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Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency

 I agree with the NYTimes. "Landslide," an account of the end of the Trump presidency, is really captivating.


I have fond memories of "The Devil's Bargain" and "True Crimes and Misdemeanors," and "Landslide" feels a bit like Part III. This one begins with Trump's debate prep, and I guess it will take me through the insurrection to the present (I'm one-third through).

A story is about great characters. This one has Rudy Giuliani wandering around the White House, driving people away because he farts too much. There is Trump's frenemy, Chris Christie, playing Biden in the debate prep: Christie turns on Trump at the last moment and says, "You have blood on your hands. So many Americans have died because of you. And you want to talk about Hunter? Let's take a look at your own family....."

This attack made Trump furious, and then he seemed deranged in the actual debate. People don't really know if Christie was being a good soldier, tapping into Trump's anger because he felt this would be constructive--or if Christie, qua Christie, just deeply enjoyed upsetting Donald Trump. After the actual debate, Christie was among Trump's more outspoken critics.

And there is Trump himself, who votes by mail but espouses scorn for vote-by-mail procedures. And who takes advice from Sean Hannity. And who seems to believe that Democrats have a nefarious plan: Get Trump to bad-mouth Biden, so that we can reveal a last-minute shock, a Cuomo/Michelle Obama ticket, and watch the Republicans suffer....Andrew/Michelle! Things shift so fast.

If you want a print-and-binding version of "The Sopranos," this is it. Wonderful writing.
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