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Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man
Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man | Mary L Trump
157 posts | 114 read | 2 reading | 30 to read
In this revelatory, authoritative portrait of Donald J. Trump and the toxic family that made him, Mary L. Trump, a trained clinical psychologist and Donald's only niece, shines a bright light on the dark history of their family in order to explain how her uncle became the man who now threatens the world's health, economic security, and social fabric. Mary Trump spent much of her childhood in her grandparents' large, imposing house in the heart of Queens, where Donald and his four siblings grew up. She describes a nightmare of traumas, destructive relationships, and a tragic combination of neglect and abuse. She explains how specific events and general family patterns created the damaged man who currently occupies the Oval Office, including the strange and harmful relationship between Fred Trump and his two oldest sons, Fred Jr. and Donald. A firsthand witness to countless holiday meals and family interactions, Mary brings an incisive wit and unexpected humor to sometimes grim, often confounding family events. She recounts in unsparing detail everything from her uncle Donald's place in the family spotlight and Ivana's penchant for regifting to her grandmother's frequent injuries and illnesses and the appalling way Donald, Fred Trump's favorite son, dismissed and derided him when he began to succumb to Alzheimer's. Numerous pundits, armchair psychologists, and journalists have sought to parse Donald J. Trump's lethal flaws. Mary L. Trump has the education, insight, and intimate familiarity needed to reveal what makes Donald, and the rest of her clan, tick. She alone can recount this fascinating, unnerving saga, not just because of her insider's perspective but also because she is the only Trump willing to tell the truth about one of the world's most powerful and dysfunctional families.
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Amiable
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Pickpick

Quick read that provides an in-depth analysis of the emotional damage that was inflicted upon the Trump siblings by their father, Fred—as told by Mary Trump, who is a psychologist. While I‘m still revolted by Donald Trump, it‘s interesting to see how and why he became a sociopathic narcissistic git capable of manipulating his followers. Does that knowledge make any of the past 8 years easier to swallow? No. No, it does not. 🤬

#Nonfiction2023

Leftcoastzen Great review! 11mo
Amiable @Leftcoastzen Thanks! It's always a challenge to make something interesting/worthwhile fit within the character limits. LOL (edited) 11mo
Hooked_on_books If this one had come out sooner, I would have been all over it. But by the time it came out, I was so sick of hearing and reading about him. I‘ve wanted to understand why he‘s developed such a cult of personality, but everything I‘ve learned on that front doesn‘t make me feel very good about people. 😕 11mo
See All 6 Comments
Amiable @Hooked_on_books I hear you. A while back I started doing a presidential biography challenge, which has been on hold for several years while I gathered the energy to stomach a book about 45. This one was short enough that I figured I could get through it and check him off my list. 11mo
Hooked_on_books That was smart thinking! 11mo
CoverToCoverGirl Well said! 11mo
51 likes6 comments
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Aylandra
Mehso-so

This was a bit of a blind side for me, didn't really know what to expect.
Definitely interesting, although I can't say for certain at this time if I enjoyed the book or not.
It was interesting, but still debating if I like it or not.

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rebbyj
Pickpick

Very soothing to finally have words to put my stress into context.

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Ephemera
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Pickpick

This was a very interesting book. It goes a long way toward explaining why Donald Trump behaves as he does. Written by his niece Mary, it‘s an inside look at the dysfunctional family of Fred and Mary Trump. Donald learned from watching his father tear down oldest son Freddy because Freddy wanted his own life and career. After Freddy failed to please his father, Donald became the golden child. Very well-written, a fast read. Five stars.

skewermann @Ephemera for a delicious allegorical twisting of this tale, I recommend my paint-peeling parody of "Fire and Fury"... "Dire and Puny". Includes the story of Freddy Chump. Love Martha Skewermann, Official Biographer of the Chump administration ? #satire ? #Orwell https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081S5JLTX You'll find reviews here: https://twitter.com/skewermann/status/1301793540624670722?s=19 Enjoy! ? 3y
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Suet624
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I‘m just barely able to deal with hearing anything about this horrible man, but I decided I could try this book out now. Donald is a chip off the old block of his horrible father, Fred. Two despicable individuals with absolutely no feelings for anyone inside or outside of their family. About halfway through and it‘s difficult to hear how Mary‘s father was treated by his own father and brother. They broke him.

Amiable I still have to wait a few more years before I can read anything related to this cretin. I give you credit for attempting it. 3y
AmyG I don‘t even know how you could bare to read this. What a dangerous man. I hope we are able to hold on to our democracy. 😫 3y
SamAnne I listened to it last year. It was interesting. So glad the Orange Turd is still silenced on social media. 3y
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Suet624 @Amiable @AmyG I definitely took a very deep breath before starting to listen to this one. I wish some of his fanatical followers would listen to it and realize what a miserable sleazy conman Trump is. He‘s never had to work a day in his life and has always been led to believe he‘s better than anyone else. 3y
Suet624 @SamAnne you‘re right. I‘m finding it to be interesting. I‘m also hoping the media will stop talking about him. 3y
skewermann After enduring this, Sue @Suet624 , you owe yourself a break with a dose of "Dire and Puny" ????https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081S5JLTX 3y
Suet624 @skewermann thank you. 3y
62 likes7 comments
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Shamzi
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Pickpick

I would recommend people to read this book.Its not just about a man with a deluded sense of grandiose,"the best deal maker".Its about how he came to be this person,who were his enablers and who actually benefitted from him.
Reading it will infuriate you,anger you for obvious reasons but it is an engaging read,a first hand account from someone in the inner circle so to speak.Most harrowing is the story of the writers father,it will break your heart

Suet624 Perfect review of this book. 3y
27 likes1 comment
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bookvixen
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Pickpick

If Mary Trump is speaking the truth in this book 📖, I have to say Donald Trump is a product of his environment and came from a very dysfunctional family. The author at times come across very angry on how her parents were treated by the whole Trump family and for her Aunts and Uncles money was all they cared about and what people can do for them without them having to do a thing

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Shamzi
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This book is sooooo infuriating!!! I am only halfway through and had to stop the audio book several times to give a sigh of exasperation. I wonder how difficult it was for the writer to write it!!!

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Kshakal
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Mehso-so

It is no surprise that Trump came from a highly dysfunctional family and doesn‘t know anything other than dysfunction...

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jenniferw88
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Rehesina
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This isn't about Trump; I'm 43% through it and Mary has been speaking mostly about her father and her grandfather. I think it's about holding her family to task for what happened to Freddy more than anything, and Donald, this disgusting little man is just a means through which her fathers story is told. It's about ending the myth that her grandfather wanted to create and ensuring her father wouldn't be remembered badly. #scribd #audiobook

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Lbassett
Pickpick

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cozypunk
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Pickpick

This is a fairly ordinary biography spanning 3-generations but written under extraordinary circumstances. Since the author has degrees in pyschology and trauma, I was expecting more psycho-analysis. Still interesting, not as clinical as I had anticipated.

Of the many Trump tell-alls, this is a good choice if you're reading only one. It avoids political cattiness and goes deeper into history - familial and regional. (continued...) #dw2020reads

cozypunk (...) As an accompaniment, also read the New York Times investigation into 'the President's Taxes' published in Oct 2018. Turns out, the author is a source for that exposé. 3y
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melissajayne
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Day 3 of #12booksof2020 I probably wasn‘t going to read this because of its content but I‘m glad it did as it made me even more aware of his character

Andrew65 Interesting! 3y
17 likes1 comment
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OutsmartYourShelf
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Mehso-so

The Trump family in this book seem to rival Ancient Rome when it comes to ruthlessness within ones own family. It was an interesting read, but I didn‘t feel as if I knew any more about DT than before I read it. 3⭐️

@Clwojick #TBRReads #MerryReaders
#WinterGames2020
@TheSpineView #ReadYourWay

36 points (book, post, & 2 hours of reading)

TheSpineView 😊📖📚 3y
19 likes1 comment
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KatieDid927
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Pickpick

This was really fascinating. I wasn‘t entirely sure what to expect, having seen some interviews with Mary and hearing some of the anecdotes. I personally found learning about the dynamics of his parents and how that influenced the family as a whole, including his deeply irrational behavior, very interesting. It‘s especially interesting in the current context of his inability to accept reality.

SamAnne I listened to this one. It was an interesting window into what created this disturbed man-baby in the White House. 3y
KatieDid927 @SamAnne Yeah, I just found the sociological look at the family dynamics to be super interesting. I didn‘t think it would be as interesting as it was. 3y
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catalina_ruiz

“Through his growing experience with building many houses“ I could say that I did imagen some someone growing up while helping build different house that could of done helping develop a skill.

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CourtSmall
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Bailedbailed

DNF
So.... I am not a fan of outgoing US President Trump, never have been, never will be. Considering this is written by a family member I thought it might provide some insight. I only read the first three chapters but so far it is just his niece (the author) trying to diagnose him with all manner of psychological issues - dont get me wrong I agree with some but so far this reads like a disgruntled family member airing dirty laundry - not for me.

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riversong153
Pickpick

This was a good read. I had to finish this, I started a while back. Still staying away from election news for now. This was my current events reading for the day.

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gailf1
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Pickpick

Good read. Understand now what makes POTUS #45 tick. Author goes into siblings' childhood and parental influence.

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catalina_ruiz

non fiction: the information that was already familiar to me was probably that i assumed that the trump family would have big family meetings from time to time.

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SamAnne
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Pickpick

A three star, interesting read. I admire Mary. I finished it on a Sunday that my hometown newspaper, the Spokane Spokesman-Review started an editorial endorsing Trump with the words “He is a bully and a bigot.“ But, vote for him anyway. My ex-husband was a reporter at this paper. One of the offices was bombed by white supremacists. It's a conservative paper, but I'm still stunned they would endorse Trump.

SamAnne Author Jess Walter was also a reporter at the Spokesman. Today his new novel The Cold Millions, set in Spokane at the turn of the century, is released. He is doing a virtual event tonight hosted by the paper, in conjunction with our Indie bookstore Auntie's. Everyone who has pre-ordered a copy from the bookstore will get a link. He said on Facebook yesterday that he'd cancel the event out of protest, except he didn't want to hurt Auntie's.. 3y
Lesliereads 😒 3y
Lesliereads I‘m sad and disturbed that anyone would BEGIN be saying someone is a bully and a bigot, yet follow thru by saying “but I stand for/by him.” 3y
See All 11 Comments
SamAnne @Lesliereads I hear from friends who work there that people are cancelling their subscription in droves. I can‘t wait to hear what Jess has to say about it during his virtual event tonight. 3y
sarahbarnes That‘s horrifying. 3y
AmyG So much about this makes no sense to me. 😪 3y
Chrissyreadit None of this has made any sense to me. I am horrified by the disconnect from human rights, science and civic duty. 3y
Megabooks I also gave this 3⭐️, but I‘m glad I read it. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 for a Biden victory! 3y
Megabooks And WTF about that endorsement. It‘s the truth, but why is that a reason to vote for him?! (There is no reason to vote for him!) 3y
Leftcoastzen Yikes! 3y
59 likes11 comments
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Verity
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Pickpick

I mean this is a lot. The author clearly has her own agenda and axe to grind and it needs to be read through that Lens but that said it‘s still a fascinating and somewhat terrifying look at the inner workings of the family of the 45th President of the United States.

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JenniferEgnor
Pickpick

For the Trump family, it was always about money and power. It‘s easy to see how quickly Trump became the monster that we see today.💰
I think if I were Mary, I‘d get my name changed. Also when I was reading this, whenever I laid the book down I turned it over because I can‘t stand the sight of him🤢🤮

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JenniferEgnor
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Donald requires devision. It is the only way he knows how to survive—my grandfather ensured that decades ago when he turned his children against each other. He withdraws to his comfort zones—Twitter, Fox News—casting blame from afar, protected by a figurative or literal bunker. He rants about the weakness of others even as he demonstrates his own. But he can never escape the fact that he is and always will be a terrified little boy.

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JenniferEgnor
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The simple fact is that Donald is fundamentally incapable of acknowledging the suffering of others. For him, there is no value in empathy, no tangible upside to caring for other people.

Look at his face. His body language. See anything missing?

SamAnne I‘m listening to the tagged book right now. So spot on. 3y
10 likes1 comment
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JenniferEgnor
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Donald takes any rebuke as a challenge and doubles down on the behavior that drew fire in the first place, as if the criticism is permission to do worse.#

We the peoplx have more power than he does when we stand up and fight back.

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JenniferEgnor
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For Donald, the cruelty is the point. For Fred, that was entirely true. One of the few pleasures my grandfather had, aside from making money, was humiliating others.

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JenniferEgnor
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Although more powerful people put Donald into the institutions that have shielded him since the very beginning, it‘s people weaker than he is who are keeping him there.

VOTE THEM ALL OUT.

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JenniferEgnor
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Donald today is much as he was at 3 years old: incapable of growing, learning, or evolving, unable to regulate his emotions, moderate his responses, or take in and synthesize information. His need for affirmation is so great, he doesn‘t seem to notice the largest group of his supporters are people he wouldn‘t condescend to be seen with outside of a rally. Nothing is ever enough.

Suet624 This is so true. 3y
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JenniferEgnor
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If your only currency is money, that‘s the only lens through which you determine worth.

We the peoplx are worth nothing to him. We are mere collateral damage and if we stand up to him, we must be silenced by whatever ends. WE DISSENT.

CaffeineAndCandy ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ᴏʟᴅ ᴍᴏɴᴇʏ... ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏᴇs ᴛʜɪs ᴘɪᴄ ᴍᴇᴀɴ 3y
6 likes1 comment
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JenniferEgnor
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“Hi, Grandpa. How are you?” He looked at me and reached for his wallet, so thick with bills I was constantly surprised that it fit in his pocket. He carried a walket-sized photograph of a half-naked woman in his billfold, and for a second I was worried that he planned to show it to me, as he had when I was twelve.

Twelve! What a fucking predator. Hey QAnon, guess who the real pedofile is? I‘ll wait.

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JenniferEgnor
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As formal as Mar-a-Lago was in some ways, it was also much more casual than our usual family gathering places, so I felt comfortable wearing a bathing suit and a pair of shorts to lunch. Donald, wearing golf clothes, looked up at me as I approached as if he‘d never seen me before. “Holy shit, Mary. You‘re stacked.” I was 29; not easily embarrassed, but my face reddened, I suddenly felt self-conscious and pulled my towel around my shoulders.

Bookwomble 😬 3y
7 likes1 comment
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JenniferEgnor
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Sociopathy is not rare, afflicting as much as 3% of the population. 75% of those diagnosed are men. Symptoms of sociopathy include a lack of empathy, a facility for lying, an indifference to right and wrong, abusive behavior, and a lack of interest in the rights of others.

⬆️Trump. And the anti-choice crowd that claims they‘re about ‘life‘.

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Verity
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Brace yourselves, I‘m going in...

MayJasper Good luck 3y
Chrissyreadit Is this your horror read for October? 😎🖤 3y
Verity @MayJasper thanks. I think I may need it 3y
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Verity @Chrissyreadit pretty much! I have already been shocked a few times! 3y
JenniferEgnor @Chrissyreadit I‘m waiting on Stephen King to put out a horror novel about Mr. Vile. He did say, that Cheeto was worse than all of his monsters put together!!!!! 🎈🤡 3y
18 likes1 stack add7 comments
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catalina_ruiz

10.14.20202
non- fiction - How is the book/text you read today structured? Why do you think the author choose to do it that way?
this book has a way to structure things up by spitting facts about why the problem was made. I think that the author choose to to write this book like this so you would know exactly how the problem was made

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Charityann
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Finished this one today. 6pts Also fulfilled a prompt for #anunfortunatereadathon- time read: 5hrs =50 pts. Total pts. 56pts. #teamslaughter #scarathlon @Clwojick 🎃📚

Clwojick Way to go! 🖤 3y
35 likes1 comment
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catalina_ruiz
This post contains spoilers
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I think that the person i connected with was the family since they have large meetings because when i was in my country, with my family, we would always have dinner together and almost everyone was there. The second thing I connect to is, that there is this one character that is always motivated and I think that, he connects to my uncle a lot since he is very active and motivated.

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keithmalek
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AmyG 🙌🏻 3y
Wordsling Hahaha 3y
9 likes2 comments
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keithmalek
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keithmalek
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keithmalek
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Read this all day yesterday then watched that horrendous debate. ??
Just whyyyy ?
I don't normally listen to these "Trump is terrible" books because ummm ? I definitely already know that by now. But I chose to do this one because it was written by his niece, who happens to have a degree in psychology. His upbringing and family background did explain some of the behaviors we've witnessed. Now I'm ready to think about a new leader.??

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elisebarker
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Pickpick

Oof. I usually don‘t read these kind of books, but my mom loaned it to me. Lots of psychological problems in this family for sure. But, the author wants you to feel sorry for her that she lost out on millions of dollars from her grandparents wills and it‘s just really hard to feel sympathy for that when she was getting free healthcare and I‘m paying out the ass for bad insurance 😖

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SamAnne
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“That was a hot mess, inside of a dumpster fire, inside of a trainwreck.“ Commentator Jake Tapper on the Presidential debate last night. Could not agree more, or with Dana Bash' comment: “That was a Shit Show.“ In line for this audiobook a the library and not sure I can stomach any more of Trump.

LitStephanie To me, what really matters is his incompetence, his failure to hire competent people of integrity for positions important to the daily running of our country, and his bad policies. I already know enough to not vote for him and do not wish to be distressed by hearing about his upbringing and family life! Try to control your gag reflex if you do listen, haha! 3y
Hooked_on_books I‘m on a long hiatus from Trump books. I figure I know who he is and having the horror of him pushed at me more will only cause me distress. I appreciate the writers who are contributing to the record so posterity will understand the depths of the shit show, but I‘m out. 3y
47 likes2 comments
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ontheBL
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Pickpick

Mary L. Trump is Donald Trump's only niece and a doctor of clinical psychology. She humanizes him, giving background to one of the most powerful and dangerous men in the world in her book about the Trump family. If you've ever wondered how Donald became Donald, Dr. Trump gives incredible insight, from statistics, facts, quotes, to anecdotes. https://onthebl.org/2020/09/29/humanization-of-donald-trump-in-mary-l-trumps-too...

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catalina_ruiz

i selected this book because i like mystery books and it feels like this book is the one for me