Fire and Fury, by Michael Wolff

As with the last book that I reviewed, this book has been written about a lot, so I'm not going to go into too much detail. I will just say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about White House activities from this "fly on the wall" reporter. It's unbelievable that he was given so much access; it's clear that no one in the White House has any idea how to run an office. The few people who do have a clue are completely ignored (and mostly gone already). It's a fast and fascinating read.

I will say that it appears to have been rushed to press without sufficient editing; I assume future editions will correct the many typos. The writing itself is not the best; there are many sentences that simply don't read well. Mr. Wolff has a habit of using M dashes so profusely that it obstructs the clarity of the sentences; I found myself re-reading many of these sentences over and over. But don't let that hold you back! This is definitely worth reading, if for no other reason than to understand how totally wacky Trump and all of his minions are.

Michael Wolff. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2018. 321 pages. ISBN 9781250158062.

What Happened, by Hillary Rodham Clinton

A lot has been written about this book since it was published last year. Having been an ardent Hillary supporter, I was curious about her take on the 2016 election and eager to read this. The first thing that struck me was that the book sounded just like her. I know she probably had a good editor, but the writing itself was just what I expected: intelligent, earnest, compassionate, and oftentimes funny. What I didn't expect was how devastating the first few chapters were, as Hillary describes what it was like for her on November 8 and 9. I'm glad I was alone while I read these chapters; they evoked the same crushing shock and depression that I felt on those days, but it was worse because I was feeling her pain and shock as well. Hillary writes about how she navigated the 2016 election campaign, the folks she worked with, and the issues that she cares about. While I'm interested in the issues, the best parts of the book for me were the personal stories. It's clear that she cares deeply about her friends, colleagues, and supporters. She saves her deeper criticism for Trump (no surprise) and others, such as Congressman Ryan Zinke, who had referred to Hillary in 2014 as the "Antichrist." This is an excellent memoir that I would recommend to anyone who follows politics. Now I can't wait to read Barack and Michelle's memoirs!

Hillary Rodham Clinton. What Happened. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2017. 492 pages. ISBN 9781501175565.