No Such Thing as Over-Exposure

This admiring biography of real estate billionaire Donald Trump begins with a reference to Trump’s “swept-back blonde mane” – although his thinning forward comb-over is probably the most famous weird hairdo in America. Perhaps author Robert Slater picked up a bit of his subject’s tendency toward what Trump calls “truthful hyperbole.” Slater’s writing is interesting and accessible, in a breathless sort of way. However, despite being based on 150 interviews, this biography doesn’t contain a lot of information that Trump has not already disseminated through his books, TV show and softball press interviews. Slater seems to regard Trump’s exaggerations as charming foibles and, given tremendous access, apparently accepts Trump’s self-assessment that he is a skilled negotiator, shrewd investor and efficient administrator – even when the author’s own anecdotes show Trump in another guise: as a bullying micro-manager. Of course, the insight that negative publicity isn’t always a bad thing is a primary theme. getAbstract recommends this close-up meeting with Trump to general readers who find that his outsized ego, lifestyle and accomplishments hold a certain fascination and to businesspeople who just want to know how he always lands on his feet. (Hint: he delivers the goods.)