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Peril
* Duration: 13 hours and 30 minutes *
The transition from President Donald J. Trump to President Joseph R. Biden Jr. stands as one of the most dangerous periods in American history.
But as number-one internationally best-selling author Bob Woodward and acclaimed reporter Robert Costa reveal for the first time, it was far more than just a domestic political crisis.
Woodward and Costa interviewed more than 200 people at the center of the turmoil, resulting in more than 6,000 pages of transcripts - and a spellbinding and definitive portrait of a nation on the brink.
This classic study of Washington takes listeners deep inside the Trump White House, the Biden White House, the 2020 campaign, and the Pentagon and Congress, with vivid, eyewitness accounts of what really happened.
'PERIL' is supplemented throughout with never-before-seen material from secret orders, transcripts of confidential calls, diaries, emails, meeting notes and other personal and government records, making for an unparalleled history.
It is also the first inside look at Biden’s presidency as he faces the challenges of a lifetime: the continuing deadly pandemic and millions of Americans facing soul-crushing economic pain, all the while navigating a bitter and disabling partisan divide, a world rife with threats, and the hovering, dark shadow of the former president.
“We have much to do in this winter of peril,” Biden declared at his inauguration, an event marked by a nerve-wracking security alert and the threat of domestic terrorism.
'PERIL' is the extraordinary story of the end of one presidency and the beginning of another, and represents the culmination of Bob Woodward’s news-making trilogy on the Trump presidency, along with 'Fear' and 'Rage' . And it is the beginning of a collaboration with fellow ''Washington Post' reporter Robert Costa that will remind listeners of Woodward’s coverage, with Carl Bernstein, of President Richard M. Nixon’s final days.
©2021 Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
The transition from President Donald J. Trump to President Joseph R. Biden Jr. stands as one of the most dangerous periods in American history.
But as number-one internationally best-selling author Bob Woodward and acclaimed reporter Robert Costa reveal for the first time, it was far more than just a domestic political crisis.
Woodward and Costa interviewed more than 200 people at the center of the turmoil, resulting in more than 6,000 pages of transcripts - and a spellbinding and definitive portrait of a nation on the brink.
This classic study of Washington takes listeners deep inside the Trump White House, the Biden White House, the 2020 campaign, and the Pentagon and Congress, with vivid, eyewitness accounts of what really happened.
'PERIL' is supplemented throughout with never-before-seen material from secret orders, transcripts of confidential calls, diaries, emails, meeting notes and other personal and government records, making for an unparalleled history.
It is also the first inside look at Biden’s presidency as he faces the challenges of a lifetime: the continuing deadly pandemic and millions of Americans facing soul-crushing economic pain, all the while navigating a bitter and disabling partisan divide, a world rife with threats, and the hovering, dark shadow of the former president.
“We have much to do in this winter of peril,” Biden declared at his inauguration, an event marked by a nerve-wracking security alert and the threat of domestic terrorism.
'PERIL' is the extraordinary story of the end of one presidency and the beginning of another, and represents the culmination of Bob Woodward’s news-making trilogy on the Trump presidency, along with 'Fear' and 'Rage' . And it is the beginning of a collaboration with fellow ''Washington Post' reporter Robert Costa that will remind listeners of Woodward’s coverage, with Carl Bernstein, of President Richard M. Nixon’s final days.
©2021 Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
14 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 21, 2021
About the author
Bob Woodward
78 books2,989 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Robert "Bob" Upshur Woodward is an assistant managing editor of The Washington Post. While an investigative reporter for that newspaper, Woodward, working with fellow reporter Carl Bernstein, helped uncover the Watergate scandal that led to U.S. President Richard Nixon's resignation. Woodward has written 12 best-selling non-fiction books and has twice contributed reporting to efforts that collectively earned the Post and its National Reporting staff a Pulitzer Prize.
Robert "Bob" Upshur Woodward is an assistant managing editor of The Washington Post. While an investigative reporter for that newspaper, Woodward, working with fellow reporter Carl Bernstein, helped uncover the Watergate scandal that led to U.S. President Richard Nixon's resignation. Woodward has written 12 best-selling non-fiction books and has twice contributed reporting to efforts that collectively earned the Post and its National Reporting staff a Pulitzer Prize.
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November 4, 2023
Milley believed January 6 was a planned, coordinated, synchronized attack on the very heart of American democracy, designed to overthrow the government to prevent the constitutional certification of a legitimate election won by Joe Biden.--------------------------------------
Milley summarized and scribbled. “Big Threat: domestic terrorism.”The title, Peril, is drawn from President Joe Biden’s inaugural address, in which he says “We have much to do in this winter of peril…” It is the epigraph for the book. Winter is not coming. It is bloody well here, and has been here a lot longer than most folks realize. Woodward and his much younger partner, Bob Costa, national political reporter for the Washington Post, look over some of what we have endured, consider the peril we face today, and give us plenty to think about concerning what lies ahead. Biden’s speech addresses not only the threat to our democracy, but the threat to our safety from COVID variants, the cry for racial justice, and the threat to our planet from global warming. This book focuses on the threat to American democracy.
Some were the new Brown Shirts, a U.S. version, Milley concluded, of the paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party that supported Hitler. It was a planned revolution. Steve Bannon’s vision coming to life. Bring it all down, blow it up, burn it, and emerge with power.
Bob Woodward and Robert Costa - image from CNN
It rolls along on two parallel tracks. One is Trump’s attempt to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election. The other is Joe Biden’s determination to preserve the soul of our nation, focusing on his campaign, and the first few months of his administration. The chapters alternate, more or less between Trump and Biden.
“Was that from this book?” One peril to be faced in reading this book is that of fixing what one read, when, where, and by whom, given the firehose flood of books on the Trump era. I addressed that in my review of I Alone Can Fix It. If this is of interest you can click here for a look.
Trump’s mob assaults the Capitol on January 6, 2021 - image from Business Insider
January 6, 2021 is a date which will live in infamy. That was the day on which American democracy was nearly bombed into surrender by a sneak attack on the citadel of our national values. That was the day on which a failed Trump-led coup could easily have made moot the election he had just lost, and rendered American elections, certainly presidential elections, meaningless. It was the coming out party for an American brand of fascism that has long been an undercurrent, and sometimes much more, in our political life as a nation, a dark but always-present element in our population that Trump had recruited and encouraged for years, even before he ran for office.
It is clear that, to the extent that we will ever know all the details of the coup plot, it is likely to come from the Congressional January 6 Committee’s final report, in combination with unredacted testimony given to that committee, testimony given at what we hope will be very public trials of those in charge of the effort, and intrepid reporters. The authors count among that final group. While offering far from a complete portrait of the plot, they have given us an insider’s look at what people in the administration and the government beyond that faced on 1/6 (which I personally think should be called Desecration Day.) And what they had to deal with in the months leading up to it.
Milley speaking with Trump - image from DNYUZ
It was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley whose intercession with his Chinese counterpart talked the Chinese military down from a concern that Trump might launch an attack on China in order to remain in office, not once but twice. As the Chinese were again concerned what our imbalanced president might do after his coup attempt failed. There was also concern that Trump would attack Iran in an attempt to secure his own position. I doubt Israel would have appreciated the incomings such an action would have surely generated. He also floated the idea of evacuating troops from Afghanistan in January, 2021, with minimal planning. Thankfully he was dissuaded from that impulse as well.
Milley is the official most in the limelight here. He was appointed to that post by Donald Trump. In Phil Rucker and Carol Leonnig’s book I Alone Can Fix It, Milley told them of his concerns about the dangers of a right-wing coup. There is plenty more of that in this book as well. We hear a lot from Trump-whisperer Lindsey Graham about his conversations with Trump, who appears to have actually convinced himself of the truth of his own lies. He is a fine representative of those who, while remaining loyal to Trump, try to counsel him to sane courses of action.
Donald Trump pretends to check his watch as Senator Lindsey Graham speaks at the White - image and text from The Guardian
We get a look at the conversations among the cabinet level officials, unwilling to allow him to use the US military as his private army. We learn what analyses they shared about the dangers facing the nation, what agreements they came to among themselves, what steps they took, and what mistakes they made. We get a look at how these and other level-headed adults in the administration did whatever they could to keep Trump from causing irreparable harm to the nation with his impulsive-driven, self-serving, poorly-informed decision-making. Part of all this included making certain that proper chains of command would be followed should Trump decide to start a war as a Wag the Dog self-preservation move, or command the military to take actions that were illegal.
Days after the election, Trump fired Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, in large part for his public opposition to the use of the military to suppress BLM protests. It was certainly clear to those tracking Trump’s actions that Trump wanted the US military to be his personal security force, and Esper was an impediment. In fact, it was appropriate for the military to be brought to bear to battle an insurrection, and the delays in the military’s response can be traced to the Department of Defense, by then Esper-free, sitting on its hands for far too long.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper – fired after the election - image from Reuters via BBC
One item that becomes clear from the telling here is that Mike Pence did his best to find a way to Yes for Trump, but was unable. It is also clear that Trump pushed Pence a step too far when he issued a press release claiming that the Vice President agreed with Trump’s lie that the VP had the legal right to refuse to accept the electoral votes of any state. It was the only thing, apparently, in four years in office, that generated a spine in the relentlessly invertebrate Pence, driving him into bunker mode. It is unfortunate that Pence will likely be remembered more for this single act than for his years of pathetic subservience to and enabling of an American Mussolini. It is chilling to consider that had there been alternate slates of electors ready to bring to bear, Pence might have actually done the deed. Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi called him repeatedly after the insurrection, wanting him to invoke the 25th amendment. He refused to take their calls, calling a quick halt to his vertebrate moment.
Mike Pence flees the mob on 1/6 - image from The Guardian
The book will (it certainly should) make your blood boil. The Founders put together a guiding document and a set of rules that presumed they would be carried out by honorable officials. They did not count on the possibility of a sociopath being elected president. Someone with not only no respect, but outright contempt, for the rule of law. He really claimed, and maybe even believed in his diseased mind, like Louis XIV, who famously said “L’etat est moi,” that he, personally, was the state.
Bottom line is that when you see Woodward and Costa being interviewed about this book, or talking about the events they covered, their hair is on fire. They understand what it was that happened, namely that not only did the nation narrowly avoid a fascist coup that would have made the USA a dictatorship, but that the party of the guy who ordered it is all lined up and ready to goose-step their way to another try. We may have survived Trump’s 2021 coup attempt, but it is clear that he will try again, and there are far too many who are more than willing to go along, whether actively or passively.
Trump with Steve Bannon - image from CNN
Now, as for the other part of this book. It should come as a salve for the angst generated by the reporting on Trump. They follow Biden’s decision to run, following the Charlottesville “good people on both sides” outrage, convinced that the very soul of the nation was imperiled, and that he could offer a way out of this very dark cloud, more so than other extant or potential candidates. We get to see a very human Biden, sincere, knowledgeable, willing to listen to well-informed and well-meant advice, willing to make needed adjustments, willing to talk to anyone, anywhere, and unwilling to be baited by Trumpian taunts and lies. We are let in to some of the family troubles the Bidens have endured, that they continue to endure. Biden is shown as the anti-Trump, an incredibly decent person, gifted at making personal contact with people, caring about people, remembering them, willing to spend unheard of amounts of time with people who could offer him nothing but their shared pain. It shows candidate Biden behaving in a presidential manner when the actual president would not. It is a warm portrait of a man the authors have certainly seen enough of to know. They also show him getting tough in legislative negotiations, and showing his exasperation when sanity, and decency, seem insufficient to accomplish a goal. The book continues into March 2021, so shows Biden as president as well as merely a candidate.
But, of course, being Washington reporters, they feel it necessary to take a swing or two. In one instance they report on Biden snapping at a reporter who was being particularly dickish as if there was something wrong with that. That Biden later apologized was the real fault here. The reporter merited being smacked down. Their portrayal was that this was a kind of gaffe. Take a moment to roll your eyes here. The Beltway media have particular story lines that they adhere to, regardless of the facts. Reporting Biden as particularly gaffe-ridden is among them. He is no more so than most other people. We all misstate things at times. But they seem eager, drooling even for a chance to catch another one and reinforce the image. Their treatment of Biden’s entirely appropriate reaction to a hostile reporter is of a cloth with that mindlessness.
Presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden takes a picture with the Downs family after campaigning in Rehoboth Beach. - image and text from the Cape Gazette
Gripes (in addition to the one above)
As happens far too often in books of this sort, namely political history books put together largely through personal interviews, the authors sometimes slip into stenography mode. They report, presumably straight-faced, about Senate Majority, now Minority Leader Mitch McConnell trotting out his spin about tax cuts for the rich being “tax reform” and crediting Trump for an economy that had been humming along quite nicely when he took office. I call BS. They continue in this mode about McConnell working with cabinet members trying to push Trump to some semblance of normal. Take nothing McConnell reports himself saying at face value. Second-party confirmation is always needed there. Ditto for Lindsey Graham.
Former Republican and Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt issued a statement about Graham…saying that many people have tried to understand Graham over the years. He encouraged people not to look at it "through the prism of the manifest inconsistencies that exist between things he used to believe and what he's doing now."Graham is quoted at length here, and it is all self-serving. Douse that with salt before consuming.
Instead, Schmidt said, "The way to understand him is to look at what's consistent. And essentially what he is in American politics is what, in the aquatic world, would be a pilot fish: a smaller fish that hovers around a larger predator, like a shark, living off of its detritus. That's Lindsey. And when he swam around the McCain shark, broadly viewed as a virtuous and good shark, Lindsey took on the patina of virtue. But wherever the apex shark is, you find the Lindsey fish hovering about, and Trump is the newest shark in the sea. Lindsey has a real draw to power — but he's found it unattainable on his own merits." - from Salon article
Gripes, notwithstanding, Peril is an important book, another in a large library of reporting on the workings of the Trump administration, and particularly at how close Trump’s attempted coup came to succeeding.
There are many lessons to be learned here. One is that the January 6th Committee should interview, whether via subpoena or not, all the players involved in orchestrating the insurrection, including Trump, and that they need to complete their report and make all necessary criminal referrals to the Department of Justice before Republicans have a chance to regain control of the House and shut them down. We learn that the norms and rules of American government are fatally flawed, allowing the dark-hearted to game the system for their political and personal advantage. We learn that even in dark times there are officials willing to put their careers, and even their lives on the line to stand up for the ideals and institutions, that Americans claim to admire and respect. We learn that there need to be fixes made to the Electoral Count Act of 1887 to make sure that each state’s electors truthfully represent the decision of the voters.
Attorney John Eastman, left, speaks next to Rudy Giuliani at Donald Trump’s rally on 6 January - Image and text from Reuters, by way of The Guardian – photo by Jim, Bourg
The book’s epigraph cut short Biden’s inaugural statement. The full sentence reads We will press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and possibility. Despite the subsequent COVID variants that have killed or damaged so many in our nation, and the world, a major relief bill made it through a very marginally Democratic Congress. Other measures are needed, but hope that more can be done remains alive, despite Joe Manchin. There are hopeful signs in many parts of the nation that democracy is on the rise…
Hmmm, reviewus interruptus. Looks like we have run out of space here on Goodreads. Despair not, the full review, including EXTRA STUFF, is on my site, Coot’s Reviews. See you there.
May 22, 2023
I had heard parts and parcels of this book on various news networks. Heard and watched the author interviews. This book covers the end of the Mango Mussolini's term and the beginning of Bidens. The insurrection and what was happening in the White House. Sounded intriguing but also frightening. I had promised myself that I would not buy another book about the narcissistic man child and I didn't. This book was given to my husband by a friend if his and after having it's cover stare at me, I picked it up and didn't really put it down until I finished.
Perhaps frightening is an understatement, because what is revealed in this book was to me, truly evil. I would like to be able to keep my head buried in the sand, pretend that our country is fine, our democracy not at stake, but that's what many others did and continue to do. All horrific world events, particularly the Holocaust, did not happen in a vacuum but in steps, actions undertaken and many too afraid to raise their heads.
This book is an important one in understanding the risks associated with having an unstable man leading our country. It is both an explanation and a warning.
Perhaps frightening is an understatement, because what is revealed in this book was to me, truly evil. I would like to be able to keep my head buried in the sand, pretend that our country is fine, our democracy not at stake, but that's what many others did and continue to do. All horrific world events, particularly the Holocaust, did not happen in a vacuum but in steps, actions undertaken and many too afraid to raise their heads.
This book is an important one in understanding the risks associated with having an unstable man leading our country. It is both an explanation and a warning.
September 24, 2021
The unhinged president was raging like a character from Full Metal Jacket and world leaders had to be reassured by our military leaders that the country was not imploding. That is just a little of what happened after the 2020 election and the January 6th riot by Trump supporters. This book covers the primary campaigns, the election and it’s aftermath, Trump’s response to the Black Lives Matter protests, the last days of the Trump administration, the early days of the Biden administration and Trump’s continuing efforts to destroy the country as he soaks about adulation from his fawning fans.
Neither Trump nor Biden granted the authors an interview for this book. Weird, since Trump seems to have talked to every other author of the many books about the 2020 election so he could continue to whine/rant about how it was stolen from him. However, those interviews don’t seem to have been needed. There was no lack of people who were willing to provide detailed accounts of events. The book didn’t have a lot that was new other than the profound concerns that our military had after the election and riot. The first book of this trilogy was titled “Fear: Trump in the White House”. The second was titled “Rage”. If Trump makes a comeback and there is need for a fourth book it will have to be called “Devastation: How a Democracy Died”.
Neither Trump nor Biden granted the authors an interview for this book. Weird, since Trump seems to have talked to every other author of the many books about the 2020 election so he could continue to whine/rant about how it was stolen from him. However, those interviews don’t seem to have been needed. There was no lack of people who were willing to provide detailed accounts of events. The book didn’t have a lot that was new other than the profound concerns that our military had after the election and riot. The first book of this trilogy was titled “Fear: Trump in the White House”. The second was titled “Rage”. If Trump makes a comeback and there is need for a fourth book it will have to be called “Devastation: How a Democracy Died”.
August 25, 2023
Peril was the last of a trilogy about the Trump administration by veteran investigative reporter Bob Woodward, and this book written with Washington Post reporter Robert Costa. While I was not going to read any more books about this dangerous aberration in our history, I could not resist the temptation of Woodward's reporting on deep background of what was really happening. What can I say, what we saw from the news reports over the last year of Trump's time in office and his attempts to hold on to the office and its power, while probably knowing full well that the election results were a national repudiation of his policies and of him, was far worse when you read the accounts of people on the inside. So much of the book fills one with terror of the danger this country was in, hence the title Peril.
However, there were some heroes here, namely, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley; Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper; Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi; and former Vice President Dan Quayle. These people all tried to save our democracy and ensure the peaceful transfer of power in the face of a rogue president who was working to overturn the results of a democratically held election. The depths to which Trump would descend to try to get states to overturn the election results in order that he could claim victory were jarring. But even so, he has managed to poison the well influencing many Americans to doubt our democratic process and the legitamacy of the Biden presidency.
But we did make it to Inauguration Day January 20, 2021 with Biden placing his hands on a family Bible with a Celtic cross, a nod to his Irish heritage. He became the nation's second Catholic president, following in the footsteps of his boyhood hero, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. And in a nod to bipartisanship as well as democracy, some of his words:
ADDENDUM
August 24, 2023:
However, there were some heroes here, namely, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley; Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper; Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi; and former Vice President Dan Quayle. These people all tried to save our democracy and ensure the peaceful transfer of power in the face of a rogue president who was working to overturn the results of a democratically held election. The depths to which Trump would descend to try to get states to overturn the election results in order that he could claim victory were jarring. But even so, he has managed to poison the well influencing many Americans to doubt our democratic process and the legitamacy of the Biden presidency.
But we did make it to Inauguration Day January 20, 2021 with Biden placing his hands on a family Bible with a Celtic cross, a nod to his Irish heritage. He became the nation's second Catholic president, following in the footsteps of his boyhood hero, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. And in a nod to bipartisanship as well as democracy, some of his words:
"This is democracy's day," Biden began. "A day of history and hope. Of renewal and resolve. Through a crucible for the ages America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge. Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy.
"We will press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities," he told the small, socially distant crowd in Washington.
ADDENDUM
August 24, 2023:
In the words of Martin Luther King: "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
September 21, 2021
If you’re looking for the gold standard in Trump books, Bob Woodward and Robert Costa’s “Peril” is it. I’m not saying that because it was written by Bob Woodward (I thought his two previous books about the Trump administration were “okay, not great”). It’s good because of what Woodward and Costa cover in their book. Everything from Covid, the election, the riots of January 6, and past few months.
As per usual in a Bob Woodward book, the topic - Donald Trump’s final year in office - was thoroughly investigated. The authors seemed to know the right questions to ask their interviewees, and that can make all the difference in an expose. Is “Peril” an expose? Yep, and a very good one.
As an addendum, I heard an interview with Robert Costa, who said, when asked about the book’s title, that he and Woodward thought Donald Trump was not through with politics and was therefore a “peril”. I agree fully with him and only wish the people who SHOULD read this book would read it…
As per usual in a Bob Woodward book, the topic - Donald Trump’s final year in office - was thoroughly investigated. The authors seemed to know the right questions to ask their interviewees, and that can make all the difference in an expose. Is “Peril” an expose? Yep, and a very good one.
As an addendum, I heard an interview with Robert Costa, who said, when asked about the book’s title, that he and Woodward thought Donald Trump was not through with politics and was therefore a “peril”. I agree fully with him and only wish the people who SHOULD read this book would read it…
March 1, 2022
“Real power is—I don’t even want to use the word—fear,” Trump told us. “I bring rage out. I do bring rage out. I always have. I don’t know if that’s an asset or a liability, but whatever it is, I do.”
― Bob Woodward, Peril
PLEASE -- if you are a Trump fan and do not like reading rough critiques of him -- you might want to skip this one.
My review:
You bet Trump brings rage out.
I hadn't intended on reading this because I read so many books about politics and am burnt out on them. I figured I'd give it a rest. But I received this as a gift and am glad I did because it was a terrific read.
Well -- we all know what it's about. And we know since it's Woodward we know it's going to be intense. And it was.
Parts made me almost sick to my stomach. It showed so skillfully the fermentation, the building, the making of the big lie -- and the creation of a cult.
The book is easily as scary as any horror novel because this was our reality.
What I couldn't figure out as I read this -- and saw the endless enabling and sycophancy -- was this: why didn't ONE person --a friend or a family member -- ever say to this guy -- you need HELP?
This was never said. Ever.
Look -- I know he wouldn't have got any. But these are the people who love him so much? Treating him like a two-year old.
The line that stood out to me was when he said to Mike pence (and I'm not sure I have the exact quote right)
"If you don't do this for me I don't want to be your friend anymore."
WHO talks like that? What person - what ADULT -- SAYS that?
Look -- I try not to judge. I am myself quite immature in some aspects. But this -- this gobbely-gook -- was both repelling and fascinating.
I wouldn't have ever believed it if I hadn't witnessed the behavior for four years with the rest of the country.
And I HATE to say it -- but I felt for Mike Pence.
I'd never vote for him. There are few policy positions we agree on. And he's been coddled a bit by the media.
But I must say -- reading this book, I saw the almost inhuman pressure that was put on him. And the codependency he exhibited was also fascinating.
Pence ultimately played by the rules. I wonder if he's scarred by all that happened. It is interesting in that I have read that sociopaths and codependents often find each other. I believe Trump's a sociopath and Pence is a codependent so reading about their interaction was interesting.
Trump's habit of talking about himself in the third person was disconcerting as well as creepy.
But the attack on the Capitol. There is a sense of dread reading this because you know exactly where its heading. Woodward to his credit though is never vulgar and does not linger on details. The book is much more than January 6.
So, yes I would recommended it. You really can't turn away. And it's a long book but a very fast read.
There were things I wish had been included -- more about how Biden chose his Cabinet and something about Garland.
But I liked the book. Woodward obviously is a brilliant writer. Still, I think I am going to continue my fasting when it comes to political books -- at least for now.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
You know what? I wrote my review and read it and -- I just realized I didn't say much about January 6.
I wasn't going to. I think I've said a great deal. But how can I not? How can anybody forget?
So to the Police who fought for our country that day -- thank you.
To the ones who didn't survive -- or who died after, some by suicide -- We will always remember.
That quote I used -- it's true you know.
I have had moments of pure rage. And Trump did that to me.
I hate to admit it. I've spoken to countless others who feel the same.
Hatred and rage are draining emotions. They wear one out.
I wonder how many I love who are not with me in a Psychical way -- what would they think? Of the world as it is today?
I hope there will be a time when we can all -- as a planet -- laugh and love and be free of the hate that crackles so strongly these days. I really hope for more peaceful times.
― Bob Woodward, Peril
PLEASE -- if you are a Trump fan and do not like reading rough critiques of him -- you might want to skip this one.
My review:
You bet Trump brings rage out.
I hadn't intended on reading this because I read so many books about politics and am burnt out on them. I figured I'd give it a rest. But I received this as a gift and am glad I did because it was a terrific read.
Well -- we all know what it's about. And we know since it's Woodward we know it's going to be intense. And it was.
Parts made me almost sick to my stomach. It showed so skillfully the fermentation, the building, the making of the big lie -- and the creation of a cult.
The book is easily as scary as any horror novel because this was our reality.
What I couldn't figure out as I read this -- and saw the endless enabling and sycophancy -- was this: why didn't ONE person --a friend or a family member -- ever say to this guy -- you need HELP?
This was never said. Ever.
Look -- I know he wouldn't have got any. But these are the people who love him so much? Treating him like a two-year old.
The line that stood out to me was when he said to Mike pence (and I'm not sure I have the exact quote right)
"If you don't do this for me I don't want to be your friend anymore."
WHO talks like that? What person - what ADULT -- SAYS that?
Look -- I try not to judge. I am myself quite immature in some aspects. But this -- this gobbely-gook -- was both repelling and fascinating.
I wouldn't have ever believed it if I hadn't witnessed the behavior for four years with the rest of the country.
And I HATE to say it -- but I felt for Mike Pence.
I'd never vote for him. There are few policy positions we agree on. And he's been coddled a bit by the media.
But I must say -- reading this book, I saw the almost inhuman pressure that was put on him. And the codependency he exhibited was also fascinating.
Pence ultimately played by the rules. I wonder if he's scarred by all that happened. It is interesting in that I have read that sociopaths and codependents often find each other. I believe Trump's a sociopath and Pence is a codependent so reading about their interaction was interesting.
Trump's habit of talking about himself in the third person was disconcerting as well as creepy.
But the attack on the Capitol. There is a sense of dread reading this because you know exactly where its heading. Woodward to his credit though is never vulgar and does not linger on details. The book is much more than January 6.
So, yes I would recommended it. You really can't turn away. And it's a long book but a very fast read.
There were things I wish had been included -- more about how Biden chose his Cabinet and something about Garland.
But I liked the book. Woodward obviously is a brilliant writer. Still, I think I am going to continue my fasting when it comes to political books -- at least for now.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
You know what? I wrote my review and read it and -- I just realized I didn't say much about January 6.
I wasn't going to. I think I've said a great deal. But how can I not? How can anybody forget?
So to the Police who fought for our country that day -- thank you.
To the ones who didn't survive -- or who died after, some by suicide -- We will always remember.
That quote I used -- it's true you know.
I have had moments of pure rage. And Trump did that to me.
I hate to admit it. I've spoken to countless others who feel the same.
Hatred and rage are draining emotions. They wear one out.
I wonder how many I love who are not with me in a Psychical way -- what would they think? Of the world as it is today?
I hope there will be a time when we can all -- as a planet -- laugh and love and be free of the hate that crackles so strongly these days. I really hope for more peaceful times.
December 8, 2021
Oh, boy....Though little in it is surprising, it still has the ability to unsettle and disturb. I read this in conjunction with watching the Netflix series, "The Comey Rule" (based on his book, "A Higher Loyalty", of which I was admittedly critical), and am left with profound relief that our president now is Joe Biden, and not that selfish, vain and dangerous man, who haunted many of us for the better part of five years. If you want to know the details behind the election year, as well as much more about the background of Biden, and the way in which Trump and Biden's attitudes and approaches differ so wildly, this is certainly an intriguing read!
Find my book reviews and more at http://www.princessandpen.com
Find my book reviews and more at http://www.princessandpen.com
October 24, 2021
Wowza. Just...wowza.
While reading this, all I kept thinking was, "This is the craziest shit I've ever read in my life." After which I had to remind myself repeatedly, THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED. It almost seems like a feverish dream, some distant repressed memory. It SEEMS like fiction, but then you realize it's so bizarre that not even the most imaginative author could come up with this shit.
Reading this is no different than reading your favourite thriller. It's written like a thriller, with short chapters and cliffhangers. I'm personally very into politics, I follow politics closely. Yet, reading this, I felt like I was experiencing this all again for the first time because Woodward gives us so much new information. It feels like you're a fly on the wall, living the history all over again but with a magnifying glass this time, with a deeper understanding of the inner workings of all that chaos. It was one thing to experience it from afar, watching it all unfold from a distance on TV or social media from another country, but another thing to experience it as though you're right in the room; and that's what this book accomplishes - it takes you into the room. My heart was actually pounding at moments, mostly with rage.
Anyways, not much to say other than this was an amazing book. Well written, well researched. Very interesting. Would recommend. And I'm highly likely to return to Woodward.
Onward.
While reading this, all I kept thinking was, "This is the craziest shit I've ever read in my life." After which I had to remind myself repeatedly, THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED. It almost seems like a feverish dream, some distant repressed memory. It SEEMS like fiction, but then you realize it's so bizarre that not even the most imaginative author could come up with this shit.
Reading this is no different than reading your favourite thriller. It's written like a thriller, with short chapters and cliffhangers. I'm personally very into politics, I follow politics closely. Yet, reading this, I felt like I was experiencing this all again for the first time because Woodward gives us so much new information. It feels like you're a fly on the wall, living the history all over again but with a magnifying glass this time, with a deeper understanding of the inner workings of all that chaos. It was one thing to experience it from afar, watching it all unfold from a distance on TV or social media from another country, but another thing to experience it as though you're right in the room; and that's what this book accomplishes - it takes you into the room. My heart was actually pounding at moments, mostly with rage.
Anyways, not much to say other than this was an amazing book. Well written, well researched. Very interesting. Would recommend. And I'm highly likely to return to Woodward.
Onward.
September 23, 2021
Bloated and unnecessarily long winded post the Jan 6th debacle.
This is okay leading up to the Jan 6th insurrection. At the same time besides the bit in the beginning about Milley contacting the Chinese regarding fears of a wag the dog scenario, most of this information has been covered in some depth by previous books that have covered the end of chumps presidency and its implosion at the end.
Most of the unique info this book offers has already been an expose on various news programs, newspaper & magazine articles by newscasters/journalists who were given chapters of the book to review.
What this book does offer that is different than the others is an inside look at Joe Biden's campaign, transition and early presidency.
Frankly I wasn't surprised or shocked at any of the info on chump🤷🏾♀️ this is my third book on the end of chumps presidency and the book on this I looked the most forward to. It almost felt overdone which may be more a reflection of where I am than the contents of the book.
The new info the book included for me was inside into Biden's campaign and that's what most of the review reflects.
I was never an ardent Biden supporter but I was unbelievably relieved when he was elected.
I'm appalled at his current behavior but I am Black and upset about Haiti.
So no I'm not a republican nor a conservative. I'm just a disabled Black Feminist who reviews books based on exactly how I feel reading them.
Woodward is both a Republican and a GOPer so this has the conservative anti-progressive bias of all of his books.
Republicans who worked with chump aren't heroes and didn't save or protect the nation. Fuck Milley🤷🏾♀️
All of them are just trying to save face now that the chump train has been stationed, temporarily at least.
The book is soft on Biden enough to not really challenge the fact that he didn't keep his campaign promises, including that fucking $1400.00 distribution when he said $2,000.00.
I didn't like the pretense that Biden kissing women on the neck was harmless and misunderstood.
Nope, not at all, my late father was incredibly affectionate and kissed me on the lips most of my life. He NEVER kissed my neck.
Only lovers or potential lovers have ever done that and I think that's true for most folks.
Biden was crossing the line because he could. He's definitely creepy Joe🤷🏾♀️
I hate him but of course I'm reading this as I'm watching Black Haitians be rounded up by horseback, using whips and evoking US slave catcher history.
So fuck Biden.
Fuck his entire administration.
He's not chump but thats not the same as being a good president. Chump is the lowest common denominator.
Biden is conservative and basically a republican lite, which is why he was chosen as Obama's VP. To balance out Barack's perceived progressiveness. Barack was not a progressive president, not really, he was a warmonger which is business as usual in the USA.
I mean Obama remains my proudest disappointment.
Biden failed to push voting rights and has pretty much watched as Black folks have been striped across the nation of our rights to vote in upcoming elections.
Biden's plan is for us, Black Americans, who won him the fucking election, to fight on our own for our own rights.
The Democratic Party at large and Biden administration in particular aren't going to make stopping this racist and illegal disenfranchisement of Black folks a main focus of the presidency and it is shortsighted and ridiculous.
Its almost like no one told Biden if the loss of our voting rights stands he's a 1 term president and chump is back in 2024.
Instead Biden's decided to throw all support to the infrastructure bill which given racism and white supremacy in society at large will help white folks way more than Black folks.
So glad we got him elected.
So glad the Democrats can so strongly depend on Black folks that they can only give us symbolic but empty wins.
I'm less excited about Black folks in the administration or Kamala Harris since this isn't working out to actually helping Black folks in real life.
The kids are still in cages, Biden changed the name of the chump program and expanded it.
Infants are being shipped back to unstable Haiti, during political instability and a global pandemic.
This is a fucking nightmare but the urgency is gone cause folks feel safe with Biden.
Sigh.
I am no longer a member of the DNC.
I left after the debacle that was the 2016 election.
The Democratic party has been steadily moving right since Clinton took office.
I think Black folks need to divest from a party that can't be counted on to remember our communities vote saved them not 6 months after the election.
Democrats do not care about Black folks as a group.
I don't understand the support they have in the community.
There are more political choices than Democrat or Republican.
Even if you remain a Democrat you gotta hold the party accountable in substantive ways.
We can not just wholesale accept this idea of 'hold your nose and vote' or 'vote and hold him accountable'.
Historically lasting change isn't voted in anyway, its created by civil disobedience.
Martin Luther King Jr died with a serious arrest records as a result of civil disobedience during the Civil rights movement.
We ignore that but voting didn't get my ancestors their rights, marching in the streets did.
We can't vote this away and that has to stop being our main focus.
Sure vote if that's your thing, but get your ass on the streets or find a way to directly support groups that are on the street protesting.
Protesters win rights.
Also no mention in the book of how the Jan 6th folks just went home and got really light prison sentences in comparison to the Black Lives Matter protesters.
I mean they made so many mass arrests during the BLM protests that they got journalists and bystanders.
Yet the next day, Jan 7th, en masse the Jan 6th folks took over whole planes heading home.
A miniscule amount were arrested.
Sigh.
I'm glad this bloated book is over.
I pirated this as I do most political books🤷🏾♀️
This is okay leading up to the Jan 6th insurrection. At the same time besides the bit in the beginning about Milley contacting the Chinese regarding fears of a wag the dog scenario, most of this information has been covered in some depth by previous books that have covered the end of chumps presidency and its implosion at the end.
Most of the unique info this book offers has already been an expose on various news programs, newspaper & magazine articles by newscasters/journalists who were given chapters of the book to review.
What this book does offer that is different than the others is an inside look at Joe Biden's campaign, transition and early presidency.
Frankly I wasn't surprised or shocked at any of the info on chump🤷🏾♀️ this is my third book on the end of chumps presidency and the book on this I looked the most forward to. It almost felt overdone which may be more a reflection of where I am than the contents of the book.
The new info the book included for me was inside into Biden's campaign and that's what most of the review reflects.
I was never an ardent Biden supporter but I was unbelievably relieved when he was elected.
I'm appalled at his current behavior but I am Black and upset about Haiti.
So no I'm not a republican nor a conservative. I'm just a disabled Black Feminist who reviews books based on exactly how I feel reading them.
Woodward is both a Republican and a GOPer so this has the conservative anti-progressive bias of all of his books.
Republicans who worked with chump aren't heroes and didn't save or protect the nation. Fuck Milley🤷🏾♀️
All of them are just trying to save face now that the chump train has been stationed, temporarily at least.
The book is soft on Biden enough to not really challenge the fact that he didn't keep his campaign promises, including that fucking $1400.00 distribution when he said $2,000.00.
I didn't like the pretense that Biden kissing women on the neck was harmless and misunderstood.
Nope, not at all, my late father was incredibly affectionate and kissed me on the lips most of my life. He NEVER kissed my neck.
Only lovers or potential lovers have ever done that and I think that's true for most folks.
Biden was crossing the line because he could. He's definitely creepy Joe🤷🏾♀️
I hate him but of course I'm reading this as I'm watching Black Haitians be rounded up by horseback, using whips and evoking US slave catcher history.
So fuck Biden.
Fuck his entire administration.
He's not chump but thats not the same as being a good president. Chump is the lowest common denominator.
Biden is conservative and basically a republican lite, which is why he was chosen as Obama's VP. To balance out Barack's perceived progressiveness. Barack was not a progressive president, not really, he was a warmonger which is business as usual in the USA.
I mean Obama remains my proudest disappointment.
Biden failed to push voting rights and has pretty much watched as Black folks have been striped across the nation of our rights to vote in upcoming elections.
Biden's plan is for us, Black Americans, who won him the fucking election, to fight on our own for our own rights.
The Democratic Party at large and Biden administration in particular aren't going to make stopping this racist and illegal disenfranchisement of Black folks a main focus of the presidency and it is shortsighted and ridiculous.
Its almost like no one told Biden if the loss of our voting rights stands he's a 1 term president and chump is back in 2024.
Instead Biden's decided to throw all support to the infrastructure bill which given racism and white supremacy in society at large will help white folks way more than Black folks.
So glad we got him elected.
So glad the Democrats can so strongly depend on Black folks that they can only give us symbolic but empty wins.
I'm less excited about Black folks in the administration or Kamala Harris since this isn't working out to actually helping Black folks in real life.
The kids are still in cages, Biden changed the name of the chump program and expanded it.
Infants are being shipped back to unstable Haiti, during political instability and a global pandemic.
This is a fucking nightmare but the urgency is gone cause folks feel safe with Biden.
Sigh.
I am no longer a member of the DNC.
I left after the debacle that was the 2016 election.
The Democratic party has been steadily moving right since Clinton took office.
I think Black folks need to divest from a party that can't be counted on to remember our communities vote saved them not 6 months after the election.
Democrats do not care about Black folks as a group.
I don't understand the support they have in the community.
There are more political choices than Democrat or Republican.
Even if you remain a Democrat you gotta hold the party accountable in substantive ways.
We can not just wholesale accept this idea of 'hold your nose and vote' or 'vote and hold him accountable'.
Historically lasting change isn't voted in anyway, its created by civil disobedience.
Martin Luther King Jr died with a serious arrest records as a result of civil disobedience during the Civil rights movement.
We ignore that but voting didn't get my ancestors their rights, marching in the streets did.
We can't vote this away and that has to stop being our main focus.
Sure vote if that's your thing, but get your ass on the streets or find a way to directly support groups that are on the street protesting.
Protesters win rights.
Also no mention in the book of how the Jan 6th folks just went home and got really light prison sentences in comparison to the Black Lives Matter protesters.
I mean they made so many mass arrests during the BLM protests that they got journalists and bystanders.
Yet the next day, Jan 7th, en masse the Jan 6th folks took over whole planes heading home.
A miniscule amount were arrested.
Sigh.
I'm glad this bloated book is over.
I pirated this as I do most political books🤷🏾♀️
September 26, 2021
Bob Woodward books to me are like big bags of potato chips. I can't resist them, I can finish them off in a few sittings, they're satisfying in the moment, and once opened, they have a short shelf life so are better enjoyed while fresh - you can't pull them off your shelf in a year or two and expect them to be anywhere near as good.
As a result, I avoid buying potato chips altogether, otherwise I will binge on them. I lack such self control when it comes to Bob Woodward books.
Fear and Rage took us inside the Trump presidency as it was happening. "Peril" invites us to look back at the administration's waning days and the beginning of the Biden administration. It seems a little early to want to relive this in book form - didn’t all of this just happen? The past year-plus has already been news overload, with the pandemic, the election and the insurrection, so if you’ve been paying any attention, much of what’s recounted here will be familiar.
But there are plenty of unique nuggets, most of which have already been revealed in pre-publication news articles about the book - such as Gen. Mark Milley’s efforts to prevent Trump from instigating a “Wag the Dog” style armed conflict, the John Eastman “coup memo,” Mike Pence’s call to Dan Quayle for advice, and so on. Reading these spoilers in advance blunts their impact when read in the context of the book, but it shouldn’t detract from the impressiveness of the reporting that uncovered them.
The rest of the book is vintage Woodward, in that it takes you inside the rooms where conversations were happening, allowing you to relive now-familiar events with a different, fly-on-the-wall perspective. Even though you know what happened next and how it all turned out in the end, it’s still an engrossing read.
Woodward's co-writing partnership with Robert Costa seemingly helped get this book out just a year after the previous one, cutting in half the two-year interval between the first two books. But the dual authorship never shows any seams, so it still reads like a Woodward book. The narrative goes back and forth between Trump and Biden - the chapters on Trump are both surprising and entirely unsurprising at this point, while the chapters on Biden mostly read like a straightforward recounting of well-reported events. About ¾ of the way through, the book loses some steam as the story progresses to Biden’s first few months in office, and wonkish discussions of the efforts to get his coronavirus relief package through Congress.
As is Woodward’s style, all interviews for the book were conducted on background, so it’s left to the reader to deduce who spoke with the authors. But it’s not at all difficult to figure out. The problem is that you end up with a lot of stories designed to make the teller look good. Bill Barr, for example, comes across looking like a principled, irreproachable, calming influence in the chaotic final days of the Trump administration - according, apparently, to Bill Barr. And Lindsey Graham never comes across quite so good as when Lindsey Graham is telling the story.
It will be decades before the events of this past year or so can be properly analyzed as history. If you just can’t wait, this book - which neatly concludes the trilogy in its final few sentences - will serve its purpose as the first draft of that history. And it will undoubtedly prove useful for future authors and historians to build upon. It’s not something I’m likely to pull off the shelf in a year or two or three to reread, but like that bag of chips I just can’t resist - it may not provide lasting nutritional value, but it sure tasted good.
As a result, I avoid buying potato chips altogether, otherwise I will binge on them. I lack such self control when it comes to Bob Woodward books.
Fear and Rage took us inside the Trump presidency as it was happening. "Peril" invites us to look back at the administration's waning days and the beginning of the Biden administration. It seems a little early to want to relive this in book form - didn’t all of this just happen? The past year-plus has already been news overload, with the pandemic, the election and the insurrection, so if you’ve been paying any attention, much of what’s recounted here will be familiar.
But there are plenty of unique nuggets, most of which have already been revealed in pre-publication news articles about the book - such as Gen. Mark Milley’s efforts to prevent Trump from instigating a “Wag the Dog” style armed conflict, the John Eastman “coup memo,” Mike Pence’s call to Dan Quayle for advice, and so on. Reading these spoilers in advance blunts their impact when read in the context of the book, but it shouldn’t detract from the impressiveness of the reporting that uncovered them.
The rest of the book is vintage Woodward, in that it takes you inside the rooms where conversations were happening, allowing you to relive now-familiar events with a different, fly-on-the-wall perspective. Even though you know what happened next and how it all turned out in the end, it’s still an engrossing read.
Woodward's co-writing partnership with Robert Costa seemingly helped get this book out just a year after the previous one, cutting in half the two-year interval between the first two books. But the dual authorship never shows any seams, so it still reads like a Woodward book. The narrative goes back and forth between Trump and Biden - the chapters on Trump are both surprising and entirely unsurprising at this point, while the chapters on Biden mostly read like a straightforward recounting of well-reported events. About ¾ of the way through, the book loses some steam as the story progresses to Biden’s first few months in office, and wonkish discussions of the efforts to get his coronavirus relief package through Congress.
As is Woodward’s style, all interviews for the book were conducted on background, so it’s left to the reader to deduce who spoke with the authors. But it’s not at all difficult to figure out. The problem is that you end up with a lot of stories designed to make the teller look good. Bill Barr, for example, comes across looking like a principled, irreproachable, calming influence in the chaotic final days of the Trump administration - according, apparently, to Bill Barr. And Lindsey Graham never comes across quite so good as when Lindsey Graham is telling the story.
It will be decades before the events of this past year or so can be properly analyzed as history. If you just can’t wait, this book - which neatly concludes the trilogy in its final few sentences - will serve its purpose as the first draft of that history. And it will undoubtedly prove useful for future authors and historians to build upon. It’s not something I’m likely to pull off the shelf in a year or two or three to reread, but like that bag of chips I just can’t resist - it may not provide lasting nutritional value, but it sure tasted good.
February 25, 2022
Anyone who knows me has come to realise that I live for a great political book, be it fiction or not. Anything to do with Trump, while likely non-fiction (as long as it has not been penned by one of his sycophants), has aspects that leave the reader unsure if it has to be fictional, primarily because the truths are usually so far-fetched. Bob Woodward and Robert Costa have crafted a sensational look into the end days of the Trump White House and beginning of the Biden Administration. Working with deep cover interviews, the journalistic pair have crafted something that reveals a great deal about domestic and international politics during this time, as well as the lingering stresses left by The Donald when he finally left the White House. A must-read for fans of Woodward’s past Trump-based political books, and surely one that any political nut would enjoy as well.
The time period that one might consider ‘transition’ between the Trump and Biden Administrations was rife with worry and trouble. Anyone who did not live under a rock is aware that the January 6 (2021) insurrection of the Capitol was proof positive that Trump and his fanatics could not accept democracy if it did not bend in their direction. The authors explore this in detail, offering insights not only into the events outside, but the sentiments of politicians on both sides of the aisle, as well as the manipulative nature of Trump in trying to overthrow the election results. Much has been said before on the subject, but Woodward and Costa offer some intriguing insights into how Republicans felt and did not readily admit.
The issues here spill over into something more troubling on the international scene. Trump’s rhetoric and sabre rattling sentiments left many countries on high alert as to what could happen should he choose to use the weaponry at his disposal. During the aforementioned insurrection, the Chinese were particularly worried about potential military action against them, led by a man who could not handle loss in the democratic arena. Let us set aside the irony of China worrying about democracy and focus on the possible fallout of Trump using the nuclear football as a last ditch effort when he cold not get his own way. Temper tantrums are his usual way of handling the situation and this would surely be one way of exerting a final form of control.
The authors explore the transition time quite effectively and how Biden’s people prepared for what was sure to be a rocky start to their four years in office. With a smaller House and a Senate that was literally split down the middle, Biden had to use Congress to pass his ideas, while having to cater to the needs of many in order to make any progress., These struggles, which only added to the uphill battle, made things a lot ore difficult for Biden, who sought to reverse many of the Trump-era blights without dismantling the entire system and starting anew. The authors explore some of the early and frustrating struggles left to them, as the Biden Administration sought to move forward in some fashion.
While this is but an overview of the numerous struggles within the book, there is a definite sense of angst and political turmoil left by The Donald during his last few months in office. Worse than the politician who shreds and burns all correspondence to keep the successor from being able to do their job, the Trump Administration injected doubt into an election that proved to be run like most others, instilled panic unless the results came out a certain way, and a bitter feeling of camaraderie that supersedes what is needed to run a country effectively. Politics may be based on opposing viewpoints, but there has to be some coming together to work collectively to make a difference, albeit without sacrificing one’s own values.
Having read a number of books by Bob Woodward in the past, I knew what to expect with this latest piece. All that being said, his work with Robert Costa added another layer of investigative work and insightful reporting. The authors dig deep into the issues before them and pull no punches, using great deep cover interviews that permit the speaker to share openly and without blowback. The book flows well, though does not always work in a chronological fashion, making it somewhat difficult to follow at times. The thorough insights into the day to day spiralling out of control by Trump and his sycophants makes things all the more exciting for a fan of politics to read. I can only hope that the reporting and analysis does not stop and that Biden can be assessed as rigorously as Trump was, though the outcome will surely be less troublesome, as there is only one man who cries foul and cannot accept the truth!
Kudos, Messrs. Woodward and Costa, for this sensational look into the world of US politics, as it keeps proving that nothing is out of the realm of the possible.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
The time period that one might consider ‘transition’ between the Trump and Biden Administrations was rife with worry and trouble. Anyone who did not live under a rock is aware that the January 6 (2021) insurrection of the Capitol was proof positive that Trump and his fanatics could not accept democracy if it did not bend in their direction. The authors explore this in detail, offering insights not only into the events outside, but the sentiments of politicians on both sides of the aisle, as well as the manipulative nature of Trump in trying to overthrow the election results. Much has been said before on the subject, but Woodward and Costa offer some intriguing insights into how Republicans felt and did not readily admit.
The issues here spill over into something more troubling on the international scene. Trump’s rhetoric and sabre rattling sentiments left many countries on high alert as to what could happen should he choose to use the weaponry at his disposal. During the aforementioned insurrection, the Chinese were particularly worried about potential military action against them, led by a man who could not handle loss in the democratic arena. Let us set aside the irony of China worrying about democracy and focus on the possible fallout of Trump using the nuclear football as a last ditch effort when he cold not get his own way. Temper tantrums are his usual way of handling the situation and this would surely be one way of exerting a final form of control.
The authors explore the transition time quite effectively and how Biden’s people prepared for what was sure to be a rocky start to their four years in office. With a smaller House and a Senate that was literally split down the middle, Biden had to use Congress to pass his ideas, while having to cater to the needs of many in order to make any progress., These struggles, which only added to the uphill battle, made things a lot ore difficult for Biden, who sought to reverse many of the Trump-era blights without dismantling the entire system and starting anew. The authors explore some of the early and frustrating struggles left to them, as the Biden Administration sought to move forward in some fashion.
While this is but an overview of the numerous struggles within the book, there is a definite sense of angst and political turmoil left by The Donald during his last few months in office. Worse than the politician who shreds and burns all correspondence to keep the successor from being able to do their job, the Trump Administration injected doubt into an election that proved to be run like most others, instilled panic unless the results came out a certain way, and a bitter feeling of camaraderie that supersedes what is needed to run a country effectively. Politics may be based on opposing viewpoints, but there has to be some coming together to work collectively to make a difference, albeit without sacrificing one’s own values.
Having read a number of books by Bob Woodward in the past, I knew what to expect with this latest piece. All that being said, his work with Robert Costa added another layer of investigative work and insightful reporting. The authors dig deep into the issues before them and pull no punches, using great deep cover interviews that permit the speaker to share openly and without blowback. The book flows well, though does not always work in a chronological fashion, making it somewhat difficult to follow at times. The thorough insights into the day to day spiralling out of control by Trump and his sycophants makes things all the more exciting for a fan of politics to read. I can only hope that the reporting and analysis does not stop and that Biden can be assessed as rigorously as Trump was, though the outcome will surely be less troublesome, as there is only one man who cries foul and cannot accept the truth!
Kudos, Messrs. Woodward and Costa, for this sensational look into the world of US politics, as it keeps proving that nothing is out of the realm of the possible.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
November 15, 2021
As has been the case with most of the books published about the Trump era, Peril was immediately met with immediate media attention and praise. After all, one of the book’s authors is the esteemed Washington Post editor,Bob Woodward, who became famous for breaking the Watergate scandal when he was a reporter back in the 1970s. His co-author is the talented, politically savvyRobert Costa who currently is currently a reporter for the Post and an analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. They had tons of help from insiders and confidential sources.
While I hold the authors in high regard, I was, for the most part, not overly impressed with Peril . The highlight for me was in the prologue, which largely features General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Much has been made of the call between the general and General Li of China – Milley has been criticized by some for overstepping his bounds by assuring the Chinese that things in the US were under control following the insurrection of January 6. Following that exchange, there is another account of a phone call between General Milley and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with the latter expressing in no uncertain terms her deep concerns about the instability of the outgoing President’s mindset and what he might do.
From there, the authors take us inside the Oval Office and the Trump camp as Trump and his allies scurried about in attempt to find a way to overturn the election results, by hook or by crook. Some of those upon whom Trump had relied heavily throughout the previous months for support were failing him, in his view. I found this rather surprising – men like Bill Barr and Pat Cipollone – were suddenly defying him in attempt to calm him and get him to act more rationally. Of course, much credit is given to Vice President Pence for refusing to give in to extreme pressure to shun his Constitutional duty. I was hoping for more insider information about what was going on inside the White House during the assault on the Capitol; all we are told was that Trump was watching on television and that there were repeated requests from staffers for him to put out tweets to the crowd to disperse.
There is significant background information about Joe Biden, his campaign, and the early days of the administration. Biden and the authors credit Black leaders Blunt Rochester and James Clyburn with whipping up the Black vote to sew up the nomination and the election. In the early days of the administration, issues that had fallen by the wayside during the past year – Covid 19, financial assistance to families, Afghanistan – behind the scenes discussions with staff, fellow Democrats as well as Republicans are included. Joe Manchin and Susan Collins, respectively, are mentioned predominantly. We get a picture of Joe Biden, the person, as much as Biden, the politician.
As someone who has followed the news quite a bit these past five years, a great deal of the information contained within these pages was not new. I suppose that is reassuring, in a sense, and for those who do not make it a habit to keep up with current events, this book will be an eye-opener. I would recommend it for you. I expected more surprises.
I do not have any quarrel with the title, however. PERIL. Too many Americans believe that the election was fraudulent. Too many Americans believe that their needs, hopes, dreams – their rights – are more important than those of other Americans, especially if the “other” is of a different race, country of origin, economic status, religious background, sexual orientation or identity. How do we address this peril? It is up to all of us.
3 stars
While I hold the authors in high regard, I was, for the most part, not overly impressed with Peril . The highlight for me was in the prologue, which largely features General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Much has been made of the call between the general and General Li of China – Milley has been criticized by some for overstepping his bounds by assuring the Chinese that things in the US were under control following the insurrection of January 6. Following that exchange, there is another account of a phone call between General Milley and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with the latter expressing in no uncertain terms her deep concerns about the instability of the outgoing President’s mindset and what he might do.
From there, the authors take us inside the Oval Office and the Trump camp as Trump and his allies scurried about in attempt to find a way to overturn the election results, by hook or by crook. Some of those upon whom Trump had relied heavily throughout the previous months for support were failing him, in his view. I found this rather surprising – men like Bill Barr and Pat Cipollone – were suddenly defying him in attempt to calm him and get him to act more rationally. Of course, much credit is given to Vice President Pence for refusing to give in to extreme pressure to shun his Constitutional duty. I was hoping for more insider information about what was going on inside the White House during the assault on the Capitol; all we are told was that Trump was watching on television and that there were repeated requests from staffers for him to put out tweets to the crowd to disperse.
There is significant background information about Joe Biden, his campaign, and the early days of the administration. Biden and the authors credit Black leaders Blunt Rochester and James Clyburn with whipping up the Black vote to sew up the nomination and the election. In the early days of the administration, issues that had fallen by the wayside during the past year – Covid 19, financial assistance to families, Afghanistan – behind the scenes discussions with staff, fellow Democrats as well as Republicans are included. Joe Manchin and Susan Collins, respectively, are mentioned predominantly. We get a picture of Joe Biden, the person, as much as Biden, the politician.
As someone who has followed the news quite a bit these past five years, a great deal of the information contained within these pages was not new. I suppose that is reassuring, in a sense, and for those who do not make it a habit to keep up with current events, this book will be an eye-opener. I would recommend it for you. I expected more surprises.
I do not have any quarrel with the title, however. PERIL. Too many Americans believe that the election was fraudulent. Too many Americans believe that their needs, hopes, dreams – their rights – are more important than those of other Americans, especially if the “other” is of a different race, country of origin, economic status, religious background, sexual orientation or identity. How do we address this peril? It is up to all of us.
3 stars
September 24, 2021
In reviewing another of the recent Trump books, I compared my Trump reading to an obsessive, examining the Zapruder film, frame by frame. And the more I think about it, the more apt the analogy feels. Not merely for insight into my own frame of mind, but for the insecurity people were feeling about our institutions of government at that turbulent time. The Kennedy assassination was a national trauma that is still being felt nearly 60 years later. I believe the Trump years, concluding with the events of January 6th, will be no less traumatic and scarring to our national psyche.
Which leads us directly to Mr. Woodward's and Costa's latest. First, the cover is very good, because the book is as much about Joe Biden as it is about Donald Trump. It's mildly annoying that the news media spoils the most provocative parts of these political books. Though, I was somewhat surprised the the Mark Milley call with his Chinese counterpart was literally page one!
One of the other recent books had some revelations about Milley, but they were different revelations. And that's exactly the thing that keeps me coming back to these books--not just Woodward's, but Rucker's, Wolfe's, et al. They all contribute to the big picture that I'm desperately trying to take in, so that I can begin to understand the inconceivable times we are living in. Yes, there's overlap in the reporting, but I've never once felt like I didn't glean new insights and angles from the coverage. And, each book has slightly different areas of interest and emphasis.
Plus, as much of a news junky and fan of long-form journalism as I've become, there are always new revelations in the reading of each book. There are always a few fascinating details or anecdotes that fell between the cracks of earlier reporting. Here, for instance, the authors report in some detail on former Senator Paul Ryan's real-time response to the events of January 6th. I had not read this anywhere else. Also, even as recent as these events are, the slightly greater perspective allows time for additional research and new information that simply wasn't available as events unfolded.
Having wallowed in the muck of the Trump presidency for years now, the reporting on Biden is an absolute balm! Listen, this isn't a hagiography, and they're certainly not suggesting that he's some kind of perfect politician, but the thing that comes across loud and clear--and it's just this HUGE juxtaposition--is that he's a really descent human being.
But the other thing that feels really eerie about the book is how very up-to-the-minute it feels! Towards the end, there's a lengthy discussion of the decision to pull troops from Afghanistan. And of course we all know how that ultimately played out. Or, I should say, is still playing out. But it really feels like this book must have gone to press mere days ago. It's not true, but it definitely gives that impression.
Will Bob Woodward continue documenting of-the-moment presidential politics? If he does, will I continue reading them? Only time will tell. But I feel that in the near future I am hooked. Because Trump is haunting this country like the monster under the bed. And contemporary history still feels inconceivable. I'll tell you one thing... The members of the press are not the enemies of the people.
Which leads us directly to Mr. Woodward's and Costa's latest. First, the cover is very good, because the book is as much about Joe Biden as it is about Donald Trump. It's mildly annoying that the news media spoils the most provocative parts of these political books. Though, I was somewhat surprised the the Mark Milley call with his Chinese counterpart was literally page one!
One of the other recent books had some revelations about Milley, but they were different revelations. And that's exactly the thing that keeps me coming back to these books--not just Woodward's, but Rucker's, Wolfe's, et al. They all contribute to the big picture that I'm desperately trying to take in, so that I can begin to understand the inconceivable times we are living in. Yes, there's overlap in the reporting, but I've never once felt like I didn't glean new insights and angles from the coverage. And, each book has slightly different areas of interest and emphasis.
Plus, as much of a news junky and fan of long-form journalism as I've become, there are always new revelations in the reading of each book. There are always a few fascinating details or anecdotes that fell between the cracks of earlier reporting. Here, for instance, the authors report in some detail on former Senator Paul Ryan's real-time response to the events of January 6th. I had not read this anywhere else. Also, even as recent as these events are, the slightly greater perspective allows time for additional research and new information that simply wasn't available as events unfolded.
Having wallowed in the muck of the Trump presidency for years now, the reporting on Biden is an absolute balm! Listen, this isn't a hagiography, and they're certainly not suggesting that he's some kind of perfect politician, but the thing that comes across loud and clear--and it's just this HUGE juxtaposition--is that he's a really descent human being.
But the other thing that feels really eerie about the book is how very up-to-the-minute it feels! Towards the end, there's a lengthy discussion of the decision to pull troops from Afghanistan. And of course we all know how that ultimately played out. Or, I should say, is still playing out. But it really feels like this book must have gone to press mere days ago. It's not true, but it definitely gives that impression.
Will Bob Woodward continue documenting of-the-moment presidential politics? If he does, will I continue reading them? Only time will tell. But I feel that in the near future I am hooked. Because Trump is haunting this country like the monster under the bed. And contemporary history still feels inconceivable. I'll tell you one thing... The members of the press are not the enemies of the people.
December 16, 2021
Woodward’s and Costa’s excellent research focusing on the tumultuous election year of 2020 and the transition from the Trump presidency to that of Biden points out how dangerous it was for our democracy. It was worse than I thought. The drip, drip, drip of daily news reporting tends to minimize the importance of key events—so Woodward’s and Costa’s interviews with key administration officials and military leaders provide powerful insight into just how vulnerable our democracy was on January 6th—and may still be in future elections.
October 22, 2024
CRITIQUE:
Rogue vs Redeemer, Problem vs Problem Solver
It's not fair to this book or its authors that I delayed reading it (like its prequels), until its sequel (in this case, "War") was published (in the last few days).
The reason is that much of its thunder has already been stolen by newspaper and television coverage, both of the underlying events, and Woodward and Costa's account of the events.
Woodward and Costa's account of the facts is lucid and highly readable. Each chapter is six pages long, on average. The book is condensed from "hundreds of hours of interviews with more than 200 firsthand participants and witnesses to these events." It's focused on facts and opinion, rather than critical or legal analysis. You can read it in two or three days.
In contrast to "Rage", Trump declined to be interviewed for the book, as did Biden.
However, Woodward and Costa still managed to have an ostensibly reliable source in each meeting or event described in the book.
Bill Barr
Barr and Milley
The Trump chapters largely relate to the 2020 election, the January 6 insurrection, and his response to Biden's electoral victory and inauguration.
The main sources with respect to the period around the insurrection are Attorney General Bill Barr and General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had (and still has) an unfavourable opinion of Trump and his suitability for presidential office:
Mark Milley
Peril and Possibility
The title of the book derives from a sentence in Biden's inaugural address:
Biden's address lists a number of perils, the last of which is "a rise in political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat."
On the last page of the epilogue, Woodward and Costa ask:
Their conclusion:
21 days out from the 2024 election, their conclusion remains true.
Rogue vs Redeemer, Problem vs Problem Solver
It's not fair to this book or its authors that I delayed reading it (like its prequels), until its sequel (in this case, "War") was published (in the last few days).
The reason is that much of its thunder has already been stolen by newspaper and television coverage, both of the underlying events, and Woodward and Costa's account of the events.
Woodward and Costa's account of the facts is lucid and highly readable. Each chapter is six pages long, on average. The book is condensed from "hundreds of hours of interviews with more than 200 firsthand participants and witnesses to these events." It's focused on facts and opinion, rather than critical or legal analysis. You can read it in two or three days.
In contrast to "Rage", Trump declined to be interviewed for the book, as did Biden.
However, Woodward and Costa still managed to have an ostensibly reliable source in each meeting or event described in the book.
Bill Barr
Barr and Milley
The Trump chapters largely relate to the 2020 election, the January 6 insurrection, and his response to Biden's electoral victory and inauguration.
The main sources with respect to the period around the insurrection are Attorney General Bill Barr and General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had (and still has) an unfavourable opinion of Trump and his suitability for presidential office:
"Milley had witnessed up close how Trump was routinely impulsive and unpredictable. Making matters even more dire , Milley was certain Trump had gone into a serious mental decline in the aftermath of the election, with Trump now all but manic, screaming at officials and constructing his own alternate reality about endless election conspiracies."
Mark Milley
Peril and Possibility
The title of the book derives from a sentence in Biden's inaugural address:
"We will press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and possibility."
Biden's address lists a number of perils, the last of which is "a rise in political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat."
On the last page of the epilogue, Woodward and Costa ask:
"Could Trump work his will again? Were there any limits to what he and his supporters might do to put him back in power?"
Their conclusion:
"Peril remains."
21 days out from the 2024 election, their conclusion remains true.
October 2, 2021
At this time of year, I often enjoy various scary tomes to put me in the Halloween spirit. Little did I realize that PERIL had a horror story of its own to tell. If you don’t believe me, read through the section that opens the book. It details the steps the US military high echelon was willing to take to make certain that an emotionally out-of-control President didn’t “play the nuclear card.” Chilling, indeed.
True confessions: My political party affiliation is Independent. I was not particularly impressed by Joe Biden, but I voted for him because I could never bring myself to vote for Donald Trump.
In all honesty, I made up my mind after the 2020 Presidential election not to give Donald Trump any more of my consideration. Yes, I’d read some excellent books about his various escapades in the White House, but I was “Trumped out.” It was time to let some reality back into my life as it came to the subject of politics.
But, then came January 6. This was followed by so much distrust and hatefulness that the nastiest thing you can say about a person is that they are a member of “the other party.” To top it off, PERIL was about the transition of the Office of the President of the United States. What was it like from the inside? Yes, I just had to read this one.
The writers, Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, do an excellent job of providing clarity to events that seemed bewildering. If the Reader doesn’t have “political savvy,” it doesn’t matter. Woodward and Costa provide the information needed to be brought quickly up to speed.
The stories behind the events were riveting. Many instances that were the subject of Press coverage didn’t contain “the human element” when I first heard about them. PERIL allowed me to feel like an “insider” … and that was seldom a comfortable feeling to have!
The timeline of PERIL is from the white supremacy march (in which a monster drove his vehicle into a group of protesters, killing one) to the decision to pull out of Afghanistan, and the wheeling and dealing to promote President Biden’s recovery plan. So, the Reader will have more knowledge of the result of those latter projects than is covered in the book. It includes the very real human stories of the January 6 insurrection, and the frustration felt by the Staff with a President who obsessed on “a stolen election” when many other incidents demanded his attention.
I know it wasn’t the intent of the writers, but I ended PERIL with a huge distrust of politicians and government … both in the United States and elsewhere. The stories of the easy willingness people in office were willing to go through to “win” their agenda at the cost of beneficial negotiation was disheartening. Every Election Day, I found myself watching the movie “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” again because I needed to feel that someone, somewhere, was placing Value on Principles. After PERIL, though, I can’t say that I feel such people exist any longer.
My gloomy outlook aside, PERIL was immensely readable and disturbingly fascinating.
True confessions: My political party affiliation is Independent. I was not particularly impressed by Joe Biden, but I voted for him because I could never bring myself to vote for Donald Trump.
In all honesty, I made up my mind after the 2020 Presidential election not to give Donald Trump any more of my consideration. Yes, I’d read some excellent books about his various escapades in the White House, but I was “Trumped out.” It was time to let some reality back into my life as it came to the subject of politics.
But, then came January 6. This was followed by so much distrust and hatefulness that the nastiest thing you can say about a person is that they are a member of “the other party.” To top it off, PERIL was about the transition of the Office of the President of the United States. What was it like from the inside? Yes, I just had to read this one.
The writers, Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, do an excellent job of providing clarity to events that seemed bewildering. If the Reader doesn’t have “political savvy,” it doesn’t matter. Woodward and Costa provide the information needed to be brought quickly up to speed.
The stories behind the events were riveting. Many instances that were the subject of Press coverage didn’t contain “the human element” when I first heard about them. PERIL allowed me to feel like an “insider” … and that was seldom a comfortable feeling to have!
The timeline of PERIL is from the white supremacy march (in which a monster drove his vehicle into a group of protesters, killing one) to the decision to pull out of Afghanistan, and the wheeling and dealing to promote President Biden’s recovery plan. So, the Reader will have more knowledge of the result of those latter projects than is covered in the book. It includes the very real human stories of the January 6 insurrection, and the frustration felt by the Staff with a President who obsessed on “a stolen election” when many other incidents demanded his attention.
I know it wasn’t the intent of the writers, but I ended PERIL with a huge distrust of politicians and government … both in the United States and elsewhere. The stories of the easy willingness people in office were willing to go through to “win” their agenda at the cost of beneficial negotiation was disheartening. Every Election Day, I found myself watching the movie “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” again because I needed to feel that someone, somewhere, was placing Value on Principles. After PERIL, though, I can’t say that I feel such people exist any longer.
My gloomy outlook aside, PERIL was immensely readable and disturbingly fascinating.
September 25, 2021
Yikes.
The election and everything leading up to Jan 6th is SO. MUCH. WORSE. than it looked like just watching it all unfold on the news.
The election and everything leading up to Jan 6th is SO. MUCH. WORSE. than it looked like just watching it all unfold on the news.
November 8, 2021
I should have never have read this book. Every time I read something on Trump he gets me so mad and worked up I just want to forget who he was. The chaos we saw and the horror many of us felt and still feel during his last year in office is unforgettable. I picked this up because Biden's presidency is looked at also and the current state of affairs and maybe there is something I would learn as Woodward takes a in depth look at both of these people.
I was hooked from the beginning just reading the prologue. The conversation between General Mark Milly and Nancy Pelosi is very interesting. The Chinese were concerned that U.S. was planning an attack on them because of the instability of the January 6th insurrection. The fact is that these people were concerned about Trump's public behavior and his over instability and his hatred of the Chinese, they felt war was imminent. "Peril" shows how the chaos, anger and fear came together in the final year of Trump's presidency, placing the presidency and even democracy in danger. "Peril" begins with America in danger from Trump, it ends the same way. It describes Trump instability and apparent unwillingness to this day to accept the reality of losing election and all the nutcases the would influence Trump to believe that.
Conservatives love to pretend that harsh realities that make them uncomfortable (Covid-19, Russian collusion, mask, and vaccines) are "fake news." So they will claim that this book and dozens like it are some kind of radical left conspiracy funneled by Hillary's emails and Obama's Kenyon relatives. It is a very sad. I reminded of quote by Will Rodgers a famous American stage and film actor of 20's and 30's, “There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
Now I haven't said much about Biden in this book because his administration has yet to be graded. Biden's judgement comes from experience and a lot of that came from analyzing bad judgement. In fact I wish Woodward would have not compared the two and stuck to just bashing Trump. I can tell you this much is this is a tale of two men with opposite characteristics. Joe Biden well known for his empathy and caring for the country and the constitution. The other narcissistic and lying caring for himself more then the constitution of the United States. You read it let me know if I'm wrong.
I was hooked from the beginning just reading the prologue. The conversation between General Mark Milly and Nancy Pelosi is very interesting. The Chinese were concerned that U.S. was planning an attack on them because of the instability of the January 6th insurrection. The fact is that these people were concerned about Trump's public behavior and his over instability and his hatred of the Chinese, they felt war was imminent. "Peril" shows how the chaos, anger and fear came together in the final year of Trump's presidency, placing the presidency and even democracy in danger. "Peril" begins with America in danger from Trump, it ends the same way. It describes Trump instability and apparent unwillingness to this day to accept the reality of losing election and all the nutcases the would influence Trump to believe that.
Conservatives love to pretend that harsh realities that make them uncomfortable (Covid-19, Russian collusion, mask, and vaccines) are "fake news." So they will claim that this book and dozens like it are some kind of radical left conspiracy funneled by Hillary's emails and Obama's Kenyon relatives. It is a very sad. I reminded of quote by Will Rodgers a famous American stage and film actor of 20's and 30's, “There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
Now I haven't said much about Biden in this book because his administration has yet to be graded. Biden's judgement comes from experience and a lot of that came from analyzing bad judgement. In fact I wish Woodward would have not compared the two and stuck to just bashing Trump. I can tell you this much is this is a tale of two men with opposite characteristics. Joe Biden well known for his empathy and caring for the country and the constitution. The other narcissistic and lying caring for himself more then the constitution of the United States. You read it let me know if I'm wrong.
September 29, 2021
Good god.
Knowing that someone in our government produced a document to justify overturning the 2020 election is terrifying. This country better wake the F up. We ousted a King to become the United States of America. If Kevin McCarthy was Speaker on Jan 6th, 2021, he would've taken this country right back where we started.
Oh . . . And here's an idea: If you're looking for something to replace those traitorous Confederate General statues with, General Milley wouldn't be a bad choice.
Knowing that someone in our government produced a document to justify overturning the 2020 election is terrifying. This country better wake the F up. We ousted a King to become the United States of America. If Kevin McCarthy was Speaker on Jan 6th, 2021, he would've taken this country right back where we started.
Oh . . . And here's an idea: If you're looking for something to replace those traitorous Confederate General statues with, General Milley wouldn't be a bad choice.
November 26, 2021
Whew....this was a heck of a read. I think that this is the longest of the three books in relationship to Trump's presidency. What's most intriguing about this book in the series is that it highlights the transition of power between Trump and Biden and also a little about the beginning of Biden's term. These books always have the potential to be emotionally draining for me as a reader and this was no different. Overall, I did enjoy all of the learning that came from reading it.
I've followed each of the books that Woodward has put out in relation to the Trump presidency. It was without fail that I was eventually going to pick this one up. What always scares me is that some of the material in this book often reads as though it is happening in a fictional world; however, these are all events that the world witnessed. Woodward and Costa do an excellent job in capturing Trump's fiery desire to overturn a fair election to his silent support of the January 6th insurrection. There wasn't much that necessarily surprised me about the events because it's all still vivid in my memory; nevertheless, having it replayed for me through the text made me ask, "what has happened to this country." Trump was so hell bent on getting reelected that he was even willing to throw Pence under the table and/or to the sharks. The most disturbing facets of this book were not only in Trumps behavior, but also the behavior of those politicians that enabled his behavior. From my understanding, a lot of decisions were made in relation to future ambitions. No one wanted to risk their political aspirations to tell this man that he was wrong. That's the most damning thing about this whole situation. We have elected officials who are supposed to serve the people, but do everything but that (and I say this for both parties).
While the text does cover in great detail the final days of Trump's presidency, readers are also given the opportunity to get a glimpse into the beginning of Biden's presidency. One thing that I appreciate about Woodward and Costa's narrative is that it doesn't make Biden exempt from making mistakes; however, it does illustrate the contrast between the two presidents and the legacy that Trump left behind for Biden to work through. It was particularly interested learning more about the relationships that Biden holds with other politicians as well as other world leaders. Of course, there's more that I want to learn about Biden's decision to pull out of Afghanistan. It's something that I think will be a huge part of Biden's legacy as president. There were some interesting tid-bits that are from the perspective of Senator Lindsey Graham and while he's not my favorite person at all, I think it was interesting to see how he challenged "his friend" when it came to the election results. Unfortunately, readers didn't have get the opportunity to hear directly from Trump or Biden as they both declined interviews.
There were aspects of this book that were dry and long-winded, but for the most part I think it's a good reminder of how unstable our democracy was and has potential to be. It makes me extremely nervous for the elections that will take place next year and the presidential election of 2024. It clears from the narrative of this text and things that have been in the news that Trump is far from gone. I definitely recommend checking out all of the books in this trilogy.
I've followed each of the books that Woodward has put out in relation to the Trump presidency. It was without fail that I was eventually going to pick this one up. What always scares me is that some of the material in this book often reads as though it is happening in a fictional world; however, these are all events that the world witnessed. Woodward and Costa do an excellent job in capturing Trump's fiery desire to overturn a fair election to his silent support of the January 6th insurrection. There wasn't much that necessarily surprised me about the events because it's all still vivid in my memory; nevertheless, having it replayed for me through the text made me ask, "what has happened to this country." Trump was so hell bent on getting reelected that he was even willing to throw Pence under the table and/or to the sharks. The most disturbing facets of this book were not only in Trumps behavior, but also the behavior of those politicians that enabled his behavior. From my understanding, a lot of decisions were made in relation to future ambitions. No one wanted to risk their political aspirations to tell this man that he was wrong. That's the most damning thing about this whole situation. We have elected officials who are supposed to serve the people, but do everything but that (and I say this for both parties).
While the text does cover in great detail the final days of Trump's presidency, readers are also given the opportunity to get a glimpse into the beginning of Biden's presidency. One thing that I appreciate about Woodward and Costa's narrative is that it doesn't make Biden exempt from making mistakes; however, it does illustrate the contrast between the two presidents and the legacy that Trump left behind for Biden to work through. It was particularly interested learning more about the relationships that Biden holds with other politicians as well as other world leaders. Of course, there's more that I want to learn about Biden's decision to pull out of Afghanistan. It's something that I think will be a huge part of Biden's legacy as president. There were some interesting tid-bits that are from the perspective of Senator Lindsey Graham and while he's not my favorite person at all, I think it was interesting to see how he challenged "his friend" when it came to the election results. Unfortunately, readers didn't have get the opportunity to hear directly from Trump or Biden as they both declined interviews.
There were aspects of this book that were dry and long-winded, but for the most part I think it's a good reminder of how unstable our democracy was and has potential to be. It makes me extremely nervous for the elections that will take place next year and the presidential election of 2024. It clears from the narrative of this text and things that have been in the news that Trump is far from gone. I definitely recommend checking out all of the books in this trilogy.
September 26, 2021
This three book series about the presidency of Trump was phenomenal. And this final one was on par with the others. Since it was taken from hundreds of interviews from those inside the administration it was a fascinating behind the scenes look. Because every time a politician breathes they simultaneously spew some sort of lie, this series was able to give a different perspective. Lots of this book revolved around Lindsey Graham’s interview (arguably Trump’s closest political friend in his administration) which afforded a unique perspective about the former president. The public really didn’t get any idea about the severity of the instability of our democratic process until the last president did everything in his power to not relinquish the top spot after losing the election. And perhaps you’re one of these people that thinks the “election was stolen”. Again, Graham not only did a personal investigation of his best friend’s claims but repeatedly told the man himself that he found nothing and his claims of fraud were “just not true”; moreover, he told Trump in personal conversations numerous times, “you lost a close race…now let’s move forward and figure out how we can win the next one”. It ultimately comes down to Trump’s refusal to accept that he didn’t win and his belief that “his people expect him to fight and never give up”, even at the detriment of our system of governance and the fact that nearly half of our nation supported an authoritarian regime. It’s just strange, I always believed that’s what Americans shrugged off when they fought to remove themselves from the authoritarian reign of George III. But I suppose that’s the Cult of Personality, and for the most part the people’s willingness to forfeit personal liberties due to fear and tyranny. Maybe just a general stubbornness and refusal to admit when you’re wrong. Whatever. When evaluating history, no government lasts forever, so it remains to be seen whether the government of the United States will outlast my lifetime. Sad but true. If the attempted sedition on January 6th was presaged in history perhaps it’ll be like the unsuccessful 1905 uprising of Lenin in Russia, it was only 12 years later that those individuals rose up again and were this time successful, thus starting the Soviet Union. Remains to be seen. Regardless, another great read, it’d be a shame if anyone were oblivious to the major events of history which are taking place here and now.
September 25, 2021
Because Woodward and Costas are reporters and talented writers, this book reads more like a thriller than a serious historical tome. Which is fine, because the 400-odd pages fly by, most stuff you know already, other stuff has been teased close to publication like Milley's phone calls to his counterpart in China. I actually learned more in the last quarter of the book after Biden is sworn in and begins his interminable jousting with Joe Manchin.
January 22, 2022
Well worth reading by anyone who considers themselves stakeholders in our democracy. I know that we are always swimming through history, but I never particularly wanted to experience history this blood-chilling. Absent a few principled people, 2020-2021 might have marked the end of our republic. We cannot risk that happening again. We need to implement safeguards against law-breaking and bad behavior on this scale.
November 9, 2021
3.4⭐
I liked this book better than Woodward's last one-word-title book about Donald Trump, 'Rage'.
Likely because 'Rage' was based largely on interviews with Trump which were, naturally, self serving b.s. In this volume Woodward says, and I have no reason to doubt him, he and his co-author conducted hundreds of interviews with the cast and crew of the 2020 Trump election/coup d'etat/insurrection follies. These were all conducted on "deep background" so there's no attribution or sourcing of the reconstituted "quotes" that make up much of the book, something that always makes me nervous. To be fair, I'm sure the account is mostly accurate- it is mostly a recapitulation of previously reported incidents and events, although I don't doubt for a moment Woodward and his associates did their own legwork.
The book starts where the last one left off, with Trump's first impeachment and the onset of the COVID19 pandemic. The true focus of the book, though, is the 2020 U.S. Presidential election campaign, Trumps efforts to discredit the results and the January 6 storming of the Capitol building.
With his usual eye for drama ( and a good lead) Woodward begins his tale with the efforts of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley to reassure both the Chinese and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that Trump won't be allowed to start WWW3 on his way out the door. He takes events up to the spring of 2021 and Joe Biden's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan, but prior to the Taliban victory. I found the account of the decision enlightening- clearly Biden knew the risks but nobody expected the Afghan government to collapse so quickly and completely.
Woodward is an acknowledged Republican and it shows but one thing I find truely baffling is, despite his careful documentation of Trump's attempted procedural coup after the election, he paints the worst of Trump's enablers, notably Ted Cruz, Lindsay Graham, Mike Pence and Mitch McConnell, in a sympathetic light, like they were victims of circumstances. He seems to feel McConnell's mild indignation after January 6th washes away the four years he supported and largely created Trump. I guess Mitch or his minions must have been a willing source of deep background.
Anyway it's another useful 'first draft of history' that the author excels at.
I liked this book better than Woodward's last one-word-title book about Donald Trump, 'Rage'.
Likely because 'Rage' was based largely on interviews with Trump which were, naturally, self serving b.s. In this volume Woodward says, and I have no reason to doubt him, he and his co-author conducted hundreds of interviews with the cast and crew of the 2020 Trump election/coup d'etat/insurrection follies. These were all conducted on "deep background" so there's no attribution or sourcing of the reconstituted "quotes" that make up much of the book, something that always makes me nervous. To be fair, I'm sure the account is mostly accurate- it is mostly a recapitulation of previously reported incidents and events, although I don't doubt for a moment Woodward and his associates did their own legwork.
The book starts where the last one left off, with Trump's first impeachment and the onset of the COVID19 pandemic. The true focus of the book, though, is the 2020 U.S. Presidential election campaign, Trumps efforts to discredit the results and the January 6 storming of the Capitol building.
With his usual eye for drama ( and a good lead) Woodward begins his tale with the efforts of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley to reassure both the Chinese and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that Trump won't be allowed to start WWW3 on his way out the door. He takes events up to the spring of 2021 and Joe Biden's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan, but prior to the Taliban victory. I found the account of the decision enlightening- clearly Biden knew the risks but nobody expected the Afghan government to collapse so quickly and completely.
Woodward is an acknowledged Republican and it shows but one thing I find truely baffling is, despite his careful documentation of Trump's attempted procedural coup after the election, he paints the worst of Trump's enablers, notably Ted Cruz, Lindsay Graham, Mike Pence and Mitch McConnell, in a sympathetic light, like they were victims of circumstances. He seems to feel McConnell's mild indignation after January 6th washes away the four years he supported and largely created Trump. I guess Mitch or his minions must have been a willing source of deep background.
Anyway it's another useful 'first draft of history' that the author excels at.
October 11, 2021
I found this to be mesmerizing. I don't often look too closely at our so-called democratic republic in action because I find it too infuriating--and disheartening--but this did not disappoint me. I listened on audio and my attention never wavered. I appreciated the behind the scenes view on a troubling time in our country. I wish I could say we are on the mend and on to better times, but I remain cautious and skeptical.
October 26, 2021
My criticism of Woodward's last book, RAGE, was that he seemed to trust implicitly the good faith and verbatim arguments of every person he interviewed, with the exception of Trump. In this follow-up, he and Costa take that approach to the next level. Every character mentioned or discussed in PERIL who isn't named Donald Trump is treated as a dear and devoted political actor, whose motivations are entirely based on the good of the nation and the salvation of democracy. The chapters centered on Joe Biden's campaign and presidency read, frankly, as a long puff piece. I wouldn't expect this level of indulgent hero worship from his own autobiography - nor that of Lindsey Graham, Mark Milley, Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Mitch McConnell, or any other political figure which the authors elevate to a West Wing-esque status. Woodward and Costa also arguably misinterpret criticisms of both the Biden and Trump administrations, particularly dismissing progressive rhetoric as fringe and indicating that Biden is the return to center that the country desperately needs. The substance of this book is in its reporting of both candidates' inner-circle conversations and campaign tactics, but I can't recommend the book to anyone except those who steadfastly refuse to accept that Trump was a symptom, not the cause, of a failing democracy.
September 21, 2021
Clear Portrait of a chaotic Presidential Transition
Easy to follow story-telling that paints a clear picture of what was going on behind the scenes with DJT and JB, and what those closest to them said. A good listen about one of the most dangerous times for the American republic.
Easy to follow story-telling that paints a clear picture of what was going on behind the scenes with DJT and JB, and what those closest to them said. A good listen about one of the most dangerous times for the American republic.
July 25, 2024
Though the events described are dramatic, I found the writing quite wooden. Woodward and Costa give news report after news report, sticking to the facts, so the book is like a big pile of newspaper articles. Some eyewitness accounts capture Trump’s almost unconditional obsession with his own status, and the practical threats that posed to the system of checks and balances. Other accounts focus on Joe Biden’s responses, with Biden mostly presented as a kind of Honest Abe, riding to the rescue with a touch of self-depreciating humility. It’s not biography, with well-rounded pictures of complex characters, but it does convey the horror of moments on the verge of system collapse.
January 25, 2022
This is a well written book with a great deal more information than I had about Trump, the Republicans, and their desire for power, at any cost. However, there are times that it seems that Woodward cuts him and his fellows too much slack. There is an assumption at times, that he was not in the game entirely for his own vanity, and as a means of making more money. The way he operated demonstrates that very clearly. Having visitors stay at his own hotels, putting his daughter and son in law, who have no expertise in anything in the White House as advisers, refusing to hand over tax returns; the list goes on and on. I do not happen to believe he deserves any slack. He has behaved abhorrently and tried to stage a coup. Moreover, Trump's responsibility in that attempt is never fully explored.
But Woodward does not limit this to Republicans. When discussing Joe Manchin, he calls him a maverick and implies he makes decisions based on his "maverickyness". "You had to win him; not buy him." (p 319). I guess he forgot that Manchin has been in bed with the coal companies since assuming office.
Criticisms aside, the book provides a good narrative of the events leading up to January 6th and
Trump's refusal to be honest about it.
But Woodward does not limit this to Republicans. When discussing Joe Manchin, he calls him a maverick and implies he makes decisions based on his "maverickyness". "You had to win him; not buy him." (p 319). I guess he forgot that Manchin has been in bed with the coal companies since assuming office.
Criticisms aside, the book provides a good narrative of the events leading up to January 6th and
Trump's refusal to be honest about it.
September 29, 2021
Woodward’s third book on the Trump presidency may have been the best one of the bunch, but also the most terrifying. The in depth stories of the January 6th insurrection and the events leading up to it were sickening even though they were also illuminating. The fact that months later Trump still believes the election was stolen from him is hilarious and asinine, but also a bit alarming. We knew from the first two books (and the last four years) that he’s unhinged, but this book took it to a new level.
I also enjoyed the parts about the Biden campaign and early in his administration. I’m not a Biden fan either, I didn’t vote for him in the Democratic primary, but holy crap am I glad he won the general. The stories about his Covid response were the best in my opinion, because the stark contrast is apparent.
This one may be more of a must read than the other two books, because January 6th was one of the darkest days in American history and understanding the events of it and the lead up is really important.
I also enjoyed the parts about the Biden campaign and early in his administration. I’m not a Biden fan either, I didn’t vote for him in the Democratic primary, but holy crap am I glad he won the general. The stories about his Covid response were the best in my opinion, because the stark contrast is apparent.
This one may be more of a must read than the other two books, because January 6th was one of the darkest days in American history and understanding the events of it and the lead up is really important.
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