Tower of Lies: What My 18 Years of Working with Donald Trump Reveals About Him

by Barbara A. Res

Barbara A. Res worked directly with Donald Trump for eighteen years on some of his biggest projects and had nearly unlimited access to him. Trump selected Res to be in charge of construction of Trump Tower, his greatest success as a developer. In this insider’s look at how the ambitious real estate developer became the most divisive president in recent U.S. history, Res takes us into closed-door meetings, boardrooms, limo rides, and helicopter flights to really understand what makes him tick and show us why his claim to be a great dealmaker and savvy businessman is just a mirage.  No one with this kind of access to Trump during his formative years as a developer has ever written so completely about who he is away from the cameras. It’s no wonder that when the media are looking for someone who really understands Trump, they turn to Res. Candid, personal, and deeply perceptive, Res shines new light on the man whose depravity has put us all—and democracy itself—in danger.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Memoir, Business, Biography, Biography Memoir

252 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2020

About the author

Barbara A. Res was born Barbara Tahan in Brooklyn, NY and attended John Adams High School in Ozone Park NY. She attended City College of New York and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1971.

Since 1971 Barbara Res has had a successful career in engineering and construction. She has been in charge of numerous large construction projects.

In 2004, Barbara Res returned to school earning her Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law in 2007. Res is a Licensed Professional Engineer in New York State and a Member of the Bars of New York and New Jersey.

Res is currently providing Mediation and Arbitration services for Construction matters to the American Arbitration Association as well as the NY Supreme Court Commercial Division. She serves as a consultant in legal matters and construction matters to private clients.

Barbara Res was awarded the prestigious Townsend Harris Medal by CCNY in 1991 for her role as a pioneer among women engineers.

Barbara Res received the Emily Roebling leadership award by Professional Women in Construction for her achievements in the Construction Industry.

Barbara Res is the author of All Alone on the 68th Floor: How One Woman Changed the Face of Construction, a memoir of her life and experiences as a woman in the male dominated building business.

Barbara Res has appeared on TV in Smithsonian World, Skyscraper, a documentary about building in New York, Financial News Network; a feature about women in non-traditional occupations on CNN, a CNBC Roundtable discussion and local newscasts in New York and Los Angeles. Res has been featured in numerous radio interviews; Fortune magazine; Engineering News Record; Shopping Center Digest; Savvy Woman; Cosmopolitan Magazine; The New York Times, Daily News, Post, and Newsday; The Newark Star Ledger; The Bergen Record; The Los Angeles Times; The LA Daily News; LA Weekly; The Sacramento Bee and several other local newspapers and trade journals and am a recognized expert in the fields of retail, commercial and residential development and construction. She has lectured on construction, development and women in non-traditional roles at various seminars including ones held for The New School and NYU School of Continuing Education.

Reviews

[Jill Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This political season, I’ve begun rating Donald Trump books by how dirty I feel after finishing them. The more personal the book is, the more awful it makes me feel. High falutin’ books concerned with policy are okay - if not a little boring - but those books that are down and dirty with all sorts of personal revaluations about Trump and his crew are depressing. However, I enjoy the depressing books far more than the boring ones.

The newest of the lot - sure to be supplanted by the books coming out next Tuesday and every week, ad infintum - is “Tower of Lies”, by Barbara Res. She was the Trump’s manager of construction for many of his most famous building, like The Plaza Hotel and Trump Tower. Beginning working with Trump in the late 1970’s to mid-1990’s, Res’s job included sparring with Trump about problem building details, particularly those which were exacerbated by Trump’s ingrained cheapness and inattention to details. Res writes about Trump and his family in matters of business, which is where she knew him and is best versed in the real Donald Trump. What she writes about a man who has been disgusting to others for his total business life only seems to echo what we’ve known for years about Donald Trump.

Barbara Res’s book is a good look at the Trump we know. No surprises; the Trump nastiness to most women is explored in the context of business. So, I feel very dirty after reading it.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will not repeat the things we already knew about Trump that are confirmed in this book (he lies, he cheats, he steals, etc.), but here are some things that stood out to me:

(1) Trump changed.
When Barbara Res first met Trump in the early 1980s he was much more "normal". He was still very brash but he was also nice sometimes and he actually worked hard and publicly respected his wife. But as his celebrity increased his ego got out of control and his behavior markedly worsened.

(2) Trump's private racist and sexist comments are revealed.
This is not surprising but it's good to hear it from a first hand source.

(3) Trump's pattern of wanting to only hire "yes-men".
He can't tolerate anyone who disagrees with him, so he only hires weak people who will never challenge him. We see this pattern in his White House as well.

(4) Trump's genius for self-promotion and publicity.
We see now even more clearly that this is his ONLY real talent and the foundation of everything he's ever done. It's all smoke and mirrors.

As I was trying to summarize 2 other things occurred to me

(i) I have never seen anyone else who has such a talent for alienating close associates. Barbara Res worked for him for EIGHTEEN YEARS, yet here she totally rips him to shreds. Same for Michael Cohen. I can't think of anyone else like that, where people who have have been close to them are so willing to publicly savage them.

(ii) His career and relevancy were totally dying before "The Apprentice" started in 2004. He was a broke D-List celebrity that most people ignored. "The Apprentice" greatly raised his profile and allowed him to portray himself as a master dealmaker. Without that, maybe he never builds the momentum to run for president.

[Eugenia L. Stefan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of interesting Info

Wow! There is a lot to take in. You finally get the curtain pulled back to see who Donald Trump really is. Barbara worked with him every day. She knows the ins and outs of his business dealings. It’s not pretty. But you now can understand what he is doing and why.

[HR-ML · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

Barbara was an electrical engineer who worked as a VP of
construction for the Trump Organization for 18 years. She
left the organization and then returned. She explained as
the years progressed she saw less of Trump's humanity &
more character flaws. She shared numerous instances
where he lied & cheated others.

IMO, Trump thought he was above the law as a business-
man & US President, tried to enrich himself financially and
blamed others for his poor decisions on you name the topic.
Barb explained Trump obtained a 40 yr tax abatement on
one of his NYC buildings!!! A quid pro quo involved? He
reportedly hired goons to harass tenants when he wanted
to destroy their bldg. or convert their apts. to condos.

Barbara described Trump as racist, sexist, vengeful with
a temper. And a man who flaunted PR and his "brand"
yet built lux hotels and other structures, using lesser
materials. Trump wanted black employees hidden from
the public or fired! And instructed Barb to fire a pregnant
employee for no cause and Barb did! Barb insisted she
was honest and stood up to Trump, when he demanded
a building be demolished w/o a permit, when he went back
on his word w/ contractors, subcontractors, architects,
attorneys etc. Why did she tolerate him for so many years?

[Susan Sherwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since the author worked for Donald J. Trump for 18 years, I believe Barbara A. Res has credibility in her perceptions of experiences with him. With experience in contracting, subcontracting and as a licensed professional engineer, she oversaw construction of Trump Tower in NYC and on other Trump projects.
Here are some takeaways about DJT from Res' book:
🔘 Trump admires dictators because he is impressed by their power
🔘 Denigrating and pretending help him get by and he didn't have the attention span for the presidency
🔘 Roy Cohn advised him to never, never, never admit to anything and you're never wrong
🔘Telling lies is easier than telling the truth
🔘 Taking all the credit means he needs scapegoats to take the blame
🔘 A what's in it for me mentality infected his role as president
🔘 He is not a friend to the common man, i.e. the type of person who supports him or for the public good
🔘Although he claims to be "the least racist person there is" past behavior indicates otherwise
🔘Feeling anger is the underlying reason for many of Trump's actions as president and tweets
🔘He meets the definition of being a narcissist: delusions of grandeur, always the victim, lacks empathy, and manipulative and entitled

This is an interesting, informative read.

[Keith Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a conversation a few nights after the 2016 election I asked the fellow at the bar in the red hat why. He said he's a straight-shooter, he'll drain the swamp. He asked what I thought of the now former guy. I told him the politics were not progressive, which I favor, and that my only prior impressions were not favorable. One was watching 5 or 10 minutes of The Apprentice and finding him pompous, his demands outrageous, and his treatment of people demeaning. The other was a prospective client from the early 1990s who called me to apologize. The former prospect asked for an in-person meeting. I obliged.He said he regretted not being able to engage in the inbound-marketing program we had devised, because the six-figure deal he delivered to Trump went bad. He told me Trump personally called him to say he admired the work,"really nice stuff," but that the cost was way too high. He offered fifty cents on the dollar, payable in a couple of months. Trump "generously" offered to go to court instead, estimating that it would take at least three years and cost my former prospect more than the profit on the job.

The fellow at the bar shocked me. This veteran - of special forces no less - shrugged it off and said, "that just means he's a good businessman."

Where I come from, good business happens when people deal confidently with one another...each knowing the other is doing their level best to live up to their agreements.

Barbara Res describes a 'deal-maker' who is rotten to the core. She does it matter-of-factly. The narration is superb. About what I expected, and the book didn't disappoint.

[Henry Truong · Rating 5 out of 5]

While Barbara Res doesn't present explosive new evidence, "Tower of Lies" offers valuable insight into Donald Trump's business ethics and tactics. We already knew Trump had a reputation as a shrewd, and perhaps unscrupulous, businessman. But Res's firsthand account from working with him for nearly two decades strengthens this image. She compellingly compares Trump's motivations today to his actions in the 1980s and 1990s, revealing a consistent pattern of behavior. It's unsettling to see how someone with such a mindset has held such significant power.

The book delves into Trump's negotiation strategies, how he secured favorable deals, and how he positioned himself to always "win." While it may not be surprising to learn about these tactics, Res's detailed accounts provide a deeper understanding of how Trump operates. It's a revealing read that may further solidify your existing perspective on Trump.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Les told her story very well and documented everything. I hope a lot of people read it before the election. Donald Trump is scary crazy and he needs to be gone from office!

[Thordur · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not about American politics and presidential decision making as such. It's about Donald Trump, how he is and behaves. Remarkably (in the audio-book) we have here 8 hours of talking about him, all kinds of things, mostly just when he is a company boss and how he reacts to his employees. This guy is such of a big personality that it fits into an 8 hour audio-book without it ever repeating itself; always something new and new is coming. But you get to know him well through this. The author worked closely with him for years in his own company.

What I find most disturbing is that the author is negative towards this guy throughout the book. If there is anything positive there you have to listen carefully to find it. Isn't there anything positive about this guy? Anyway the conclusion for me here is that he's a complex bad apple who thinks big and is very very rich and gets away with all kinds of things.

This book is written before Trump losses to Biden, so take that into determination when you read this, I mean with the notion that the author doesn't want to have Trump another term in the White House and is scared of what might possibly happen if he does so.

[Roger Stafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having heard so much about all the other books about Donald Trump, I made the decision to start with one that was not getting much press. The author, Barbara Res, worked closely with Trump for many years, often carrying out orders/firings she thought were very unfair. It's an interesting look at how Trump's business behavior morphed into his political behavior.

I gave it a weak 4 starts because of its editing. Ms. Res, or her editors, seemed to go back and forth in her work history. That was confusing and made it difficult to evaluate her comments regarding Trump's basic beliefs, whatever they are. It almost sounded as if she voted for him in 2016 despite the fact that she clearly felt that he was unqualified.

It was a good start for me on reading all of the Trump volumes, but first I'll return to the latest Lincoln biography. Despite Donald's penchant for comparing his performance to Abe's, he'll go down as one of the worst presidents and Lincoln will stay at the top.

[Fritzov · Rating 4 out of 5]

LiSten to this before the election and hoping it would be the last book i had to listen about the Nazi occupant of the White House. The book did not provide a lot of information that wasn't known before but it's interesting to hear Barbara's view how the horrible so called human have evolved since the 1970's.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written by someone who worked with tRump for 18 years.

[Michael Res · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty good. I didn’t look into sources and confirm anything. I just felt like reading a book. The reason I even bought this book is because I share a surname with the author and I don’t come across people with my last name very often. My dad was born in Czechoslovakia and his last name was originally Resch but it was Americanized for whatever reason when he came here as a baby or toddler so it’s a very uncommon name. Run-on sentences anyone? I can’t stand Trump so I was pretty happy to see this book was not an endorsement of him. You don’t need to trust the media or anybody else to get a clear picture of who he is(whom?); the proof of his incompetence, bigotry, misogyny, ignorance, etc... comes right from his own mouth. I didn’t have any trouble believing what the author had to say about him because I’ve already seen it myself. Btw, my last name rhymes with yes and hardly anybody ever pronounces it correctly. I wonder if her name is pronounced the same. Anyway, thank God it’s over... ...or is it? TRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMPPP!

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific read. Yes, it is about Trump and how he has lied, misled, grifted the America people, but it is also about Ms. Res. She not only became -- and still is -- a construction engineer, she is also an attorney. While the writing could come across as a dry non-fiction, her writing style is engaging, aside from the fact that it pulls back the curtain on a despicable, dangerous man, it reads like a good suspense. Sadly while we thought we knew the outcome, we didn't, not really because the grift goes on. Res is frank about how she acted, especially given the time period when she worked for Trump. She admits to her own mis-steps and has no regrets -- her self-assessment is honest and direct.

Since she has worked for over 40 years in construction and as an attorney and arbitrator, with only 18 of those years for Trump I suspect she has many more interesting events in her life that would make for an excellent read.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, boy, does she ever have him summed up!

[James Garman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually read more slowly when I am reading non-fiction but this one took a lot less time. Yes, looking at the date I started and the date I finished makes it a week. But during that time, I read some fiction as well, quite a bit of it.

Barbara Res presents a picture of trump who started out as a conflicted person. His father trained him and wanted him to be a "killer" then that was followed up by Roy Cohn who inforced for the hm the idea of never accepting any blame and almost grabbing the credit. The entire game because about blaming any errors on somebody else and taking credit but attacking anybody, including those "close" to him as being to blame for errors. We saw him doing precisely that during his 4 years in the oval office.

She also details his many expressions of racism, whether it be that Jews are sneaky and good with money, or Blacks are simply inferior and beneath him on down the line. Woman are only of value if they meet his definition of beautiful. Until they do, they are to be picked on almost constantly and called horse fall or fat. And his hatred for Hillary is likely to be seen as "who does this mere woman think she is".

Mrs. Res claims that she thinks things have gotten worst and that in the 1980s he might have been even semi-decent and that he had the ability to be both human and humane. We are, in her opinion, past that now. trump has learned, from getting away with his abuse, that it is possible for him to get excuses provided by his followers who very often racism and sexism with him.

There are many books out about trump, as we all know. This one gives a different slant on the story that is so well known from a person who worked for him for 18 years and fought and was likely the last one to ever truly challenge him to be his better self.

[Behrooz Parhami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the unabridged 8-hour audio version of this title (read by Erin Bennett, Graymalkin Media, 2021).

Barbara Res worked for Trump for nearly two decades, from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, as construction manager for many of his well-known buildings. Trump often held her up as an example of opportunities he provided to women, but the nasty treatment she got from her boss comes across loud and clear in this book. A natural question, then, is the reason Res tolerated him for so long. She was making good money working for Trump, so her portrayal of him as a cheap, nasty man loses some of its credibility.

Yet, books describing Donald Trump, the person, the businessman, the boss, the president, are remarkably consistent. Res was closer to Trump than all the journalists and politicians who have written about him, closer even that his niece Mary, so her portrayal is much more personal.

The following paragraph is an apt representation of what Res thinks of Trump, some 25 years after she quit working for him, so I use it to end my review.

"I will always have mixed emotions about Donald. Even when he was at his worst in the early days, he was human and even sometimes humane. That version of him has been so thoroughly subsumed—by his yes-men, his ignorance and arrogance, his focus on appearances, his lies and cheating, his desire for credit and avoidance of blame, his disdain for (and manipulation of) the working people of this country, his denigration of anyone who isn’t a white Christian male, and his incessant need to attack. It is impossible even to glimpse any of the positive attributes of that earlier Donald."

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't quite put my finger on why I found this book so compelling. Maybe it was the honesty of the writer, maybe it was the confirmation that those who REALLY knew and know Trump see his flaws and know who he really is, maybe it was just knowing more about the, what I personally would call, villain origin story.

Whatever it was, I couldn't stop listening to this book and found it oddly comforting in some bizarre way. I felt reassured somehow, that this clearly intelligent woman, who is accomplished, hardworking, and worked with this man for 18 years saw what I see, and wasn't being malicious, just observant, clear, and honest about what she witnessed.

Hearing how Donald handled his business, his associations with others, and his 'celebrity' clearly illuminated the path from where he was to where he is today for me, as well as helping me see some potential reasons why so many people have been conned, blinded, or dazzled into seeing him for the man he wishes he could be.

The sad and scary thing about this book is that clearly SO many people had these experiences with Donald, and yet, he was still elected to the presidency. Twice. It makes you lose a little faith in humanity that such a large number of people can be so easily swayed and that even those who are supposed to be among the most accomplished and intelligent people, those working in government already, have bent to the will of this con man.

[Immigration Art · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Res is a well spoken, tough, smart construction engineer, and she's a lawyer to boot. She worked for Trump as an Executive VP for 18 years. She built Trump Tower DESPITE the irrational decisions made by Trump and Ivana.

The author has Trump's number, and she has called him out. Using 18 years of examples of his awful behavior running a NYC real estate firm, Barbara Res draws a direct parallel to his absolutely awful behavior as President.

Who cares if he ran his NYC company into the ground? But, the real question is -- after he has proven himself to be a crazed, petty, vindictive, insecure, corrupt, angry, thinned-skinned, bully, are we going to stop his ignorant and arrogant fat *ss before it runs our democracy into the ground too?

The fact that a third of voters support him; the sycophants in the Republic Party fear him (and allow him free reign); and that he has survived politically (and has not been ridden out of town on a rail); is simply beyond belief. It is sickening, really. For the love of God, people. Read this book. AND WAKE UP.

[Gayle Cappelluti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author is what I consider a true expert on the inner workings of Donald J. Trump, as she has worked alongside him, up close and personally. Much as Maggie Haberman knows the real man underneath the bravado and false image spread by his propaganda machine, Ms. Res understands his mind and all his machinations. I just wish every voter in the country would read this book before voting come November.
As a native New Yorker, growing up observing all of the lying, cheating, stealing, and litigiousness of this false idol, I've always maintained that Trump is a con man, a snake oil salesman, who hates and bilks his most fervent loyalists, and cannot, for the life of me, understand his appeal. Where I see sleaze, many Americans see smooth. Of course, I never bought into the false image sold by Mark Burnett's creation of The Apprentice, and I abhor our nation's adoration of celebrity, so I understand that I cannot stomach while so many others adore him. That said, I do wish Tower of Lies was required reading!

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really important book.


The author was a close associate of Trump's while working with him on construction projects such as Trump Tower though she grew disillusioned with him even though initually she was clearly sympathetic to him. Trump has described her as a disgruntled former employee though it is obvious that the reason for that is clearly his behaviour towards her and others over the years.

This book gives a clear insight into his personality and behaviour before his entry into politics and looking at this book with the recent events surrounding the search of Trump's property for secret papers in mind it's clear that many of the tactics and motivations that he had in the past are still present and predictably active now.

A must read for anyone interested in America politics.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another warning about this monstrous man

I have read numerous books about Donald Trump and his monstrous narcissistic personality and this is the best. It is also the most frightening. At the time of writing this review no one has the faintest idea what he will do next to try and hang onto the reins of power. Each action is more depraved than the last.

I’m British, but fear of Donald Trump and what he might do to destroy democracy in the USA and the world has hung over me every day since he won the election in 2016. I cannot see him going quietly on January 20. It is, quite frankly, a terrifying prospect, especially in the midst of a rampant pandemic. God help us all.

Thank you for writing the book, Barbara. I hope this appalling man does not take revenge on you.

[Karen Payton Holt]

Barbara Res gives a true, warts and all, account of her years with Trump. She sheds light on the ‘early’ days of her relationship with Donald Trump and the characteristics he possessed which made the course of his Presidency inevitable. She outlines the interactions/events which she witnessed in the course of her involvement in many projects as an executive vice-president in the Trump Organization - most notably during the periods of the constructions of Trump Tower and the Tump casino ventures.

It was a fascinating confirmation of the man and an exposé of his feet of clay. The evolution of Trump is akin to witnessing a natural disaster; it has been devastating, wreaking havoc in its wake, and the shockwaves are yet to fade... and the effects will rumble on for many years to come.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise, never boring, this memoir underlines the need to prevent ex-President Trump from holding office again. No informed critics of his will be surprised at what is told here and defenders will probably cry sour grapes. Given his public record it should be difficult if not impossible to disbelieve the accounts Mrs Res tells.
Occasionally we get glimpses of a humane Donald Trump but they are rare. We even read the author's self criticism for carrying out certain directives of her boss that she regretted doing. These stories lend a balance and credibility to the general theme- Trump is Unfit to be President of the United States.
Mrs Res should be applauded for her bravery in publishing Tower of Lies.

[Sherrie74 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just came across this book and as an audio book I pumped up the speed and got through it pretty quickly. Most we already knew of his past practices but this is from someone who actually worked with him for 18 years and involved in the reno of The Plaza Hotel and the ground up building of the Trump Tower. The cost cutting and sub standard items used, cheap carpeting covering the original marble floor at The Plaza ... WTF.

Barbara Rez was in on all the deals, buying of supplies HE CHOSE and when things looked like sh*t after it was done she got blamed for not doing it to his specifications. She talks about Ivana but steers clear of the kids ..... sins of the father stays with him for this book.

For many these things will also be swept under the carpet and not paid any attention to ... sad. Let me just say .... interesting read and not as scary as some others have been.

[ForenSeek · Rating 3 out of 5]

(audiobook) Somewhat interesting memoir of a woman who made her career in Donald Trump's construction projects in New York in the 1980's. There's nothing particularly surprising here: Trump was a massive douchebag already back then, and exhibited all of the character traits we have come to see since then, from the sociopathic treatment of other people to the endless, shameless greed and narcissism. In a way, Trump is the logical President for the United States in the 2020's, a nihilistic, brainless era where nothing is sacred and everything is for sale. Let's hope one day Mr. Trump will come across a person who actually calls him out on his sh*t, instead of eating it up and then later trying to cash in by writing a book where they "condemn" the man.

[George Garrigues · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a news-making book; that's why just about all the good parts were quickly excerpted and disseminated through the news media. Res says she was in charge of building Trump Tower, and I guess she was. The most interesting part was the fact that Ms. Res could not give up her past fond feelings for Trump even though as he aged his evil character just turned worse and worse.

The book includes a stack of photos which give the lie to Trump's later claim that he barely knew this woman.

If you read between the lines, you can see Ms. Res' conflict. I'd say to skim it (as I eventually had to do) but get from it what you can.

[Tralala Tralala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice book. Quick, very easy read. With a background in real estate myself, I found the anecdotes about Trump to be very believable & telling, and useful to form a view of his personality. I've read several books on the topic already, so nothing ground breaking in this, but interesting nonetheless, including around his business acumen, track record and style, business wise. The idea that his incompetence as a real estate developer but his skills as a marketer led him to simply use his name (from licensing deals to Trump University), rather than build projects himself, is probably best spelled out in this book.

[Bryan Davenport · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real in sight from a real insider that worked with Donald Trump for decades. There is no doubt about the authenticity what is written in this book. It confirms a lot of things that most people know about the scoundrel. It also gives great new insight into how Donald became Donald. It’s scary, it’s not too surprising but very informative, and it’s a book that every American should read in my opinion.

I’ve read several books about this guy and his “administration”. This book gives a real insight into the person and how he became that person.

I definitely recommend.

[Keith Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not an exhaustive biography, but a quick and enjoyable read. And the first person anecdotes remind us what a sleazy little huckster DJT is, and has always been. To be sure, he's no Henry Gondorff. His stupendous ignorance, and short attention span put the big con way out of his reach. He's more like a carnival grifter, who must keep finding new rubes to fleece, using the same old tried and tested tricks. Abe Lincoln nailed it, "Some of the people all of the time...."