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Dumpty #2
Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown: Verses for a Despotic Age
Following the success of his New York Times bestseller Dumpty, award-winning actor, author, and illustrator John Lithgow presents a brand-new collection of satirical poems chronicling the despotic age of Donald Trump.Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown is darker and more hard-hitting than ever. Lithgow writes and draws with wit and fury as he takes readers through another year of the shocking events involving Trump and his administration. His uproarious poems and illustrations encompass Trump's impeachment, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests, and much more. Lithgow targets Mitch McConnell, Mike Pompeo, Bill Barr, Jared Kushner, Elaine Chao, and many others, but also includes a few heroes of the moment, including Anthony Fauci, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, and even Barack Obama.The book arrives at a time when it's needed most. With all-new poems and never-before-seen line drawings, Lithgow will once again make readers laugh and pause to remember some of the most defining moments in recent history—skewering the reign of King Dumpty one stanza at a time.Digital audio edition read by the author.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2020
About the author
John Lithgow
105 books314 followersJohn Lithgow is a prolific actor with two Tonys, six Emmys, two Golden Globes, and two Oscar nominations to his name. He has starred in the hit TV series 3rd Rock from the Sun, Dexter, and The Crown, and in beloved films like The World According to Garp, Shrek, and Terms of Endearment. Lithgow has appeared on Broadway twenty-five times and in England with both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. He is also the bestselling author of nine children’s picture books, and his recordings for kids have landed him four Grammy nominations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
January 19, 2021
This is a difficult book to rate and review. There is no doubt that famed actor, John Lithgow, is a brilliant satirist as proven in his biting rhymes. The line drawings added as illustrations are funny and compelling. However, he laments that the time between events and publication lags four months behind what is happening in real-time. There is still much to make one laugh out loud or cringe. However, some of Lithgow's targets who worked for Trump or blindly supported him have already been forgotten, assigned to prison or oblivion.
The day after he sent this book to the publisher was the day all hell erupted in Lafayette Square near the White House. Peaceful protesters were cleared from the square by the president's quickly assembled federal, state and local law enforcement officers using flash grenades, rubber bullets, etc. Immediately after, the president strutted out to hold a Bible, carried in his daughter's $1540 handbag, brandishing it in front of a Church with a grin of triumph on his face. Lithgow viewed this as a missed opportunity for this book and considered the event crass and ridiculous. He regrets that from the time he completes his verses and when the readers see them, so much of history has gone unaddressed.
So much demagoguery, assault on voting and the democratic process, and attacks on truth and the legitimate press have been witnessed with alarm and will surely be addressed in the next book. I cant wait to see how he satirizes this more current news after the Trump era comes to an end- if that ever happens. Since much of the legitimate news reports already sound like a farce, there will be much for several new volumes of satire.
The day after he sent this book to the publisher was the day all hell erupted in Lafayette Square near the White House. Peaceful protesters were cleared from the square by the president's quickly assembled federal, state and local law enforcement officers using flash grenades, rubber bullets, etc. Immediately after, the president strutted out to hold a Bible, carried in his daughter's $1540 handbag, brandishing it in front of a Church with a grin of triumph on his face. Lithgow viewed this as a missed opportunity for this book and considered the event crass and ridiculous. He regrets that from the time he completes his verses and when the readers see them, so much of history has gone unaddressed.
So much demagoguery, assault on voting and the democratic process, and attacks on truth and the legitimate press have been witnessed with alarm and will surely be addressed in the next book. I cant wait to see how he satirizes this more current news after the Trump era comes to an end- if that ever happens. Since much of the legitimate news reports already sound like a farce, there will be much for several new volumes of satire.
March 30, 2023
I'm giving this book 3 stars solely because it pokes fun at the evil orange ogre. My enjoyment level and the quality warrant 1.
The rhymes - I wouldn't call them poems as the blurb does - are about DT and some of his cronies, inspired by actual goings-on.
They aren't funny because they do not flow, making them difficult to read. At least they are for me because I "hear" what I'm reading as though I'm reading it aloud.
(I'm curious if everyone does? I hear different voices for different characters too. Maybe it just means I'm bonkers but I think it's because I used to read a lot of plays out loud, changing voices for different characters.)
Back to the book, here's a random verse from flipping through my Kindle, from the poem Reetle-Deet-Deet:
'A tape of his tirade was Modly's demise,
He resigned amid damning critiques,
Iron hung in the seafaring air:
Two Navy men scuppered by leaks.'
And another, from A Requiem Scored for Kazoo:
'Thus ends chapter one of a hair-raising saga
Of ignorance, lies, and privation;
A tale of confusion, contagion, and dread,
An Oblivious leader in over his head,
And hope for more care and compassion ahead
In a healthier, happier nation.'
Those hurt my ears, including my imaginary ears.
IMO, Lithgow needs to stick to acting.
The rhymes - I wouldn't call them poems as the blurb does - are about DT and some of his cronies, inspired by actual goings-on.
They aren't funny because they do not flow, making them difficult to read. At least they are for me because I "hear" what I'm reading as though I'm reading it aloud.
(I'm curious if everyone does? I hear different voices for different characters too. Maybe it just means I'm bonkers but I think it's because I used to read a lot of plays out loud, changing voices for different characters.)
Back to the book, here's a random verse from flipping through my Kindle, from the poem Reetle-Deet-Deet:
'A tape of his tirade was Modly's demise,
He resigned amid damning critiques,
Iron hung in the seafaring air:
Two Navy men scuppered by leaks.'
And another, from A Requiem Scored for Kazoo:
'Thus ends chapter one of a hair-raising saga
Of ignorance, lies, and privation;
A tale of confusion, contagion, and dread,
An Oblivious leader in over his head,
And hope for more care and compassion ahead
In a healthier, happier nation.'
Those hurt my ears, including my imaginary ears.
IMO, Lithgow needs to stick to acting.
September 29, 2020
I thought that the first Dumpty book was clever and amusing political satire but that the audiobook was spoiled by lame special effects. Fortunately, the special effects are gone in this sequel. Unfortunately, they have been replaced by little reminders of the people and events that are being satirized in the poems. The insertion of these factoids was somewhat clunky. Apparently, some people with short memories were preplexed by the poems in the first book and the author is attempting to eliminate any cause for confusion here. The first book was better. The author’s stated goal for the poems is to make us laugh, mad and remember. Well, I didn’t laugh once, I was already mad and I want to
October 27, 2020
4 stars = Fantastic and easy to recommend.
This is a collection of political satire poems mostly directed towards Trump, though other heinous politicians get their moment as well. Unfortunately, Lithgow submitted them in May 2020, before the height of Don’s destruction to our country occurred. I hope Lithgow considers an additional collection to address the last few months of the worst presidential administration our country has ever had.
Please join me in voting out the hate this year, and all years going forward. We are stronger together, divided we will fall, as this past year has irrevocably proven.
If you are surrounded by irrational, toxic cult members but know this man is a cancer to our country that must be cut out, lie if you must to your family and friends about who you are voting for, but in the privacy of the voting booth, do the right thing.
-------------------------------------------
First Sentence: Yesterday, some crazy stuff happened in Washington, DC.
Favorite Poem:
Trumpty Dumpty wanted a rout,
An electoral landslide to give him more clout.
With jobs and prosperity lending him fuel,
He wanted a lock on tyrannical rule.
With the dolorous Dems in a state of distress,
Dumpty could sense the sweet smell of success.
But in every good story, the plot always thickens:
The POTUS was careless in counting his chickens.
A gruesome pandemic assaulted the globe
Ironically hobbling our head germaphobe.
For when tragedy strikes of this harrowing scope,
It tends to expose a duplicitous dope.
Trumpty Dumpty was out on a limb.
His prospects of winning were suddenly dim.
Though history’s verdict remains to be seen,
He’s already a victim of COVID-19.
This is a collection of political satire poems mostly directed towards Trump, though other heinous politicians get their moment as well. Unfortunately, Lithgow submitted them in May 2020, before the height of Don’s destruction to our country occurred. I hope Lithgow considers an additional collection to address the last few months of the worst presidential administration our country has ever had.
Please join me in voting out the hate this year, and all years going forward. We are stronger together, divided we will fall, as this past year has irrevocably proven.
If you are surrounded by irrational, toxic cult members but know this man is a cancer to our country that must be cut out, lie if you must to your family and friends about who you are voting for, but in the privacy of the voting booth, do the right thing.
-------------------------------------------
First Sentence: Yesterday, some crazy stuff happened in Washington, DC.
Favorite Poem:
Trumpty Dumpty wanted a rout,
An electoral landslide to give him more clout.
With jobs and prosperity lending him fuel,
He wanted a lock on tyrannical rule.
With the dolorous Dems in a state of distress,
Dumpty could sense the sweet smell of success.
But in every good story, the plot always thickens:
The POTUS was careless in counting his chickens.
A gruesome pandemic assaulted the globe
Ironically hobbling our head germaphobe.
For when tragedy strikes of this harrowing scope,
It tends to expose a duplicitous dope.
Trumpty Dumpty was out on a limb.
His prospects of winning were suddenly dim.
Though history’s verdict remains to be seen,
He’s already a victim of COVID-19.
December 26, 2020
One more reason to love John Lithgow.
February 10, 2026
Trumpty Dumpty wanted a crown : verses for a despotic age is a recap of Trump's first term. It serves as an overview of the speech and actions of both sides in re: Donald Trump. A handy reference work for that era.
September 3, 2023
fuck trump fuck america fuck republicans !!!!
October 3, 2020
Husband and I listened together, I was applauding, laughing and raging, prefer part 2 because less Broadway musical, same revolting situation....
June 9, 2026
This book is the "middle child" in Lithgow's brilliant trilogy of partisan political poetry, and while it's still VERY good it is the weakest of the three. That's largely because it was written five years ago (which in today's politics feels like ancient history), and so while there are still relevant verses lampooning the likes of Mitch McConnell, Pam Bondi, Steven Miller and Rudy Guliani, there are many more odes to "where are they now" folks like Jay Seculow, Brad Parscale, Pat Cipollone, Mike Pompeo and Elaine Chao (although with the last two, you can never have too many reminders about how awful they are); and so the whole thing feels extremely dated, like deciding just now to read Al Franken's Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot, (although that remains a GREAT book).
In fact, in light of the first year of Trump's second term, many of these poems are almost quaint, in a "wow, did we really think this was as bad as it would get?" kind of way. But also, this book is frankly just "more of the same" following the first volume — there is just another year of Trump insanity for Lithgow to go after, like COVID and impeachment.* (Oh, and it's also depressing to Google people like Roger Stone, Jim Jordan and Kelly Loeffler who, at the time these poems were written were largely considered down for the count, and then see what positions of power they hold today under Trump 2.0.)
The best and still most relevant poems here are therefore those aimed directly at Trump, because, well, HE'S still here, and so it's always worth remembering any and all of his idiocies, regardless of when they occurred — Ukraine, injecting bleach, going after his enemies, redrawing a hurricane map with his Sharpie, ad infinitum. But the best piece in the whole book** is the last one, which is EXACTLY as relevant today as it was five years ago:
* Lithgow's third book was written after Biden's election, and goes after a broader range of historical "American scoundrels," and so by definition remains more relevant.
** Although there is of course brilliant, intelligent wordplay throughout, one of my favorites being this couplet:
In fact, in light of the first year of Trump's second term, many of these poems are almost quaint, in a "wow, did we really think this was as bad as it would get?" kind of way. But also, this book is frankly just "more of the same" following the first volume — there is just another year of Trump insanity for Lithgow to go after, like COVID and impeachment.* (Oh, and it's also depressing to Google people like Roger Stone, Jim Jordan and Kelly Loeffler who, at the time these poems were written were largely considered down for the count, and then see what positions of power they hold today under Trump 2.0.)
The best and still most relevant poems here are therefore those aimed directly at Trump, because, well, HE'S still here, and so it's always worth remembering any and all of his idiocies, regardless of when they occurred — Ukraine, injecting bleach, going after his enemies, redrawing a hurricane map with his Sharpie, ad infinitum. But the best piece in the whole book** is the last one, which is EXACTLY as relevant today as it was five years ago:
Trumpty Dumpty wanted a title__________________________________
To him an imperious handle was vital:
Dumpty the Bold, or Dumpty the Great,
A moniker lending his legacy weight.
He tortured his brain for a suitable label:
Dumpty the Genius, or Dumpty the Stable,
Dumpty the Wise or perhaps the Sublime
(Not Dumpty the Orange: it's too hard to rhyme).
While urgent emergencies went unaddressed,
An appropriate nickname had Dumpty obsessed.
But given what's past and what's yet to befall him,
History will shortly decide what to call him.
A POTUS whose pants are routinely on fire
Could be Dumpty the Huckster or Dumpty the Liar.
With his bullshit throughout our pandemic attack,
An apt nom de guerre could be Dumpty the Quack.
With electoral help he's received from afar,
There's Dumpty the Russian or Dumpty the Czar.
Racial intolerance? Open the spigot
For the odious record of Dumpty the Bigot.
Daddy's podiatrist helped him defer,
Hence Dumpty the Bone and Dumpty the Spur.
Take his prurient past and, for accuracy's sake,
Call him Dumpty the Lecher or Dumpty the Rake.
The scandals and crimes that have always erupted
Make him Dumpty the Venal, Malign, or Corrupted.
Compared to the others, going back to the first,
Whatever you name him, he's Dumpty the Worst.
What title can conjure
This ludicrous gent,
A POTUS who hastened
A nation's decent?
At the end of this age
Of profound discontent,
I'll settle for Dumpty
The Ex-President.
* Lithgow's third book was written after Biden's election, and goes after a broader range of historical "American scoundrels," and so by definition remains more relevant.
** Although there is of course brilliant, intelligent wordplay throughout, one of my favorites being this couplet:
"The root of Dumpty's vengeful sin?
"Alas, hydroychloroquine."
February 13, 2022
A clever humorous political satire of rhymes reminding us of the outrageous antics and reign of ex-President Trump and his cohorts. The actor and author did not hold back in this second collection as he wanted “to make you laugh, to make you mad, and to make you remember.” As the book was released during a global pandemic, Lithgow recruited celebrity friends to read his sketches producing 21 two-minute videos. Here is a link to my favorite, Recipe for Disaster about COVID-19, https://youtu.be/pP4OpshcmTI.
October 5, 2020
Fan-trumping-tastic.
Lithgow doesn't hide his politics. And good for him that he doesn't. This collection reminds you of the sheer amount of outrageous goings-on in the last few years, each one forgotten as the next climbs on top of it begging for attention.
I hadn't seen the first Trump collection of poems, but this caught my eye and I was hugely impressed with the actor's skill with a rhyme, a ditty and adding humour into the mix as well.
A collection of poems about the last year of Donald Trump's administration as President, Lithgow reads his own work and adds a short commentary after each, giving the context, explaining the characters (useful for a non-American audience).
They are witty, using the rhyme scheme, rhythm and words sometimes of nursery rhymes, and the ridiculousness of many situations as well as the horror of others is brought out by the comparison to a child's song.
Personally, I would have preferred another reader to narrate the poems, with Lithgow adding his notes at the end. His style didn't always allow flow and the natural rhythm of the rhymes wasn't always apparent or made the most of. Maybe that's just my subjective view though.
I can't fault his poems. Even the half-rhymes worked, and Lithgow is a very talented wordsmith with enviable abilities to succinctly give us the heart of a political story and even give us punchlines. I laughed aloud many times.
Will stir feeling, amuse, anger.
It may be less than two hours long, but it is definitely worth a purchase, some of these are even worth committing to memory and reciting.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
Lithgow doesn't hide his politics. And good for him that he doesn't. This collection reminds you of the sheer amount of outrageous goings-on in the last few years, each one forgotten as the next climbs on top of it begging for attention.
I hadn't seen the first Trump collection of poems, but this caught my eye and I was hugely impressed with the actor's skill with a rhyme, a ditty and adding humour into the mix as well.
A collection of poems about the last year of Donald Trump's administration as President, Lithgow reads his own work and adds a short commentary after each, giving the context, explaining the characters (useful for a non-American audience).
They are witty, using the rhyme scheme, rhythm and words sometimes of nursery rhymes, and the ridiculousness of many situations as well as the horror of others is brought out by the comparison to a child's song.
Personally, I would have preferred another reader to narrate the poems, with Lithgow adding his notes at the end. His style didn't always allow flow and the natural rhythm of the rhymes wasn't always apparent or made the most of. Maybe that's just my subjective view though.
I can't fault his poems. Even the half-rhymes worked, and Lithgow is a very talented wordsmith with enviable abilities to succinctly give us the heart of a political story and even give us punchlines. I laughed aloud many times.
Will stir feeling, amuse, anger.
It may be less than two hours long, but it is definitely worth a purchase, some of these are even worth committing to memory and reciting.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
June 21, 2021
I usually don't read political opinion drivel. I also don't usually read poetry. I read this rag, cover to cover. Because someone asked me to. So honestly, I wonder if he'll recant some of these since some of his claims have been proven 100% wrong?
So, yeah I read it. He should stick to children's books.
He claims to have focused on rhymes but by gods this was some of the worst poetry I've ever read, solely from form perspective.
90% of the time in order to pull off the rhymes he had to invent words.
Words have meanings for a reason, and his lack of language mastery made it droll and unimaginative.
Does he have TDS? Most definitely. His need to target the sitting POTUS and have it published tells you the totalitarian dictator wasn't.
Could you imagine him giving the same treatment to parliament or the queen and not being thrown in old Bailey for unkind language?
TDS ravings of a man who sucks at poetry and applies a harsher standard for Trump than was applied to previous presidents in terms of everything from taxes to pardons.
How do I get the 40 minutes I wasted reading this back?
So, yeah I read it. He should stick to children's books.
He claims to have focused on rhymes but by gods this was some of the worst poetry I've ever read, solely from form perspective.
90% of the time in order to pull off the rhymes he had to invent words.
Words have meanings for a reason, and his lack of language mastery made it droll and unimaginative.
Does he have TDS? Most definitely. His need to target the sitting POTUS and have it published tells you the totalitarian dictator wasn't.
Could you imagine him giving the same treatment to parliament or the queen and not being thrown in old Bailey for unkind language?
TDS ravings of a man who sucks at poetry and applies a harsher standard for Trump than was applied to previous presidents in terms of everything from taxes to pardons.
How do I get the 40 minutes I wasted reading this back?
January 5, 2021
Okay, I read this because it was a Christmas present my brother received, and it was just lying around; he'll probably thumb through it once, then it will gather dust on a shelf until its donated to Goodwill three presidential elections from now. At least I helped it fulfill its purpose. It is also a book, and I want to make my Reading Challenge goal this year, so yeah.
I must admit, John Lithgow is accomplished (he's almost EGOT'ed), and I'm sure these poems were cathartic as unbelievable bit of news after news came out about the Trump administration. His forward to the book was the most intelligent piece of writing in the book; he is aware of the transient nature of responding to news, and he is in the space between what is reported, and what is sifted into history books, and that in the time between writing and publication, these poems become overshadowed as more egregious acts (like trying to commit election fraud and overturn the results) occur.
The verse itself was passable. All of it rhymed, though the rhythm and meter were jumbled. I think "Tiger King" was my favorite, but there were a few other gems, and I enjoyed the "Limericks from the Seat if Government." I was impressed that Lithgow made a rhyme with "hydroxychloroquine."
John Lithgow clearly has no love for Trump, and he writes that the purpose of the book is to make its readers angry. Mission accomplished. He contextualizes each poem with a snippet about what he discussed. It feels a bit one-sided, and he paints the Right as The Bad Guys and the Left as the Good Guys, with a few Republican Good Guys like Romney and Navy Captain Brett Crozier. But, it's very hard to be nuanced in today's political landscape, so I don't fault Lithgow very much at all.
Overall, this is like the poor man's adult, political Shel Silverstein. It would've made excellent bathroom reading, but alas we are past such an era.
I must admit, John Lithgow is accomplished (he's almost EGOT'ed), and I'm sure these poems were cathartic as unbelievable bit of news after news came out about the Trump administration. His forward to the book was the most intelligent piece of writing in the book; he is aware of the transient nature of responding to news, and he is in the space between what is reported, and what is sifted into history books, and that in the time between writing and publication, these poems become overshadowed as more egregious acts (like trying to commit election fraud and overturn the results) occur.
The verse itself was passable. All of it rhymed, though the rhythm and meter were jumbled. I think "Tiger King" was my favorite, but there were a few other gems, and I enjoyed the "Limericks from the Seat if Government." I was impressed that Lithgow made a rhyme with "hydroxychloroquine."
John Lithgow clearly has no love for Trump, and he writes that the purpose of the book is to make its readers angry. Mission accomplished. He contextualizes each poem with a snippet about what he discussed. It feels a bit one-sided, and he paints the Right as The Bad Guys and the Left as the Good Guys, with a few Republican Good Guys like Romney and Navy Captain Brett Crozier. But, it's very hard to be nuanced in today's political landscape, so I don't fault Lithgow very much at all.
Overall, this is like the poor man's adult, political Shel Silverstein. It would've made excellent bathroom reading, but alas we are past such an era.
November 16, 2020
A gift from mom, and it *was* a fun, quick read. I don't know the terms for all the kinds of rhyming poetry, but these are verses written during the Senate impeachment trial and the early COVID lockdown. They are time capsules of the zillions of absurdities that have occurred within the past 11 months. Many are forgettable, several great, and one that will stand out as the embodiment of the lock down: where he likens the Republican party to the Torys (who, in the American Revolution, were British loyalists) who'd adopted a cute 'tiger cub' (i.e., during the primaries) who eventually became king...the Tiger King, if you will. Perfection. The final stanza:
There's a moral I urge you to never forget
To this frightening fable (that's not over yet):
If you coddle a tiger and venture to ride him,
You're certain, dear reader, to end up inside him.
There's a moral I urge you to never forget
To this frightening fable (that's not over yet):
If you coddle a tiger and venture to ride him,
You're certain, dear reader, to end up inside him.
October 25, 2020
This is a collection of satirical poems written by John Lithgow. The poems are focused on and about President Trump but does include other people close to him such as Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Mitch McConnell and others. Each poem is about a page long and has accompanying black and white illustrations. Not sure if Lithgow or someone else did the illustrations. I was able to read through the book in about an hour or less. I liked the poems; they were very witty and rather spot-on the intended target. This book is apparently a sequel of another book of poems but I did not see that book and was able to enjoy this book just fine without having read that one. An enjoyable diversion for the anti-Trump crowd. If you're a Trump supporter you probably would not enjoy this book.
December 2, 2020
Another winner in the satirical verse category for the accomplished John Lithgow. Very clever rhymes about Trump and his minions and their escapades, accompanied by charming line drawings, also by the multi-talented Lithgow. Some of my favorite rhymes are: "The Torys, or the Tiger King", which tells Trump's life story in the form of a ballad about a tiger cub; "A Requiem Scored For Kazoo"; "Scoundrels and Heroes: Limericks From the Seat of Government (limericks about the idiots and the heroes in power these days); and "Recipe For Disaster", which is the oddest recipe you'll ever read: "Try a viral new cuisine, COVID-19...It's quick and easy to prepare/microbial fare. /First preheat an anxious nation/with misinformation.../Sow confusion and mistrust/Make your crust," and so on. Brilliant!
December 10, 2020
The genius of John Lithgow is astounding. These seem like such simple poems until you realize that the vocabulary of words like "defenestration" takes one level of intelligence, and then to hit the exact rhyme and meter to make every one of these poems flow as a read-aloud is up another level. You throw them together with politics, names, dates, and the level of satire and humor, and the whole project is so much more than a book of funny poems about the disaster that is Donald Trump as president. I really do hope these don't disappear with Trump's administration, because these are the Nast cartoons of the 21st century that should be studied and wondered at by future generations.
December 31, 2020
This collection of poems about Pres Trump’s impeachment and Covid-19 are great for a laugh and also as a time capsule of this crazy election cycle. This second volume of poems covers events up through April 2020. I’d really love for Lithgow to write a third volume.
The poems are worth reading aloud. They are sometimes a bit naughty so I don’t recommend for young children. Many of the poems reference specific politicians and events but Lithgow gives blurbs at the end to remind us of the specific news story.
You can find videos of many of the poems read by actor friends of John Lithgow.
The poems are worth reading aloud. They are sometimes a bit naughty so I don’t recommend for young children. Many of the poems reference specific politicians and events but Lithgow gives blurbs at the end to remind us of the specific news story.
You can find videos of many of the poems read by actor friends of John Lithgow.
November 5, 2020
This was my first Lithgow book so I was pretty impressed!...with the doodles, that is. The poems, however, got a bit boring. If the book was a bit shorter I would have been more content. That being said, I did also appreciate the brief explanation/reminder about each situation or political slimeball following each poem. That helped bring things together for me.
February 21, 2021
When I heard John Lithgow had written another book of poems about 45's administration, I immediately requested it through my library, but it took until now to get it. It has been months. A lot of rhyming poetry presenting the many foibles of the people working for DJT. In case, it had been too long, each poem is followed by an explanation of the reason for the poem.
June 21, 2021
"Verses for a despotic age." - As much as I enjoy John Lithgow the actor, for the Poet, a warning should be inscribed on the entrance gates. But rather than the ancient line of abandon hope all ye that enter, the modern verbage perhaps should read: "Facts need not apply"
November 16, 2020
This book was easier to read after 11/7/20. It was funny and also made me say “oh god how is this real life” a bunch of times. I had forgotten some of this stuff.
November 22, 2020
John Lithgow is a brilliant, and witty prose writer, with a huge talent for satire and bite. I found most of these works very cute. Unfortunately, the explanations in the middle were a little clunky... (I’ve heard that in the first of these novels, there were no explanations in between the works of prose, and this left the readers confused). But I would have no idea how to fix that, not being a novelist, or an editor.
The only work I had an issue with was the cheerleader one, and that is ONLY because the narrator (Lithgow himself) was yelling. Yea, I know cheers are to be yelled, but this happens on a large field, where lots of other noises are happening at the same time. On an audiobook, this was just annoying and very loud (not in a good way, either). Other than this, I liked the novel.
Not having read the first work of prose in this series, I’d have no idea what it is like. One day I may crack it open, idk.
Lithgow himself is the narrator of this audiobook, and he is great. I just wish Lithgow would narrate something other than Dr. Seuss books, and his own works, so I could get a better feel of his narration skills. One day, I may just have to listen to his memoir, and see how he does there.
3 stars.
The only work I had an issue with was the cheerleader one, and that is ONLY because the narrator (Lithgow himself) was yelling. Yea, I know cheers are to be yelled, but this happens on a large field, where lots of other noises are happening at the same time. On an audiobook, this was just annoying and very loud (not in a good way, either). Other than this, I liked the novel.
Not having read the first work of prose in this series, I’d have no idea what it is like. One day I may crack it open, idk.
Lithgow himself is the narrator of this audiobook, and he is great. I just wish Lithgow would narrate something other than Dr. Seuss books, and his own works, so I could get a better feel of his narration skills. One day, I may just have to listen to his memoir, and see how he does there.
3 stars.
October 4, 2020
Fury? More like rage... This was a disappointing attempt at a Doctor Seuss story. There's no cleverness here only anger. It's a sad attempt at a satirical children's book buying obviously sad but very angry former actor. It's a waste of time but the far left will enjoy it. At least we know that the far-left can read after all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2020
Who knew John Lithgow could draw? How did I miss his first book “Dumpty”, political satire poems about Donald Trump? Did you know that Lithgow was once married to a woman from Frederick, Oklahoma? Well, that I knew.
Charming. Erase reminding us what a schmuck we’ve had for a President and losers for his retinue.
Charming. Erase reminding us what a schmuck we’ve had for a President and losers for his retinue.
February 16, 2021
A snappy and often biting collection of satirical verse skewering the Trump presidency. Award-winning actor John Lithgow immortalizes characters and events that peppered the news at a frightening pace in 2019 and early 2020, including the first impeachment of the “Scoundrel in Chief” and his handling of the coronavirus. It’s a surprisingly effective way to summarize this slice of modern history.
November 1, 2020
John Lithgow is certainly creative with his political poetry, creating a sharp portrait of the stupid and morally corrupt situation in which we hopefully will find ourselves in for not that much longer.
November 4, 2023
Author, satirist, and actor, John Lithgow uses humor and verse to remind us of the many scandals which have been buried by e next more egregious one in the relentless news cycle. It's terrifying to see them all laid bare together as such and a reminder of the sheer absurdity of it all.
October 16, 2020
Meh. It's whatever. I only read it to see if it was something plausible for a Christmas gift.
November 10, 2020
Very funny poetry and drawings. Thank goodness John Lithgow can retire his works on this particular subject!
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