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Make Russia Great Again
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Humor (2020)The award-winning and bestselling author of Thank You for Smoking delivers a hilarious and whipsmart fake memoir by Herb Nutterman—Donald Trump’s seventh chief of staff—who has written the ultimate tell-all about Trump and Russia.
Herb Nutterman never intended to become Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff. Herb served the Trump Organization for twenty-seven years, holding jobs in everything from a food and beverage manager at the Trump Magnifica to being the first general manager of the Trump Bloody Run Golf Course. And when his old boss asks “his favorite Jew” to take on the daunting role of chief of staff, Herb, spurred on by loyalty, agrees.
But being the chief of staff is a lot different from being a former hospitality expert. Soon, Herb finds himself deeply involved in Russian intrigue, deflecting rumors about Mike Pence’s high school involvement in a Satanic cult, and leading President Trump’s reelection campaign.
What Nutterman experiences is outrageous, outlandish, and otherwise unbelievable—therefore making it a deadly accurate account of being the chief of staff during the Trump administration. With hilarious jabs at the biggest world leaders and Washington politics overall, Make Russia Great Again is a timely political satire from “one of the funniest writers in the English language” (Tom Wolfe).
Herb Nutterman never intended to become Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff. Herb served the Trump Organization for twenty-seven years, holding jobs in everything from a food and beverage manager at the Trump Magnifica to being the first general manager of the Trump Bloody Run Golf Course. And when his old boss asks “his favorite Jew” to take on the daunting role of chief of staff, Herb, spurred on by loyalty, agrees.
But being the chief of staff is a lot different from being a former hospitality expert. Soon, Herb finds himself deeply involved in Russian intrigue, deflecting rumors about Mike Pence’s high school involvement in a Satanic cult, and leading President Trump’s reelection campaign.
What Nutterman experiences is outrageous, outlandish, and otherwise unbelievable—therefore making it a deadly accurate account of being the chief of staff during the Trump administration. With hilarious jabs at the biggest world leaders and Washington politics overall, Make Russia Great Again is a timely political satire from “one of the funniest writers in the English language” (Tom Wolfe).
278 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2020
854 people are currently reading
3600 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Buckley
102 books955 followersChristopher Buckley graduated cum laude from Yale University in 1976. He shipped out in the Merchant Marine and at age 24 became managing editor of Esquire magazine. At age 29, he became chief speechwriter to the Vice President of the United States, George H.W. Bush. Since 1989 he has been founder and editor-in-chief of Forbes Life magazine.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He is the author of twelve books, most of them national bestsellers. They include: The White House Mess, Wet Work, Thank You For Smoking, God Is My Broker, Little Green Men, No Way To Treat a First Lady, Florence of Arabia, Boomsday and Supreme Courtship.
Mr. Buckley has contributed over 60 comic essays to The New Yorker magazine. His journalism, satire and criticism has been widely published—in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New Republic, Washington Monthly, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Esquire, and other publications. He is the recipient of the 2002 Washington Irving Medal for Literary Excellence. In 2004 he was awarded the Thurber Prize for American Humor.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He is the author of twelve books, most of them national bestsellers. They include: The White House Mess, Wet Work, Thank You For Smoking, God Is My Broker, Little Green Men, No Way To Treat a First Lady, Florence of Arabia, Boomsday and Supreme Courtship.
Mr. Buckley has contributed over 60 comic essays to The New Yorker magazine. His journalism, satire and criticism has been widely published—in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New Republic, Washington Monthly, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Esquire, and other publications. He is the recipient of the 2002 Washington Irving Medal for Literary Excellence. In 2004 he was awarded the Thurber Prize for American Humor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 423 reviews
July 14, 2020
Until now, Donald Trump has avoided being fully captured by novelists simply by behaving worse than any of them could fathom. But the great fiction writers who stormed the White House over the past few years share some of the blame, too. Howard Jacobson, Salman Rushdie and Dave Eggers all took steady aim at the bloated target, but in their satirical novels, anger curdled their humor and ultimately blunted their barbs.
Christopher Buckley is not angry about Donald Trump. He sounds instead as delighted as a fly discovering the world’s largest pile of manure. The comic genius behind such classics as “Thank You for Smoking” has now given us an outrageously funny novel equal to the absurdity roiling Washington. The explosion of topical gags in “Make Russia Great Again” will — one hopes — someday require a host of footnotes to explain, but let the future worry about that. Typically, comedy is tragedy plus time. For now, we’ll have to make do with tragedy plus Buckley.
A brief Author’s Note states, “Any person finding any resemblance between themselves and persons depicted herein should probably be ashamed.” There is no index to “Make Russia Great Again,” so power players in D.C. will have to direct their secretaries to scan the pages to see whether they’ve been cursed with a cameo. Some characters appear under. . . .
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...
Christopher Buckley is not angry about Donald Trump. He sounds instead as delighted as a fly discovering the world’s largest pile of manure. The comic genius behind such classics as “Thank You for Smoking” has now given us an outrageously funny novel equal to the absurdity roiling Washington. The explosion of topical gags in “Make Russia Great Again” will — one hopes — someday require a host of footnotes to explain, but let the future worry about that. Typically, comedy is tragedy plus time. For now, we’ll have to make do with tragedy plus Buckley.
A brief Author’s Note states, “Any person finding any resemblance between themselves and persons depicted herein should probably be ashamed.” There is no index to “Make Russia Great Again,” so power players in D.C. will have to direct their secretaries to scan the pages to see whether they’ve been cursed with a cameo. Some characters appear under. . . .
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...
July 30, 2020
It’s not an easy thing to write political satire about Donald Trump. How do you outdo what we’re actually living through? Still Buckley, decided to give it the old college try.
While this isn’t great literature by any stretch, it’s good for a few big laughs and lots of chuckles.
The premise is that Putin manages to lose an election to a real communist. And that he lost because our AI hacked the Russian Election in retaliation for their hacking of our 2016 one.
Buckley makes no efforts to hide who each character is meant to be. He lands a few bullseyes, including this description “Katie was sexy in a - I don’t want to say creepy - certain kind of way, as if you might discover after sleeping with her that she was in fact an android… She had no specific function at the White House other than to seek out the nearest camera or microphone and declaim defiantly support of whatever the president had said or done.”
Some of the best humor seemed to be of the throw away variety, almost hidden in the footnotes (literally). Like this footnote: “The origins of the Electoral College are obscure, but some scholars hold that it was intended to annoy the more populous states.”
This is an easy, fun read good for a day or two. Buckley does have a way with words. I recommend it for those who like their humor dark. If you liked Thank You for Smoking, you’ll enjoy this.
My thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.
While this isn’t great literature by any stretch, it’s good for a few big laughs and lots of chuckles.
The premise is that Putin manages to lose an election to a real communist. And that he lost because our AI hacked the Russian Election in retaliation for their hacking of our 2016 one.
Buckley makes no efforts to hide who each character is meant to be. He lands a few bullseyes, including this description “Katie was sexy in a - I don’t want to say creepy - certain kind of way, as if you might discover after sleeping with her that she was in fact an android… She had no specific function at the White House other than to seek out the nearest camera or microphone and declaim defiantly support of whatever the president had said or done.”
Some of the best humor seemed to be of the throw away variety, almost hidden in the footnotes (literally). Like this footnote: “The origins of the Electoral College are obscure, but some scholars hold that it was intended to annoy the more populous states.”
This is an easy, fun read good for a day or two. Buckley does have a way with words. I recommend it for those who like their humor dark. If you liked Thank You for Smoking, you’ll enjoy this.
My thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.
December 18, 2020
"But it's a strange world. And getting stranger by the day."
It seems unthinkable, but Putin has lost reelection thanks to interference from . . . the U.S. Now it's just months before the 2020 election, and the Trump administration is doing everything it can to prevent an international incident, and possibly World War III.
In Buckley's latest novel, reality and fiction blend seamlessly, AND disturbingly. And, given all that's happened since Trump took office, the whole convoluted plot seems so damned plausible! There's a definite ripped-from-recent headlines appeal to this one, from Trump mulling over replacing his VP with a female running mate - either a former governor of a southern state, or possibly his favorite daughter, to certain Republican senators experiencing buyer's remorse:
"Have I not disgraced myself sufficiently in the service of Donald Trump? I have done so many 180-degree turns -- in policy, principle, and everything else I once held sacred -- that my head is spinning. How low must a man go to rise in his estimation?"
I enjoyed this one, and I'm happy Buckley has made a return, however brief, to political satire.
It seems unthinkable, but Putin has lost reelection thanks to interference from . . . the U.S. Now it's just months before the 2020 election, and the Trump administration is doing everything it can to prevent an international incident, and possibly World War III.
In Buckley's latest novel, reality and fiction blend seamlessly, AND disturbingly. And, given all that's happened since Trump took office, the whole convoluted plot seems so damned plausible! There's a definite ripped-from-recent headlines appeal to this one, from Trump mulling over replacing his VP with a female running mate - either a former governor of a southern state, or possibly his favorite daughter, to certain Republican senators experiencing buyer's remorse:
"Have I not disgraced myself sufficiently in the service of Donald Trump? I have done so many 180-degree turns -- in policy, principle, and everything else I once held sacred -- that my head is spinning. How low must a man go to rise in his estimation?"
I enjoyed this one, and I'm happy Buckley has made a return, however brief, to political satire.
August 14, 2020
Never one to shy away from a little satirical fiction, I turned to Christopher Buckley’s latest novel, full of poignant storytelling to get me ready for the upcoming election cycle. Ready to rake many over the coals and do so in the most tongue-in-cheek fashion, Buckley provides the reader with a hilarious outpouring of scandalous goings-on in the heart of Washington. Herbert K. Nutterman is enjoying his retirement years, but when the phone rings all that comes crashing to a halt. Having spent close to thirty years with Donald J. Trump in his various hospitality ventures, he knows the man all too well, enough that when POTUS calls to speak to ‘my favourite Jew’, Nutterman can only wince. Nutterman is invited to become the next White House Chief of Staff. While his wife cannot stomach the idea, Nutterman knows that he cannot say no to the Leader of the Free World. Not long after taking the job, Nutterman is shocked alongside the rest of the world when news from Moscow comes that President Vladimir Putin has lost the presidential election to a communist. The margin of victory is small enough that there will need to be a run-off, but still, this is bad news. POTUS is beside himself, worried that his international buddy is potentially set to be knocked off his pedestal and vows to do whatever he can to help. During a confidential meeting, Nutterman learns that one of the US Intelligence computers may have played a part in rigging the results. Nutterman refuses to share this with his boss, but is sure that the run-off will set things straight and Putin will remain in power. Meanwhile, POTUS has been asked to reverse a law that has frozen the assets of a Russian oligarch and is happy to pass this along. Devising a plan to pass a law that will permit more molybdenum (a strong metal that may be useful for American military weapons), POTUS hopes to rush this through and leave the public none the wiser. However, re-election is inching closer and POTUS has no time for any delays. Nutterman must work his magic to ensure nothing topples the apple cart and that America has at least four more years to continue its greatness (and maybe more if POTUS needs them and wants to negate the 22nd Amendment). This great piece leaves no stone unturned and keeps the reader snickering throughout, permitted they have an open mind and do not mind a little political ribbing. Recommended to those who can handle a little mockery of the American political situation, as well as the reader who needs a little humour to lighten their pre-election cycle mood.
I have always enjoyed the work of Christopher Buckley, as it is both on point and quite humorous in its portrayal of the new reality in which the world finds itself. Buckley veils many of his commentaries in serious goings-on but cannot promise that he will not eviscerate all those he finds troublesome and worth a bit of mockery. Herbert Nutterman is the perfect protagonist for this piece, tied to a man he has known for many years but aware of the numerous train-wrecks that are sure to come. Nutterman seeks to succeed when many others have failed while keeping the wheels on the American state and the presidency at the same time. With a wife who refuses to accept his circus of a job and a number of people, both within and outside the Administration, testing his patience, Nutterman can only hope to find some solace that he is doing the best he can. However, as the reader will discover, something surely goes very wrong, particularly from the repeated clues that Nutterman offers about where and how he is writing this piece in the future. Other characters provide added fodder to the mockery that is the situation of the current US Administration, including numerous Russians who seek to sweeten the pot for themselves. Collusion is only one of the issues that underlie the ongoing interactions throughout this book, exacerbating the already strong whisper campaign that America has become a Russian puppet. Buckley uses a strong story that has some degree of possibility to weave quite the tale and keeps the reader on their toes as they try not to tear up with laughter as it relates to the countless moments of mockery that emerge throughout. With strong chapters that keep the story moving and a cast of characters, many of whom depict real personas in the Washington sphere, Buckley entertains like few others can while also proposing the seriousness of the path America is taking away from anything resembling greatness. One can only wonder what November 3, 2020 will bring, but whatever it is, the history books will surely be full of footnotes about the craziness these past four years have been.
Kudos, Mr. Buckley, for keeping me laughing throughout. While things are surely a nightmare at present, you show the silver lining and leave me hoping that the electorate will wake up and see how they can fix things before they are too far gone.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I have always enjoyed the work of Christopher Buckley, as it is both on point and quite humorous in its portrayal of the new reality in which the world finds itself. Buckley veils many of his commentaries in serious goings-on but cannot promise that he will not eviscerate all those he finds troublesome and worth a bit of mockery. Herbert Nutterman is the perfect protagonist for this piece, tied to a man he has known for many years but aware of the numerous train-wrecks that are sure to come. Nutterman seeks to succeed when many others have failed while keeping the wheels on the American state and the presidency at the same time. With a wife who refuses to accept his circus of a job and a number of people, both within and outside the Administration, testing his patience, Nutterman can only hope to find some solace that he is doing the best he can. However, as the reader will discover, something surely goes very wrong, particularly from the repeated clues that Nutterman offers about where and how he is writing this piece in the future. Other characters provide added fodder to the mockery that is the situation of the current US Administration, including numerous Russians who seek to sweeten the pot for themselves. Collusion is only one of the issues that underlie the ongoing interactions throughout this book, exacerbating the already strong whisper campaign that America has become a Russian puppet. Buckley uses a strong story that has some degree of possibility to weave quite the tale and keeps the reader on their toes as they try not to tear up with laughter as it relates to the countless moments of mockery that emerge throughout. With strong chapters that keep the story moving and a cast of characters, many of whom depict real personas in the Washington sphere, Buckley entertains like few others can while also proposing the seriousness of the path America is taking away from anything resembling greatness. One can only wonder what November 3, 2020 will bring, but whatever it is, the history books will surely be full of footnotes about the craziness these past four years have been.
Kudos, Mr. Buckley, for keeping me laughing throughout. While things are surely a nightmare at present, you show the silver lining and leave me hoping that the electorate will wake up and see how they can fix things before they are too far gone.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
September 21, 2020
A friend of mine knowing how seriously I regard our upcoming presidential election suggested I read this book. Up to 2008 I followed politics primarily for the humor it usually offered. After 2008 politics rapidly lost its humor for me and my friend probably thought this book would help me find the lost humor in politics. It didn't.
From the title and the book's author you can probably guess that this book is a satire and the focus of the satire is Donald Trump and his administration. The book is well written and in another time and with a different president it might even have been amusing. Unfortunately, how does one satirize Donald Trump? After all the tell all books that have been written and will be written about this man and the workings of his administration there is nothing funny in this book that doesn't bear the elements of realistic probability. How do you make fun of something or someone that is already funny? The reality of this administration would be hilarious if it weren't for the fact that the business they are engaged in is deadly serious and the bodies of tens of thousands of Americans bear testament to that fact. So this book didn't lift my spirits and, in fact, made me even more concerned about our future in this country.
This book was published in July of this year so it was probably in the printer's hands before Covid-19 became part of our lives. Consequently, no mention is made of this development and does render some of the facts mentioned in the book silly, for instance the occurrence of the two party's political conventions. Of course this is a very minor problem. What bothers me is that this author is intelligent enough and skilled enough to have recognized a Trump satire was going to be a lead balloon as he ceased to be funny quite some time ago and probably won't regain any humor value for a generation or two. For some time to come Trump will be about as funny as Hitler and Stalin. The author should have shelved this manuscript and moved to another subject.
From the title and the book's author you can probably guess that this book is a satire and the focus of the satire is Donald Trump and his administration. The book is well written and in another time and with a different president it might even have been amusing. Unfortunately, how does one satirize Donald Trump? After all the tell all books that have been written and will be written about this man and the workings of his administration there is nothing funny in this book that doesn't bear the elements of realistic probability. How do you make fun of something or someone that is already funny? The reality of this administration would be hilarious if it weren't for the fact that the business they are engaged in is deadly serious and the bodies of tens of thousands of Americans bear testament to that fact. So this book didn't lift my spirits and, in fact, made me even more concerned about our future in this country.
This book was published in July of this year so it was probably in the printer's hands before Covid-19 became part of our lives. Consequently, no mention is made of this development and does render some of the facts mentioned in the book silly, for instance the occurrence of the two party's political conventions. Of course this is a very minor problem. What bothers me is that this author is intelligent enough and skilled enough to have recognized a Trump satire was going to be a lead balloon as he ceased to be funny quite some time ago and probably won't regain any humor value for a generation or two. For some time to come Trump will be about as funny as Hitler and Stalin. The author should have shelved this manuscript and moved to another subject.
October 30, 2022
Professionally written. Pointless. Forgettable.
June 28, 2020
Christopher Buckley hit the nail on the head when he said American politics had "become self-satirizing". The biggest problem I have with Make Russia Great Again is the fact that it's too close to being realistic. I mean, 2020 has proven to us that
literally anything
is possible.
It's 2020, and Herb Nutterman is Trump's newest hire as chief of staff. Herb has worked in the hospitality industry under Donald Trump for the last 27 years, much to his wife Hetta's dismay. Nevertheless, Herb is dazzled at the idea of working in the White House and accepts the offer. From there, we are privy to the inner workings of the Trump White House - complete with drones, rigged elections, and many, many firings of employees.
I was cracking up reading this. It is very, very rare that I audibly laugh at a book - and I definitely snickered a couple of times. This is chock-full of pop culture and political references that (unless you've been living under a rock) everyone will get.
Another reason why this book is rated so highly for me is that it doesn't push a certain agenda. Of course, we will come to our own conclusions before picking up the book and before finishing it. But, Buckley himself doesn't look to disgrace any one character more than the other - Herb Nutterman surely won't criticize his superior. I think for such a charged topic, it is very important for an author to keep an even-toned, unbiased narration throughout and let the readers make the decisions for themselves - and Buckley definitely does that.
All in all, it made me laugh and was an easy read that is a breeze to get through. Even if you are sick of politics, this novel will make you laugh at its absurdities - take a chance on it.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
It's 2020, and Herb Nutterman is Trump's newest hire as chief of staff. Herb has worked in the hospitality industry under Donald Trump for the last 27 years, much to his wife Hetta's dismay. Nevertheless, Herb is dazzled at the idea of working in the White House and accepts the offer. From there, we are privy to the inner workings of the Trump White House - complete with drones, rigged elections, and many, many firings of employees.
I was cracking up reading this. It is very, very rare that I audibly laugh at a book - and I definitely snickered a couple of times. This is chock-full of pop culture and political references that (unless you've been living under a rock) everyone will get.
Another reason why this book is rated so highly for me is that it doesn't push a certain agenda. Of course, we will come to our own conclusions before picking up the book and before finishing it. But, Buckley himself doesn't look to disgrace any one character more than the other - Herb Nutterman surely won't criticize his superior. I think for such a charged topic, it is very important for an author to keep an even-toned, unbiased narration throughout and let the readers make the decisions for themselves - and Buckley definitely does that.
All in all, it made me laugh and was an easy read that is a breeze to get through. Even if you are sick of politics, this novel will make you laugh at its absurdities - take a chance on it.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
July 20, 2020
This was great. Not hilarious, but reasonably amusing. Satirizing Trump is famously difficult. How does Buckley do it? I think the answer is that instead of exaggerating, he actually tones everything down. Buckley's Trump and his henchmen are surprisingly reasonable. Reading the book is comforting and funny, not horrifyingly scary, because Buckley makes everything smaller and gentler.
You can read the book without hurting your brain, because Fictional Trump speaks English. Fictional Trump's corruption is small potatoes compared to reality, just a small piece of kompromat. His death cult of racist deplorables is there as an abstraction, but not as actual characters. Fictional Trump's policy positions are irrelevant. There's no virus killing hundreds of thousands of Americans, no climate change catastrophe. All the drama centers on (a fictionalized version of) the Magnitsky Act. Compared to reality, it's a breath of fresh air!
You can read the book without hurting your brain, because Fictional Trump speaks English. Fictional Trump's corruption is small potatoes compared to reality, just a small piece of kompromat. His death cult of racist deplorables is there as an abstraction, but not as actual characters. Fictional Trump's policy positions are irrelevant. There's no virus killing hundreds of thousands of Americans, no climate change catastrophe. All the drama centers on (a fictionalized version of) the Magnitsky Act. Compared to reality, it's a breath of fresh air!
August 12, 2020
Reince Priebus, John Kelley, Mark Mulvaney, Mark Meadows and now Herb Nutterman, all Chiefs of Staff for President Donald Trump. All are real, except for Nutterman who is the central character of Christopher Buckley’s hilarious political satire entitled, MAKE RUSSIA GREAT AGAIN. If one follows the office of Chief of Staff during the Trump administration it appears to be a merry go round or a game of “whack a mole” as they resign, are fired, or only plain fade away. In Buckley’s rendition of the office and the official who heads it the American people are faced with a somewhat comical situation; however, it reflects a presidency that is chaotic and exists to meet the personal needs of the president which is not humorous at all.
Buckley’s plot, apart from his review of Trump’s, how shall we say idiosyncrasies that have led to an uncontrolled pandemic, racial unrest, an economy collapsing, along with his constant tweeting of “alternative facts/reality” is quite simple. It appears that the CIA has a computer that hacked the Russian reelection of Vladimir Putin producing a victory for the Communist candidate Anatoli Zitkin. The CIA computer program, entitled Operation Placid Reflux is designed to respond in kind to anyone or organization that interferes with an American election, hence the Communist victory. Trump’s intelligence community and political staff refuse to tell the president because of how he might react. A second plot develops around a Russian oligarch, Oleg Pishinsky whose business manufactures Novichok, a nerve agent designed to kill people, which Buckley affectionally describes as “oil of Oleg.” It appears Pishinsky has a thumb drive that dates back to the 2013 Miss Universe contest which Trump attended and personally “examined” each of the eighteen contestants. Later when one of the women complained it seems that “oil of Oleg” was used in her demise. When the contents of the thumb drive are leaked, Nutterman and company come clean with the president who comes up with a new slogan, “Keep America Hard.”
Buckley possesses a keen sense of humor, at times a bit understated, at times somewhat sarcastic, but always funny. Humor is a gift to all in our current Covid-19 world and perhaps Washington politicians might want to consult Buckley’s narrative as a means of breaking the political ice and make a real attempt to address the nation’s problems, rather than play the ego games that are a detriment to the American people.
Herb Nutterman, who Trump refers to as his “favorite Jew” had no qualifications to be Chief of Staff, aside from twenty-seven years of hospitality work in Trump hotels. This type of work was actually useful training for the “suck up” work that is needed by those in Trump’s orbit. The president comes across as an ignorant, ill-informed individual who suffers from a lack of intellectual curiosity which are among his positive characteristics, along with having the attention span of a gerbil. But, what can you expect from a person who suggests injecting oneself with bleach to deal with Covid-19.
Buckley’s commentary concerning Trump match the descriptions offered by people no longer serving in the administration. Buckley describes Trump’s behavior during intelligence briefings or other important meetings as simply having no patience. “He liked his briefings short, crisp, and to the point, and above all, without briefing books or even short memos. Mr. Trump’s eyes had some sort of membrane that caused them to glaze over. He attributed this to his ‘lightning-fast brain,’ not to attention deficit disorder. The one exception was if someone was praising him.”
Buckley introduces numerous characters which are easily identified. Katie Borgia-O’Reilly is obviously Kelly Ann Conway; Senator Squiggly Lee Biskitt of South Carolina is Lindsay Graham; Stephen Miller is Stefan Nacht von Nebel the author of THE FINAL SOLUTION TO THE MEXICAN PROBLEM; Secretary of the Treasury Minutian is actually Steven Mnuchin; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is President Attajurk; Vice-President Mike Pants; Beula Puckle-Peters as Sarah Sanders; Cricket Singh, former UN Ambassador and governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley; Seamus Colonnity, alias Sean Hannity; and of course Jored and Ivunka, one of which “looked like his own Madame Tussaud’s waxwork.” Others whose real names are used include Attorney-General William Barr, Vladimir Putin, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Paul Manafort.
As each character is “poked,” it should cause the reader to shake one’s head. An excellent example is the description of a state dinner for Turkish President Attajurk at the White House. Kim Kardashian, of Armenian descent is seated on his right, and First Lady Melania Trump seated on his left leans over and asks about Kim’s Armenian heritage leading to an uncomfortable situation with the Armenian Genocide as backdrop. Attajurk is repulsed and leaves, returning immediately to Ankara while Melania smiles.
At times, the book reads like a Kurt Vonnegut novel taking place in “Cloud Cuckoo Land.” Be that as it may it is worth a quick read to make one laugh, which most doctors agree is the best medicine for people who suffer from excessive stress – which we all seem to be experiencing in our current environment. The book has its absurdities, but too many of them are too close to reality, but at least Buckley has made politics funny again!
Buckley’s plot, apart from his review of Trump’s, how shall we say idiosyncrasies that have led to an uncontrolled pandemic, racial unrest, an economy collapsing, along with his constant tweeting of “alternative facts/reality” is quite simple. It appears that the CIA has a computer that hacked the Russian reelection of Vladimir Putin producing a victory for the Communist candidate Anatoli Zitkin. The CIA computer program, entitled Operation Placid Reflux is designed to respond in kind to anyone or organization that interferes with an American election, hence the Communist victory. Trump’s intelligence community and political staff refuse to tell the president because of how he might react. A second plot develops around a Russian oligarch, Oleg Pishinsky whose business manufactures Novichok, a nerve agent designed to kill people, which Buckley affectionally describes as “oil of Oleg.” It appears Pishinsky has a thumb drive that dates back to the 2013 Miss Universe contest which Trump attended and personally “examined” each of the eighteen contestants. Later when one of the women complained it seems that “oil of Oleg” was used in her demise. When the contents of the thumb drive are leaked, Nutterman and company come clean with the president who comes up with a new slogan, “Keep America Hard.”
Buckley possesses a keen sense of humor, at times a bit understated, at times somewhat sarcastic, but always funny. Humor is a gift to all in our current Covid-19 world and perhaps Washington politicians might want to consult Buckley’s narrative as a means of breaking the political ice and make a real attempt to address the nation’s problems, rather than play the ego games that are a detriment to the American people.
Herb Nutterman, who Trump refers to as his “favorite Jew” had no qualifications to be Chief of Staff, aside from twenty-seven years of hospitality work in Trump hotels. This type of work was actually useful training for the “suck up” work that is needed by those in Trump’s orbit. The president comes across as an ignorant, ill-informed individual who suffers from a lack of intellectual curiosity which are among his positive characteristics, along with having the attention span of a gerbil. But, what can you expect from a person who suggests injecting oneself with bleach to deal with Covid-19.
Buckley’s commentary concerning Trump match the descriptions offered by people no longer serving in the administration. Buckley describes Trump’s behavior during intelligence briefings or other important meetings as simply having no patience. “He liked his briefings short, crisp, and to the point, and above all, without briefing books or even short memos. Mr. Trump’s eyes had some sort of membrane that caused them to glaze over. He attributed this to his ‘lightning-fast brain,’ not to attention deficit disorder. The one exception was if someone was praising him.”
Buckley introduces numerous characters which are easily identified. Katie Borgia-O’Reilly is obviously Kelly Ann Conway; Senator Squiggly Lee Biskitt of South Carolina is Lindsay Graham; Stephen Miller is Stefan Nacht von Nebel the author of THE FINAL SOLUTION TO THE MEXICAN PROBLEM; Secretary of the Treasury Minutian is actually Steven Mnuchin; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is President Attajurk; Vice-President Mike Pants; Beula Puckle-Peters as Sarah Sanders; Cricket Singh, former UN Ambassador and governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley; Seamus Colonnity, alias Sean Hannity; and of course Jored and Ivunka, one of which “looked like his own Madame Tussaud’s waxwork.” Others whose real names are used include Attorney-General William Barr, Vladimir Putin, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Paul Manafort.
As each character is “poked,” it should cause the reader to shake one’s head. An excellent example is the description of a state dinner for Turkish President Attajurk at the White House. Kim Kardashian, of Armenian descent is seated on his right, and First Lady Melania Trump seated on his left leans over and asks about Kim’s Armenian heritage leading to an uncomfortable situation with the Armenian Genocide as backdrop. Attajurk is repulsed and leaves, returning immediately to Ankara while Melania smiles.
At times, the book reads like a Kurt Vonnegut novel taking place in “Cloud Cuckoo Land.” Be that as it may it is worth a quick read to make one laugh, which most doctors agree is the best medicine for people who suffer from excessive stress – which we all seem to be experiencing in our current environment. The book has its absurdities, but too many of them are too close to reality, but at least Buckley has made politics funny again!
May 7, 2022
Let us stipulate that this book cannot be described as "subtle." The reason for this is self-evident, of course: nothing pertaining to Donald Trump is ever subtle (except, perhaps, evidence of his "stable genius").
Let us further stipulate that writing a satiric book about Donald Trump will always be constrained by a heretofore unknown principle of physics: Any absurd sentence or situation a satirist might write, and humorous exaggeration he/she might invent, will in the end likely drift into the realm of non-fiction, as in: 'You know that ridiculous thing you wrote about Trump? Well, he actually said/did that today.'
And finally, let us recognize the integrity of this author himself, Christopher Buckley, who writes about himself in his About the Author: Buckley renounced political satire some years ago on the grounds that American politics had 'become self-satirizing." As they say in Washington, he wishes to revise his prior statement.
The story in "Make Russia Great Again" -- about the how the US inadvertently interferes in a Russian election -- is told through the voice of Donald Trump's "favorite Jew," Herb Nutterman, who unexpectedly finds himself becoming the president's White House Chief of Staff. The two men have history: Before the 2016 election, Nutterman had been Trump's employee for 27 years, first at the "Trump Magnifica" and later, at the Trump "Farrago-sur-Mer." Herb is hired because he knows Trump's personality very well (Mr. Trump rarely laughs, unless, say, he's just been informed that someone he despises has been diagnosed with malignant tumors or has experienced some other calamity) and, most importantly, he is loyal.
"Make Russia Great Again" is a very funny book with countless laugh-out-loud passages, none of them (as you will have surmised by now) very kind to Donald Trump. I will not share much here by way of summary or sample: I don't want to deprive any reader of the joy of seeing it him- or herself, and let's face it, the reader of a humorous book doesn't want to know the jokes in advance. I will say that, as Shakespeare put it, all the devil's are here, albeit with different names. Fox's most famous personalities, for example: Seamus Colonnity (a "modern day Cicero," in Herb's estimation) and Corky Fartmartin. One of Trump's most stalwart representatives: Katie Borgia-O'Reilly, who is married to a persistent thorn in Trump's side, Washington attorney Jerome "Romy" O'Reilly. And then there are the press secretaries and liaisons to the Evangelical community, and the Trump kids, the "EverTrumpers," and... I'll stop here; take my word for, though, there's more.
The firings-by-tweet are here too (including one Chief of Staff who is fired en route to a meeting with the "House Aryan Caucus"), along with the frequent turnover that has marked the Trump White House ("It was no secret that Mr. Trump's relations with his National Security Council directors had been less than smooth. Judd was his ninth in three and a half years."), and appointments that beggar belief (which I will also not provide an example of here because... see above). And, of course, the endless tweets.
Not all the humor in the book comes at the expense of Trump and his people (though most of it does, leading me to wonder: how many Trump supports will read the book?) There are more than a few well-deserved jabs at targets on the left, particularly the easily led media.
As I've said, I liked "Make Russia Great Again" a lot. It made me laugh. But the laughter comes at the cost of knowing how close to reality the most darkly outrageous moments are; what is a joke on a page can easily morph into terrifying reality.
I hope the pandemic doesn't keep it from the audience it deserves -- particularly in an election year.
Let us further stipulate that writing a satiric book about Donald Trump will always be constrained by a heretofore unknown principle of physics: Any absurd sentence or situation a satirist might write, and humorous exaggeration he/she might invent, will in the end likely drift into the realm of non-fiction, as in: 'You know that ridiculous thing you wrote about Trump? Well, he actually said/did that today.'
And finally, let us recognize the integrity of this author himself, Christopher Buckley, who writes about himself in his About the Author: Buckley renounced political satire some years ago on the grounds that American politics had 'become self-satirizing." As they say in Washington, he wishes to revise his prior statement.
The story in "Make Russia Great Again" -- about the how the US inadvertently interferes in a Russian election -- is told through the voice of Donald Trump's "favorite Jew," Herb Nutterman, who unexpectedly finds himself becoming the president's White House Chief of Staff. The two men have history: Before the 2016 election, Nutterman had been Trump's employee for 27 years, first at the "Trump Magnifica" and later, at the Trump "Farrago-sur-Mer." Herb is hired because he knows Trump's personality very well (Mr. Trump rarely laughs, unless, say, he's just been informed that someone he despises has been diagnosed with malignant tumors or has experienced some other calamity) and, most importantly, he is loyal.
"Make Russia Great Again" is a very funny book with countless laugh-out-loud passages, none of them (as you will have surmised by now) very kind to Donald Trump. I will not share much here by way of summary or sample: I don't want to deprive any reader of the joy of seeing it him- or herself, and let's face it, the reader of a humorous book doesn't want to know the jokes in advance. I will say that, as Shakespeare put it, all the devil's are here, albeit with different names. Fox's most famous personalities, for example: Seamus Colonnity (a "modern day Cicero," in Herb's estimation) and Corky Fartmartin. One of Trump's most stalwart representatives: Katie Borgia-O'Reilly, who is married to a persistent thorn in Trump's side, Washington attorney Jerome "Romy" O'Reilly. And then there are the press secretaries and liaisons to the Evangelical community, and the Trump kids, the "EverTrumpers," and... I'll stop here; take my word for, though, there's more.
The firings-by-tweet are here too (including one Chief of Staff who is fired en route to a meeting with the "House Aryan Caucus"), along with the frequent turnover that has marked the Trump White House ("It was no secret that Mr. Trump's relations with his National Security Council directors had been less than smooth. Judd was his ninth in three and a half years."), and appointments that beggar belief (which I will also not provide an example of here because... see above). And, of course, the endless tweets.
Not all the humor in the book comes at the expense of Trump and his people (though most of it does, leading me to wonder: how many Trump supports will read the book?) There are more than a few well-deserved jabs at targets on the left, particularly the easily led media.
As I've said, I liked "Make Russia Great Again" a lot. It made me laugh. But the laughter comes at the cost of knowing how close to reality the most darkly outrageous moments are; what is a joke on a page can easily morph into terrifying reality.
I hope the pandemic doesn't keep it from the audience it deserves -- particularly in an election year.
Read
July 10, 2020If I had to read a book about Trump, this would be it. Warning: Do not read the Washington Post review while drinking--your screen will become a blur. Mary Trump and John Bolton have written important books (and I wish Mary the best), but I am content to wait for a Ron Chernow to use them as brush strokes to paint the definitive portrait of Trump and his kakocratic rule.
May 17, 2020
Hits too close to the truth to be really enjoyable.
The main character, Herb Butterman, is a former chief of staff of President Trump. In the book, he is currently serving a sentence in Federal Prison. The book entails his experiences dealing with Trump, his minions, and the people who are influencing his decisions.
Many times I wanted to laugh out loud while reading the book. But then I would catch myself, and realize that no matter how absurd some of the situations were, you would have to think.....well, maybe?
It's an excellent book. It flows along very nicely, and keeps the reader engaged.
It's just that.....one doesn't really dare laugh, because it seems like it might be really happening. And that's terrifying!
The main character, Herb Butterman, is a former chief of staff of President Trump. In the book, he is currently serving a sentence in Federal Prison. The book entails his experiences dealing with Trump, his minions, and the people who are influencing his decisions.
Many times I wanted to laugh out loud while reading the book. But then I would catch myself, and realize that no matter how absurd some of the situations were, you would have to think.....well, maybe?
It's an excellent book. It flows along very nicely, and keeps the reader engaged.
It's just that.....one doesn't really dare laugh, because it seems like it might be really happening. And that's terrifying!
December 16, 2022
I eagerly started this one -- I mean, PJ O'Rourke loved it! And I usually like Buckley's humorous satires. But this one fell flat: one long Trump joke, and I'm sick of Trump jokes. Sick of Trump, really, and so glad he's fading from the news, and from politics, and from the scene. So I'll probably try it again in a year or so, once my unpleasant memories of Mr Trump have faded more.
Or not. So many books, so little time! And I think Buckley has lost his touch for humor?
Or not. So many books, so little time! And I think Buckley has lost his touch for humor?
May 29, 2020
I received a free publisher's review copy, via NetGalley.
Buckley sets himself the challenge of seeing if it’s possible to satirize the Trump administration. His setup is good, telling the story in the voice of Herb Nutterman, Trump’s “favorite Jew,” retired hospitality director for Trump’s “Farrago sur Mar” and, as the story begins, Trump’s seventh White House Chief of Staff.
Buckley manages to make Nutterman appealing at the start because of his extreme reluctance to take the job. But of course he is steamrollered by Trump, who tweets that Nutterman has been appointed before poor Herb has agreed to accept the position.
There are many clever fictional names for individuals you will quickly recognize, such as Kellyanne Conway, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Steven Miller, Senator Jeff Sessions, and more. But there’s more to it than cheap laughs. The plot is dizzying, but at the same time not far off from reality—or events you can easily imagine happening with this bunch..
Is Buckley’s experiment successful? Is it possible to satirize the Trump administration? Well, not really. As Buckley himself has said, American politics is self-satirizing. But the book is clever, and funny if you’re in the right mood—totally depressing if you’re not. But if it’s true that comedy = tragedy + time, it could become hilarious. Who knows, maybe just a few months from now.
Buckley sets himself the challenge of seeing if it’s possible to satirize the Trump administration. His setup is good, telling the story in the voice of Herb Nutterman, Trump’s “favorite Jew,” retired hospitality director for Trump’s “Farrago sur Mar” and, as the story begins, Trump’s seventh White House Chief of Staff.
Buckley manages to make Nutterman appealing at the start because of his extreme reluctance to take the job. But of course he is steamrollered by Trump, who tweets that Nutterman has been appointed before poor Herb has agreed to accept the position.
There are many clever fictional names for individuals you will quickly recognize, such as Kellyanne Conway, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Steven Miller, Senator Jeff Sessions, and more. But there’s more to it than cheap laughs. The plot is dizzying, but at the same time not far off from reality—or events you can easily imagine happening with this bunch..
Is Buckley’s experiment successful? Is it possible to satirize the Trump administration? Well, not really. As Buckley himself has said, American politics is self-satirizing. But the book is clever, and funny if you’re in the right mood—totally depressing if you’re not. But if it’s true that comedy = tragedy + time, it could become hilarious. Who knows, maybe just a few months from now.
July 20, 2020
There are few, if any, writers today who are as adept at satire as Chris Buckley. Starting with Thank You for Smoking, Buckley has corrected political correctness, butchered sacred cows, made conventional wisdom inconvenient and blasted the shibboleths of left and right, although he'd never use a word like shibboleths.There is much of this in evidence in MRGA, but there's this little problem. Reality has overtaken art. You can't effectively satirize someone or something if that entity has already seen your bet and raised it. The book is amusing but cannot come close to the idiocy and self-parody emanating from the House of Horrors at 1600 Pennsylvania. It's like trying to embarrass Mitch McConnell -- simply cannot be done.
June 27, 2022
Make Marcus Read Again!
August 2, 2020
Okay, I’ve waited a week or so after finishing Christopher Buckley’s latest comic farce, “Make Russia Great Again” to write a review. Most of the time I sit down after finishing a book and review it. But I have been thinking about this book and can’t even decide if I liked it, let alone how I want to rate it.
In general, I really like Christopher Buckley’s work. He’s the only child of Conservative icon Bill Buckley and his wife, Pat. Even after reading many of his books, I’m still not sure where I rate Christopher’s politics. I’m not sure it matters except...the characters of this book are Donald Trump and his aides and family, and we’re headed into a very important election.
Buckley’s book is a riff on the November election and he follows events in the United States and Russia pretty closely. Most of his characters are given fackish names, but are just plays on their real names. For instance, Buckley has referred to Mike Pence as, “Mike Pants”. And others in the family and government are similarly renamed. (Though Trump is always “Donald Trump”, his daughter and son in law are “Ivunka” and “Jorad”).
The reader can sort of tell when Buckley had to turn his manuscript into his publisher because the plot stops following current events. We are told nothing about Covid, the wreck of the economy, and the racial problems we’ve suffered as a nation (and world). And as our real times have become increasingly problematic, as readers we find Buckley’s plot and characters become much less funny.
I’m going to give Buckley’s writing 5 stars, but the plot and characters 3 stars, thus averaging 4 stars. Maybe if I was writing this review in, say October, I’d give I’d 1 star for character and plot. But I’ll keep it the way it is for now.
In general, I really like Christopher Buckley’s work. He’s the only child of Conservative icon Bill Buckley and his wife, Pat. Even after reading many of his books, I’m still not sure where I rate Christopher’s politics. I’m not sure it matters except...the characters of this book are Donald Trump and his aides and family, and we’re headed into a very important election.
Buckley’s book is a riff on the November election and he follows events in the United States and Russia pretty closely. Most of his characters are given fackish names, but are just plays on their real names. For instance, Buckley has referred to Mike Pence as, “Mike Pants”. And others in the family and government are similarly renamed. (Though Trump is always “Donald Trump”, his daughter and son in law are “Ivunka” and “Jorad”).
The reader can sort of tell when Buckley had to turn his manuscript into his publisher because the plot stops following current events. We are told nothing about Covid, the wreck of the economy, and the racial problems we’ve suffered as a nation (and world). And as our real times have become increasingly problematic, as readers we find Buckley’s plot and characters become much less funny.
I’m going to give Buckley’s writing 5 stars, but the plot and characters 3 stars, thus averaging 4 stars. Maybe if I was writing this review in, say October, I’d give I’d 1 star for character and plot. But I’ll keep it the way it is for now.
March 4, 2022
Couldn’t finish because of current events. Not author’s fault.
April 28, 2021
Wait... I thought this was supposed to be satire, not a copy and pasted transcript directly from Trump's staff?!
All jokes aside, Christopher Buckley continues to dominate as one of the most talented satirical authors in American history. Make Russia Great Again was incredibly well-written, hilarious, and intuitive. His ability to spin a streamlined and truly entertaining story is truly unparalleled and I am truly impressed over how well he was able to interpret Trump and his crew's mannerisms and strategies to a T.
However, putting the nearly perfect construction of this book aside, I won't lie... I had a difficult time managing my anxiety while reading MRGA. The great thing about satire is that it takes reality and the players within it and places them in a situation that is outlandish and silly enough to make it feel improbable. The problem is Trump and his followers are living, breathing satire in everyday life. Rather than being able to laugh through the ridiculous situations in MRGA (like Trump's approval rating amongst Evangelicals skyrocketing after pornographic videos of him are released) in the back of my mind I can't help but panic because I KNOW if any of this happened in real life, not a single occurrence or reaction would look any different. If anything I found myself cursing Buckley for giving Trump and his team inspiration and notes if (god forbid) he ever decided to run again.
Make Russia Great Again was a spectacular book, but it can be a bit triggering for those of us who would rather forget how the hell we as a country managed to survive Trump's presidency in (roughly) one piece.
All jokes aside, Christopher Buckley continues to dominate as one of the most talented satirical authors in American history. Make Russia Great Again was incredibly well-written, hilarious, and intuitive. His ability to spin a streamlined and truly entertaining story is truly unparalleled and I am truly impressed over how well he was able to interpret Trump and his crew's mannerisms and strategies to a T.
However, putting the nearly perfect construction of this book aside, I won't lie... I had a difficult time managing my anxiety while reading MRGA. The great thing about satire is that it takes reality and the players within it and places them in a situation that is outlandish and silly enough to make it feel improbable. The problem is Trump and his followers are living, breathing satire in everyday life. Rather than being able to laugh through the ridiculous situations in MRGA (like Trump's approval rating amongst Evangelicals skyrocketing after pornographic videos of him are released) in the back of my mind I can't help but panic because I KNOW if any of this happened in real life, not a single occurrence or reaction would look any different. If anything I found myself cursing Buckley for giving Trump and his team inspiration and notes if (god forbid) he ever decided to run again.
Make Russia Great Again was a spectacular book, but it can be a bit triggering for those of us who would rather forget how the hell we as a country managed to survive Trump's presidency in (roughly) one piece.
July 29, 2020
This was like watching the news. All completely plausible.
October 14, 2020
Author’s note: “ Any person finding any resemblance between themselves and persons depicted herein should probably be ashamed.”
Of course this is political satire. “Whoever defined history as [one fu..king thing after another] was onto something.”
The book is extremely clever as it is a fictional memoir of a white house chief of staff. I’d like, someday, to see this as a movie. Presently, there is an abundance of truth in the characters which makes it painful.
Of course this is political satire. “Whoever defined history as [one fu..king thing after another] was onto something.”
The book is extremely clever as it is a fictional memoir of a white house chief of staff. I’d like, someday, to see this as a movie. Presently, there is an abundance of truth in the characters which makes it painful.
September 4, 2023
I laughed heartily at first, but in the second half it lost steam and became repetitive.
February 27, 2021
"You’ve just informed me that the United States has grossly—grotesquely—interfered in a foreign election. And not just any foreign election. We have essentially undertaken a coup d’état against the president of Russia. (..) And why did this, this, this machine elect a Communist? Was that one of its parameters?”
“Placid’s algorithm would have incorporated historical precedent.” (Judd was apparently now on a first-name basis with the beast.) “Being aware that the US defeated Russian Communism before, it would likely predicate another future victory. Eventually.”
“What, after another seventy-four-year golden age of Gulag, Berlin Wall, and Iron Curtain? Who programmed this Pandora’s box? Mr. Trump will doubtless want to give him a Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
“Herb,” Judd said, “you’re overworking the problem. Look, here’s how this thing’s going to play out. Vladimir Putin will win the runoff election by the biggest landslide in Russian history. In any history. And Anatoli Zitkin, poor son of a bitch, will curse the day he won the first round. I wouldn’t predict longevity for Comrade Zitkin. The GRU is probably whipping up a fresh batch of Novichok to smear on his doorknobs.”
“Placid’s algorithm would have incorporated historical precedent.” (Judd was apparently now on a first-name basis with the beast.) “Being aware that the US defeated Russian Communism before, it would likely predicate another future victory. Eventually.”
“What, after another seventy-four-year golden age of Gulag, Berlin Wall, and Iron Curtain? Who programmed this Pandora’s box? Mr. Trump will doubtless want to give him a Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
“Herb,” Judd said, “you’re overworking the problem. Look, here’s how this thing’s going to play out. Vladimir Putin will win the runoff election by the biggest landslide in Russian history. In any history. And Anatoli Zitkin, poor son of a bitch, will curse the day he won the first round. I wouldn’t predict longevity for Comrade Zitkin. The GRU is probably whipping up a fresh batch of Novichok to smear on his doorknobs.”
August 6, 2020
Christopher Buckley is far and away the most accomplished political satirist writing today in America. In novels such as Thank You for Smoking and They Eat Puppies, Don’t They?, he has skewered the nation’s political establishment six ways from Sunday. Now, for the first time in nearly a decade, he returns to that field of battle with another of his trademark sendups of none other than Donald Trump himself. In Make Russia Great Again, he has taken on a man who might be thought immune to satire because he does such a great job of making a fool of himself. The book may not be Buckley’s best effort, but it’s far better than anything else in print that finds humor in The Donald’s tragic misbehavior. It turns out that parodying Donald Trump requires a satirist of Buckley’s enormous talent.
The narrator writes from prison, but he’s still loyal
The narrator of this very funny novel is Herbert K. Nutterman, a twenty-seven year veteran of Trump’s hotels whom Trump calls “my favorite Jew. (When he was pleased with me, that is.)” The President names him Chief of Staff, much to his amazement and his wife’s fear and disgust. And we know from the outset that her fear is well-considered, since Nutterman writes from federal prison, where he is serving a long sentence for some infraction unspecified until the very end of the story. He’s still loyal, though. You won’t catch Herbert K. Nutterman satirizing Donald Trump.
Yes, the Russians really do have something on Donald Trump
The title (Make Russia Great Again) telegraphs the theme of this novel. It appears that a crooked Russian oligarch (and thus Vladimir Putin himself) “has something on Donald Trump.” Unless Nutterman can arrange for the repeal of a law that froze the oligarch’s assets, all the evidence will come out publicly. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the White House, the intelligence establishment has set in motion an artificial intelligence (“Placid Reflux”) designed to counter Russian interference in the 2020 election. And what that countermeasure proves to be is . . . well, let’s just say dramatic. It’s all nutty, of course, but a whole lot of fun.
Satirizing Donald Trump requires special talent
So, really, how DO you satirize Donald J. Trump? Well, for starters, you don’t make up a silly name for him like those you assign to other characters. “Greta Fibberson, our chief of communications,” for example. “President Attajurk of Turkey.” “Mr. Fangschwaller, his top adviser on immigration.” “Our chief speechwriter, Stefan Nacht von Nebel.” Oh, and don’t forget the “House Aryan Caucus.” And after that beginning, the humor is all situational. Even Donald Trump couldn’t possibly get himself into the absurd fix that Buckley describes in this charming sendup of the none-too-charming mess in the White House.
The narrator writes from prison, but he’s still loyal
The narrator of this very funny novel is Herbert K. Nutterman, a twenty-seven year veteran of Trump’s hotels whom Trump calls “my favorite Jew. (When he was pleased with me, that is.)” The President names him Chief of Staff, much to his amazement and his wife’s fear and disgust. And we know from the outset that her fear is well-considered, since Nutterman writes from federal prison, where he is serving a long sentence for some infraction unspecified until the very end of the story. He’s still loyal, though. You won’t catch Herbert K. Nutterman satirizing Donald Trump.
Yes, the Russians really do have something on Donald Trump
The title (Make Russia Great Again) telegraphs the theme of this novel. It appears that a crooked Russian oligarch (and thus Vladimir Putin himself) “has something on Donald Trump.” Unless Nutterman can arrange for the repeal of a law that froze the oligarch’s assets, all the evidence will come out publicly. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the White House, the intelligence establishment has set in motion an artificial intelligence (“Placid Reflux”) designed to counter Russian interference in the 2020 election. And what that countermeasure proves to be is . . . well, let’s just say dramatic. It’s all nutty, of course, but a whole lot of fun.
Satirizing Donald Trump requires special talent
So, really, how DO you satirize Donald J. Trump? Well, for starters, you don’t make up a silly name for him like those you assign to other characters. “Greta Fibberson, our chief of communications,” for example. “President Attajurk of Turkey.” “Mr. Fangschwaller, his top adviser on immigration.” “Our chief speechwriter, Stefan Nacht von Nebel.” Oh, and don’t forget the “House Aryan Caucus.” And after that beginning, the humor is all situational. Even Donald Trump couldn’t possibly get himself into the absurd fix that Buckley describes in this charming sendup of the none-too-charming mess in the White House.
September 27, 2020
Herb Nutterman, former manager of one of Trump's hospitality properties responds positively when the president calls "his favorite Jew" and asks him to be his chief of staff. Certainly does not take a vivid imagination to picture this stuff actually happening. Conspiracy fans, lots of grist for you here but keep in mind this story is a lot like what many of yours seem like to the rest of us. Trump fans with thin skin should avoid it for fear of disrespecting the president (as he does everyone else.) Lots of plots, election interference, government murder plots, Russian oligarchs, cybercrime, sex among the powerful, murder, etc. It helps if you follow politics so you are not clueless as to whom the author is trying to hide behind some hilarious names - who could the Fox commentators Seamus Colonnity and Corky Fartmartin be? What staff member would write "I'll add it to my to do list. After "kill self". " Guess who? "As we sped off we watched Katie take up her position in the hot glare of the TV camera and flashes - a thousand points of spite." Love the descriptions of Trump having to bus in thousands of unemployed coal miners still waiting on his pledge to "bring back coal" to beef up attendance at a rally. They were a bit subdued but "Mr. Trump soon warmed them up, telling them how Democrats were going to confiscate their guns and give what few coal-related jobs were left to transgendered Guatemalan and Sudanese immigrants." Herb's difficulties in delivering bad news to folks affected by a presidential decision - "Awkward. Like the time I had to tell Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey he couldn't sit in the president's limo because the president was afraid the tires would blow."
Normally, I am not a fan of novels full of profanity as it tends to detract but it seems to flow naturally in this story. "Profanity in the White House is a form of punctuation", notes Herb. He also notes as he pens this story "The Trump era had proved that Americans are capable of the most extraordinary moral elasticity."
And, as the author warns in a cautionary note - "Any person finding any resemblance between themselves and persons depicted herein should probably be ashamed."
Great, laugh out loud read!
Normally, I am not a fan of novels full of profanity as it tends to detract but it seems to flow naturally in this story. "Profanity in the White House is a form of punctuation", notes Herb. He also notes as he pens this story "The Trump era had proved that Americans are capable of the most extraordinary moral elasticity."
And, as the author warns in a cautionary note - "Any person finding any resemblance between themselves and persons depicted herein should probably be ashamed."
Great, laugh out loud read!
July 18, 2020
Make Russia Great Again is a fictional memoir from one in a long line of Secretaries of State in the Trump administration, Herb. Herb is the perfect fly on the wall describing all the crazy antics that probably are real future headlines on the scroll bar at CNN.
I loved the author’s previous book, Thank You for Smoking, so I had to read his latest book. However, I, like many other reviewers, have realized that the subject being parodied is already so extreme that satire just seems silly.
Americans are so used to the current President’s outrageous claims and actions that literally nothing can surprise us. The point of parody is to take a person’s idiosyncrasies to the next level of absurdity. Unfortunately for us all, the President is already there, making Make Russia Great Again redundant. Just watch any news show. Even Fox News, his former ally, is beginning to turn on him. Therefore, purely for this reason, this book receives 3 stars from me. I’m sorry Mr. Buckley. I’ll still looking forward to your next book.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
I loved the author’s previous book, Thank You for Smoking, so I had to read his latest book. However, I, like many other reviewers, have realized that the subject being parodied is already so extreme that satire just seems silly.
Americans are so used to the current President’s outrageous claims and actions that literally nothing can surprise us. The point of parody is to take a person’s idiosyncrasies to the next level of absurdity. Unfortunately for us all, the President is already there, making Make Russia Great Again redundant. Just watch any news show. Even Fox News, his former ally, is beginning to turn on him. Therefore, purely for this reason, this book receives 3 stars from me. I’m sorry Mr. Buckley. I’ll still looking forward to your next book.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 22, 2021
Make Russia Great Again by Christopher Buckley
The story is told through the eyes of Herb Nutterman, Trump’s White House chief of staff. Herb worked at Trump Organizations for twenty-seven years, in jobs from food service to general manager of the Trump Bloody Run Golf Course.
Russian President Vladimir Putin loses a primary election. He was beaten by a Communist Party candidate and there needs to be a runoff election. It turns out that an AI program operated by the NSA has interfered with the Russian election. President Trump wants to make sure that Putin doesn’t lose the runoff election. Trump is kept in the dark about the NSA interference in the election. All his cabinet members are afraid if he is told what has happened, he’ll get mad and fire somebody in a tweet.
The story is satirical and in the early parts humorous. However, it suffers from being a satirical rehash of many of the news stories about Trump over the last four years. This book is only worthy of two-stars.
The story is told through the eyes of Herb Nutterman, Trump’s White House chief of staff. Herb worked at Trump Organizations for twenty-seven years, in jobs from food service to general manager of the Trump Bloody Run Golf Course.
Russian President Vladimir Putin loses a primary election. He was beaten by a Communist Party candidate and there needs to be a runoff election. It turns out that an AI program operated by the NSA has interfered with the Russian election. President Trump wants to make sure that Putin doesn’t lose the runoff election. Trump is kept in the dark about the NSA interference in the election. All his cabinet members are afraid if he is told what has happened, he’ll get mad and fire somebody in a tweet.
The story is satirical and in the early parts humorous. However, it suffers from being a satirical rehash of many of the news stories about Trump over the last four years. This book is only worthy of two-stars.
December 9, 2020
Disappointed or Overloaded?
Throughout this Covid year I have relied on my county library's access to Libby to keep me sane. Christopher Buckley became one of my go-to writers when I just didn't know what to pick next. I think I need to change that. This book just left me cold and unentertained. I suppose it could be the subject matter: There is nothing remotely funny about Trump to this New Yorker. I'm just grateful that next month will end our nightmare. There were some good lines, but the subject matter and story line were plausible enough to make me reach for the antacid.
Throughout this Covid year I have relied on my county library's access to Libby to keep me sane. Christopher Buckley became one of my go-to writers when I just didn't know what to pick next. I think I need to change that. This book just left me cold and unentertained. I suppose it could be the subject matter: There is nothing remotely funny about Trump to this New Yorker. I'm just grateful that next month will end our nightmare. There were some good lines, but the subject matter and story line were plausible enough to make me reach for the antacid.
August 8, 2020
Satirical novel about the Trump regime. Some might find it funny/enjoyable, but for me it was just too close to home, most likely because we are in the middle of this miserable catastrophe(s), and this novel did not amuse. Did not finish.
October 5, 2020
I only got part-way through before becoming really bored with the whole Oleg story. I didn't find it particularly funny as satire goes. Perhaps I'm just too fed up with the real thing to find it worth my time?
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