Peril

I hesitated to start reading this book written by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, both of whom are familiar from the media--print journalism and print/ TV news/ analysis, respectively. This is the 3rd book in Woodward's "Trump trilogy" (preceded by Fear and Rage) and the first of the 3 with a co-author. But once I got started, I was fascinated. They interviewed over 200 people who were close to either the Trump administration or the Biden campaign--members of Congress (e.g., Nancy Pelosi), members of the military (e.g., Mark Milley), lawyers (e.g., William Barr), campaign organizers, etc. The last few months of the Trump administration were more rife with flagrant violations of norms and laws than even I imagined. The book opens with the revelation from Milley that he was in contact via back channels during the final days of the Trump administration to reassure them that the United States was not planning to attack China. This is how unbalanced and unpredictable many--in the U.S. and the world at large--had come to see Trump. It is overall a fascinating, somewhat terrifying, and very concerning read, especially as they conclude that the peril for American democracy is far from over.

NPR offers a lengthy review. In their review, The Guardian claims at one point that "In Peril, he [Trump] is indistinguishable from the Trump Baby, the diapered balloon that bobbed above Westminster during his state visit. As he suborns Pence to discount electoral results and nullify Biden’s win, his wheedling suggests dialogue overheard in a primary school playground."The LA Times calls the book "a damning--and tedious--portrait of American democracy on the brink." I still thought the book a worthwhile read.