idea of running for president. He first gave it a thought in 1988. but that thought became two, three, and more thoughts as the years passed. Was Trump bored with his job and lifestyle? I don't know and I don't think the two authors knew either, but by 2000, he was looking at the third party Reform Party, and was getting to know people like Ross Perot, Ralph Nader, and Jesse Ventura. The third party idea did appeal to people by 2000, but Trump couldn't commit to entering the race as a Reform Party candidate. He next considered running in 2012, against Barack Obama. The years in between were spent building up "The Apprentice" and then "The Celebrity Apprentice".
By 2012, Trump was nastily attacking Obama and his supposed birthplace of Kenya. He had also surrounded himself with a rather strange bunch of political hangers on like Roger Stone, Sam Nunberg, Steve Bannon, and Michael Cohen, among many others. Even Michael Avenatti makes an appearance during this time. But Trump finally became serious about running in 2016...and he won the race.
Short and Salkin's book is exceedingly well written. By taking a defined time period, they were able to concentrate on those people and events who were important to Donald Trump. You'd be surprised at the number of aides who were hired/fired/hired and fired again by Trump. This book is very good and I can heartily recommend it to the political jock.
Short and Salkin's book begins around 1988. It ends with the Trumps' ride down the escalator at Trump Tower when Donald Trump announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for the 2016 race. Much of the cheering crowd at the base of the escalator were Trump employees and paid actors, but Trump gave a 45 minute speech - "I'm In" - and the crowd erupted. This moment was the culmination of 28 years of Donald Trump flirting with the idea of running for president. He first gave it a thought in 1988. but that thought became two, three, and more thoughts as the years passed. Was Trump bored with his job and lifestyle? I don't know and I don't think the two authors knew either, but by 2000, he was looking at the third party Reform Party, and was getting to know people like Ross Perot, Ralph Nader, and Jesse Ventura. The third party idea did appeal to people by 2000, but Trump couldn't commit to entering the race as a Reform Party candidate. He next considered running in 2012, against Barack Obama. The years in between were spent building up "The Apprentice" and then "The Celebrity Apprentice".
By 2012, Trump was nastily attacking Obama and his supposed birthplace of Kenya. He had also surrounded himself with a rather strange bunch of political hangers on like Roger Stone, Sam Nunberg, Steve Bannon, and Michael Cohen, among many others. Even Michael Avenatti makes an appearance during this time. But Trump finally became serious about running in 2016...and he won the race.
Short and Salkin's book is exceedingly well written. By taking a defined time period, they were able to concentrate on those people and events who were important to Donald Trump. You'd be surprised at the number of aides who were hired/fired/hired and fired again by Trump. This book is very good and I can heartily recommend it to the political jock.
July 28, 2019
This is a unique narrative non-fiction format -- quotes from seemingly everyone who ever knew the current President, presented thematically in order. From the multiple points of view emerges not only the familiar petty, venal, lying, horrible person we have come to know, but a person with a long-term plan and numerous ways to execute it. "The Method fo the Madness" puts to rest whether this seemingly impossible president got there accidentally. And it pulls back the curtain to show the persistence of certain indelible character traits (and lack of others) that have been with the guy since heck was a pup. Excellent reportage, easy to read, fuel your rage all over again, without reading hardly any opinions of the usual suspects from the commentariat. This is all real quotes - no fake news!
July 22, 2019
This book traces Donald Trump's journey to being a political candidate for president in the 2016 election. While there are many theories as to why he chose to run, this book lays out his history concerning that decision and that he had this as his ultimate goal for many years. What makes this book particularly interesting is the use of sources - there are no anonymous sources. I found it an interesting and factual based look at Trump's history in politics.
August 10, 2020
Kirkus nails their review of this book by beginning it with a quote from Hamlet, “though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” Describes this book about Donald Trump perfectly, IMO. Tailor made for audiobook, the authors-two reporters from the NYpost-gather 100+ people close to to Trump in one way or another to create an oral history of the guy’s ambitious and focused climb to the White House. A climb unlike anyone else’s in history. I know it’s an unpopular opinion, but I have found Trump a compelling figure for years, and this book reminds me of the long lineup of incidents, public feuds, gossip magazine appearances etc etc that have fed that interest-many of which I’ve forgotten about over time. No doubt about it, he’s a shrewd master of branding, messaging, and using media to build an unforgettable public persona, and whose clumsy spontaneity, according to these reporters’ inquiries, may not always be as spontaneous as it seems.
Want to read
September 9, 2019.
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The Biggest Loser: Why Donald Trump Couldn’t Hack It in Hollywood
Donald Trump spent years trying to make it as a Hollywood mogul. Nobody bought his act
By
Allen Salkin - August 26, 2019.
Wow, read this LA Mag article, it's just brilliant.
Donny is a fucking loser, a loathsome creep, pedo sleazeball rockspider, skinty tightarse, fraudulant huckster, and a total fucking moron. But you knew that already. And that's just the nicest compliments anyone can have of the ghoulish pathetic toddler.
July 24, 2019
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was an interesting read with input and insights by many sources regarding Trumps history, personality and behavior prior to his run for the White House. He seemed highly motivated and deliberate in his choices.
October 3, 2019
Chilling, insider reports.
October 20, 2019
Learning about the history of Trump how he has planned everything from the very start
December 24, 2020
This is purported to be a balanced look at the rise of Donald Trump and his plan to run for President of the United States, but they don't talk much about his actual run for President. This book is trying to prove that Donald Trump had been working toward the Presidency for years. They did a reasonable job proving their point through most of it, but it got strange toward the end. The general theme was that Trump is self-centered and will do anything to promote himself (as if that was a secret).
I am also reviewing the audiobook, and it lost a star because the audiobook had a full cast of people imitating the voices of various people quoted in the book. The person imitating Trump was reasonably good, but the others were less than good, leading me to question how good the quotes were and the quotes were so short that I questioned whether they were taken out of context. It also seemed that the interspersing of the different people being quoted were ganging up on Mr. Trump. In fact, the audiobook gave a warning that the people quoted might seem to be doing that when in fact, they were not. Therefore it was the author giving that impression.
Any modesty issues? Yes. The F-word was used within the quotes of others.
I benefited somewhat from reading this book but I doubt I will read it again.
I am also reviewing the audiobook, and it lost a star because the audiobook had a full cast of people imitating the voices of various people quoted in the book. The person imitating Trump was reasonably good, but the others were less than good, leading me to question how good the quotes were and the quotes were so short that I questioned whether they were taken out of context. It also seemed that the interspersing of the different people being quoted were ganging up on Mr. Trump. In fact, the audiobook gave a warning that the people quoted might seem to be doing that when in fact, they were not. Therefore it was the author giving that impression.
Any modesty issues? Yes. The F-word was used within the quotes of others.
I benefited somewhat from reading this book but I doubt I will read it again.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews