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Confidence Man

The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America

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Confidence Man

Written by: Maggie Haberman
Narrated by: Maggie Haberman
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Summary

 The #1 New York Times bestseller • Updated with new reporting through the 2024 election

“This is the book Trump fears most.” —Axios

“Will be a primary source about the most vexing president in American history for years to come.” —Joe Klein, The New York Times

“A uniquely illuminating portrait.” —Sean Wilentz, The Washington Post

“[A] monumental look at Donald Trump and his presidency.” —David Shribman, Los Angeles Times

From the Pulitzer-Prize-winning New York Times reporter who has defined Donald J. Trump's presidency like no other journalist, Confidence Man is a magnificent and disturbing reckoning that chronicles his life and its meaning from his rise in New York City to his tortured post-presidency.

Few journalists working today have covered Donald Trump more extensively than Maggie Haberman. And few understand him and his motivations better. Now, demonstrating her majestic command of this story, Haberman reveals in full the depth of her understanding of the 45th president himself, and of what the Trump phenomenon means.

Interviews with hundreds of sources and numerous interviews over the years with Trump himself portray a complicated and often contradictory historical figure. Capable of kindness but relying on casual cruelty as it suits his purposes. Pugnacious. Insecure. Lonely. Vindictive. Menacing. Smarter than his critics contend and colder and more calculating than his allies believe. A man who embedded himself in popular culture, galvanizing support for a run for high office that he began preliminary spadework for 30 years ago, to ultimately become a president who pushed American democracy to the brink.

The through-line of Trump’s life and his presidency is the enduring question of what is in it for him or what he needs to say to survive short increments of time in the pursuit of his own interests.

Confidence Man is also, inevitably, about the world that produced such a singular character, giving rise to his career and becoming his first stage. It is also about a series of relentlessly transactional relationships. The ones that shaped him most were with girlfriends and wives, with Roy Cohn, with George Steinbrenner, with Mike Tyson and Don King and Roger Stone, with city and state politicians like Robert Morgenthau and Rudy Giuliani, with business partners, with prosecutors, with the media, and with the employees who toiled inside what they commonly called amongst themselves the “Trump Disorganization.”

That world informed the one that Trump tried to recreate while in the White House. All of Trump’s behavior as President had echoes in what came before. In this revelatory and newsmaking book, Haberman brings together the events of his life into a single mesmerizing work. It is the definitive account of one of the most norms-shattering and consequential eras in American political history. Political Science Politics & Government Inspiring Thought-Provoking Personal Growth
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Interesting and often shocking look into Trump's character through his life and presidency. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it will be a great primary source for history to make sense of those crazy times and Trump's political and social consequences. Incredibly well researched and Haberman's narration is surprisingly good.

Great Inside look into Trump's Character

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I really appreciate the facts based approach to the telling of this story. Loved the writing.

Just the facts, Ma'am

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Maggie is so easy to listen to. Well done factual account of a very different man.

Great listen

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...a scintilating narrator she is not. I kept falling asleep! I wanted to hear the information she'd uncovered but really hope the book gets redone so it doesn't sound like my boring Grade 12 Social Studies teacher. Sorry Maggie.

Update: She improved a lot once she got about 1/2 way through. Story is extremely good.

Maggie is a great investigative journalist but ...

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Normally I read books, not listen to them.. but during the time Trump was president of the US I was ... what's the right was to describe it.. captivated, engrossed, concerned, bewildered each and everyday there was something chaotic. I wanted to listen to someone who was there but had nothing to gain politically by writing a book and presented facts. In each chapter I was brought back to the time it happened and given a time but of more clarity. Trump is s character that normalized division and turned most things it's head. Maggie never fed into it, just reported it.

Well put

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