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How Trump Thinks: His Tweets and the Birth of a New Political Language
The most unusual feature of Donald Trump's nationalist and populist campaign for the presidency was his obsessive use of Twitter. Like other social media, this form of communication has often been assumed to encourage the dissemination of liberal values and the circulation of facts. Trump's tweets, by contrast, formed a constant stream of provocations, insults, conspiracy theories, "alternative facts," and outright lies. And they helped him win power. This book analyzes Trump's incendiary mendacity in all its bewildering guises, and shows how this fusion of entertainment and cunningly-crafted propaganda has destabilized the world's most powerful democracy.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2017
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83 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 24, 2017
Back in the Noughties there were a load of books about President Bush's malapropisms, usually rush-jobs which contained lists of 'Bushisms' that the literate reader could chuckle at. Trump provides much more material for mockery than Bush ever did, and this book could easily have turned a fast buck simply by listing Trump's more outrageous tweets.
Peter Oborne does something far more important and valuable here. Oborne places Trump in historical context and explains how the vocabulary of Trump's tweets has roots in American conservatism going back centuries. Oborne also explains how Twitter made President Trump possible. People like me assumed that the internet and social media could enable a more inclusive and progressive politics. But it turns out that the first political victor of the social media age - the politician who was best able to make use of the thrilling possibilities of Web 2.0 - was a racist septuagenarian billionaire. Oborne explains how in impressive detail.
This book covers the period of 4 May 2009 to 4 March 2017: a story in tweets that shows the evolution of a monster. This story has scarcely believable twists and turns, and one gets the feeling it could yet have a terrible denouement. Impeachment, assassination, or something even worse. Almost by definition, this book will date very quickly, and with the passage of time we will be able to understand how we got to the position where this jackass became the most powerful man in the world. Until then, this book is the best we've got.
Peter Oborne does something far more important and valuable here. Oborne places Trump in historical context and explains how the vocabulary of Trump's tweets has roots in American conservatism going back centuries. Oborne also explains how Twitter made President Trump possible. People like me assumed that the internet and social media could enable a more inclusive and progressive politics. But it turns out that the first political victor of the social media age - the politician who was best able to make use of the thrilling possibilities of Web 2.0 - was a racist septuagenarian billionaire. Oborne explains how in impressive detail.
This book covers the period of 4 May 2009 to 4 March 2017: a story in tweets that shows the evolution of a monster. This story has scarcely believable twists and turns, and one gets the feeling it could yet have a terrible denouement. Impeachment, assassination, or something even worse. Almost by definition, this book will date very quickly, and with the passage of time we will be able to understand how we got to the position where this jackass became the most powerful man in the world. Until then, this book is the best we've got.
January 3, 2018
Don't get me wrong. It is a good book, however I am sure many would come for Trump's psychology and how he tweets than the meaning of his tweets or the psychology behind it. Both may sound the same , actually it differs.
Anyway , writing a book is very hard and I appreciate his effort.
Anyway , writing a book is very hard and I appreciate his effort.
December 28, 2019
Oborne does not like Trump. Hence he wrote a book in which he channels the spirits to tell him the true meaning and the conspiracy.
December 28, 2018
Oh, what a headache this gave me. It was enough to turn me back into an alcoholic, it was.
Now, as much as the bulk of this is shouty nonsense from an angry racist pensioner at 3am, and it reads very much that way, it's actually a very concise and thought out narrative and insight into what the fuck this crazy old orange man is going on about, courtesy of the mind of one of the UK's leading and respected political journalists.
(fake news)
The book starts from the misogynist President joining Twitter when he was merely a misogynist citizen, albeit a billionaire (alleged), real estate mogul and reality TV star, chronicled right up until just after his election win and attempts to get to the bottom of why and how he feels while composing these often hateful and cruel diatribes in the middle of the night, on the toilet, with his tiny thumbs.
It's insightful, but terrifying to see them all together in one reference like this. This is from one of the most powerful men in the world. If any of us get out alive, it will be a miracle.
Now, where's the vodka?
Now, as much as the bulk of this is shouty nonsense from an angry racist pensioner at 3am, and it reads very much that way, it's actually a very concise and thought out narrative and insight into what the fuck this crazy old orange man is going on about, courtesy of the mind of one of the UK's leading and respected political journalists.
(fake news)
The book starts from the misogynist President joining Twitter when he was merely a misogynist citizen, albeit a billionaire (alleged), real estate mogul and reality TV star, chronicled right up until just after his election win and attempts to get to the bottom of why and how he feels while composing these often hateful and cruel diatribes in the middle of the night, on the toilet, with his tiny thumbs.
It's insightful, but terrifying to see them all together in one reference like this. This is from one of the most powerful men in the world. If any of us get out alive, it will be a miracle.
Now, where's the vodka?
September 6, 2017
This piece of work show exactly why Americans as a nation should stop making stupid people famous and inevitably electing them to run their country.
Sincerely,
from all the Europeans that make fun of you and your president.
Sincerely,
from all the Europeans that make fun of you and your president.
November 19, 2020
Incredible insights into everyone's favourite orange cockwomble.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2017
Does a reasonable job of putting Trump's tweets into context, however I don't think it really touches upon the points in the title. Personally, I would like to have seen some analysis of the language used, the changes to this over time (e.g. from full sentences to clusters of short, demagogic phrases), the affective effect of this language, some insight into what may have caused the changes (e.g. increasing reliance on particular media outlets), etc. I think that these would help give a much better understanding of the man than simply remarking about things like the on-going spat with Macy's after becoming president-elect showing that he is thin-skinned, has a large ego and has to 'win' at all costs.
January 10, 2018
This book is a selected collection of tweets by Donald Trump between 2010 and post-election 2017, with critical commentary by Peter Oborne, a well-travelled journalist and writer. Trump comes across as a self-aggrandizing narcissist who aggressively berates all those who do not share his opinions.Lies and opinions merge with occasional facts but his direct approach to his 2.5 million twitter followers has paid off. There has indeed been a corruption of democracy by vested interests and "draining the swamp" gained real momentum at a crucial time. Beware the "short fingered vulgarian"!
February 27, 2020
Disappointing
Considering the complexities that have come to light about the various devious activities practiced by the Democrats, the various official arms of the US government and the media the simplistic judgements of the authors make this book a relatively pointless read. The assessments of Trump and his thinking seem more influenced by the one dimensional view of !mainstream media than any deeper insight.
Considering the complexities that have come to light about the various devious activities practiced by the Democrats, the various official arms of the US government and the media the simplistic judgements of the authors make this book a relatively pointless read. The assessments of Trump and his thinking seem more influenced by the one dimensional view of !mainstream media than any deeper insight.
March 13, 2018
get to know more about america's politics and knowing more of how Donald Trump thinks...
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews