The theme that clearly dominates Bob Woodward’s latest book RAGE is the enormity of Donald Trump’s ego. In each of Woodward’s seventeen interviews for the book, Trump repeatedly urges Woodward to treat him fairly but always adds, “Even if you don’t, that’s OK too.” Here is Trump, even after Woodward took him to the woodshed in his previous book FEAR, flattering himself by having the famous Woodward, write yet another tome about him. It seems to this reader that Trump cares little about what he is saying or how he is interpreted, but simply relying on the old ego building political adage, “Just spell my name right.” 

I did not purchase RAGE upon its release as I often do with Woodward’s books, therefore the content was pretty much common knowledge by the time my number came up on the wait list at the library.  However, Woodward’s reporting and his contextual clarity leaves no room for any relief from his previous Trump title, FEAR. The title was prescient.

Says Woodward, “When his performance as president is taken in its entirety, I can only reach one conclusion: Trump is the wrong man for the job.”  In my view, this closing observation in RAGE is more than kind. 

Readers of gordonsgoodreads know of the esteem in which I hold Robert Caro.  He had this so say of Woodward and RAGE.  “He is one of the great reporters of our time. Bob Woodward has been reporting like that for 45 years. He never—no matter how famous and legendary he has become; he has never stopped looking for facts.”  

RAGE clearly documents that in every issue surrounding his presidency, Donald Trump has no interest in “facts.”