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The Case for Trump
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This New York Times bestselling Trump biography from a major American intellectual explains how a renegade businessman became one of the most successful -- and necessary -- presidents of all time.
In The Case for Trump, award-winning historian and political commentator Victor Davis Hanson explains how a celebrity businessman with no political or military experience triumphe ...more
In The Case for Trump, award-winning historian and political commentator Victor Davis Hanson explains how a celebrity businessman with no political or military experience triumphe ...more
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Hanson is an intelligent writer. Incredible as it may sound, he really does make a solid case for Trump in this book. He should be read, because most of the time we hear only the obvious, easy-to-reject pro-Trump arguments. How do we deal with intelligently constructed, solid arguments? That will be the test of how the opposition to Trump will shape up.
I am rating this book high because I expected vitriol and half-baked justifications, but I got a thoughtful thesis. I don't know how much of thes ...more
I am rating this book high because I expected vitriol and half-baked justifications, but I got a thoughtful thesis. I don't know how much of thes ...more
This was another of those books that I found painful to read, but I was glad I forced myself to do it. On top of that, I hope to add this book to my private collection to be used as a source of future reference. Part of my early frustration while reading this was due to the chapters on politics that dealt with which states were blue or red and why. I for one don't care about that. I am voting for whomever I want, just like I rooted for my favorite team.
As stated on the cover, this book is a must ...more
As stated on the cover, this book is a must ...more
Hanson is brilliant. And he's got the entire scenario with 1000 inputs in precise language for the re-definitions and conflations that reign currently, especially those which live in the media and within TDS observance. The Derangement hasn't diminished whatsoever.
It's long in page count and it jumps. It also has more quotes from every horse's mouth than I think I've ever read in one politico book at one time. He takes examples, mostly from the ancient Greek wars but makes parallels throughout ...more
It's long in page count and it jumps. It also has more quotes from every horse's mouth than I think I've ever read in one politico book at one time. He takes examples, mostly from the ancient Greek wars but makes parallels throughout ...more
This book is not a paean to Donald Trump. It is rather a very well written analysis by a noted historian and scholar as to why Trump won the Republican primary and the General Election in 2016 as well as his mode of governing. Whether you are a Trump supporter or Trump hater, or somewhere in between, this book is a an excellent discussion of the current state of American politics.
The main thing I took from this book is how skilled a weaver of convincing narrative Hanson is. He does a quite marvelous job of explaining how and why Trump won both the presidential candidacy and the 2016 election. Whether his explanation is true or not, well, I'm not politically learned enough to judge, but it certainly seems persuasive to me.
Another takeaway is how carefully Hanson walks the line between admiration for Trump's policies (and their apparent domestic economic successes) and Tru ...more
Another takeaway is how carefully Hanson walks the line between admiration for Trump's policies (and their apparent domestic economic successes) and Tru ...more
A literate, thoughtful, fact-based dissertation on why Trump won in 2016, the promises he's fulfilled since taking office, and the vast wasteland of the DNC. What I particularly enjoyed about Hanson's writing was his ability to paint analogies that clearly explain the successes and failures of both parties. Should be required reading.
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A Fox News-esque take on Trump, juxtaposed with ancient history references which seem erudite to the layman, perhaps, but seem questionable in their relevance. An instance which sticks in my head is when he characterizes Trump as a tragic hero similar to Achilles, who vied against a "deep-state" Agamemnon. Earlier on, he compares Trump's understanding of distinctions between "pretexts" and "true causes" as similar to that of Thucydides in a very vague fashion. These instances felt more like Vict
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Going to start by saying that this will piss some people off. I am not going to get into a Goodreads rant and flaming war so don't bother responding with vitriol and nasty comments. These are my opinions and mine alone. I respect your, respect mine.
Another Trump book, but with a twist. I am not a "Trump supporter" although I did vote for him..... well actually I voted ore against Hillary. I do not think 2016 was a good year for this country at face value. On one hand, you had Donald Trump, a mon ...more
Another Trump book, but with a twist. I am not a "Trump supporter" although I did vote for him..... well actually I voted ore against Hillary. I do not think 2016 was a good year for this country at face value. On one hand, you had Donald Trump, a mon ...more
In “The Case For Trump,” noted historian Victor Davis Hanson, who, although a conservative, is not necessarily a fan of Trump, presents the historical context for Trump’s seemingly improbable victory in 2016. The story begins with Trump’s gut sense that the middle of the country has been ignored by both parties as the economy was hollowed out in smaller midwestern cities and jobs shipped off around the world wherever cheap labor flourishes. Neither party has for decades put up a candidate who co
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Victor Davis Hanson is a senior fellow in military history at the Hoover institution at Stanford University and a professor of classics at California state university, Fresno. The case for Trump was published in 2019, to date it is the best explanation for the rise and success of Trump that I’ve read. At times it’s very funny,intelligent, balanced, well argued... I would find myself laughing a lot at the way Hanson would describe Trumps tweets. His grasp on history is second to none when it come
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I’m just about done reading. It has taken me weeks because Victor Davis Hanson is brilliant. He doesn’t just tell you what happened during the past few years, he has every citation and pull quote.
I’m a news junkie . . . I pay attention. I started this when Obama was elected. Of course some will say I’m racist (I’m not) but I couldn’t believe some of the things Obama did in just the first few weeks of his presidency, so I became a hawk about what was happening to my country.
Over and over as I r ...more
I’m a news junkie . . . I pay attention. I started this when Obama was elected. Of course some will say I’m racist (I’m not) but I couldn’t believe some of the things Obama did in just the first few weeks of his presidency, so I became a hawk about what was happening to my country.
Over and over as I r ...more
Excellent book. This book does a great job of explaining why Trump was elected, how the media, Hollywood, coastal elites have a hatred of Trump that is more vile and disgusting than anything we’ve seen since McCarthy . The social media mob, the ivory tower professors and media pundits have focused vulgar, often violent attacks on a sitting president. Imagine the outrage if the same level of negativity had been directed at Obama . In spite of it all, Trump’s results in only two years have outstri
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Brilliant. VDH is one of the most insightful commentators of our time. This is a well-balanced book that avoids the twin pitfalls of Trump worship and Trump Derangement Syndrome. Highly recommended
Sep 02, 2019
Shaina
marked it as no-just-not-interested-nope
Is this for or against Trump? I don’t know. I just don’t want to read any book about him or any other political figure. I hate politics.
Tired of Trump this, Trump that.
Nothing personal to him or whatever I just get tired of seeing it. Any political books go here.
Tired of Trump this, Trump that.
Nothing personal to him or whatever I just get tired of seeing it. Any political books go here.
Anyone who has seen Victor Davis Hanson’s interviews on cable television or his videos on YouTube can attest to his ability to make complicated subjects understandable using his straight-thinking logic and clear-headed manner of speech. He is certainly a national treasure.
In The Case for Trump, Victor Davis Hanson provides readers with a concise and eminently readable account of the campaign, the election of 2016 and its aftermath. Hanson presents in an unbiased way, the reasons Trump won and Cl ...more
In The Case for Trump, Victor Davis Hanson provides readers with a concise and eminently readable account of the campaign, the election of 2016 and its aftermath. Hanson presents in an unbiased way, the reasons Trump won and Cl ...more
I chose to read this book because I know Victor Davis Hanson is an intelligent knowledgeable person and I wanted to get his perspective on the Trump presidency. As might be expected from a historian of the Greek classical era there are many references to characters and writings that I know nothing about. There is a lot to slog through and I thought that few people would want to read it. However there is a rather long waiting list at my local library so it is of some interest. To anyone who has b
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Impressive analysis of our current President by the sharpest knife in today's historical drawer. Very highly recommended.
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This book is dedicated to “the deplorables.” LOL. Henry Kissinger said in July 2018: “I think Trump may be one of those figures in history who appears from time to time to mark the end of an era and to force it to give up its old pretense.” This book analyzes the Trump rise, and the positive changes he’s made, in tax policy, judicial appointments, foreign policy, deregulation, pulling out of a bad deal with Iran and not joining the Paris climate accord (and the US did better at reducing carbon e
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There are two sides to this book. First, are the sentiments expressed. Hanson expresses clearly why Trump voters are so supportive while he rails against Democratic progressives. If you are a Trump supporter, this book will resonate with you. Second, are the facts. To say Hanson is loose with the facts is an understatement. I fact-checked about the first 50 pages of the text and occasionally thereafter. His facts are just plain wrong. For example, as do many Trump supporters, he rails against Ob
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Victor Davis Hanson is one of my favorite historians. Ironically, the title to his new book – how timely – is misleading. Hanson doesn’t support Trump; rather, he does an outstanding job analyzing American politics that brought us to the 2016 election, Trump’s surprise victory, and how the Democrats have responded: It was Russian collusion! With Robert Mueller’s report completed, Hanson’s analysis is confirmed. Our American political system is in deep trouble. One of the best political books you
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Historian Victor Hanson, a senior fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, analyzes the reason for President Trump’s success - both with his election and during his first two years in office. I particularly like his comparison of Trump to chemotherapy - a badly needed but toxic treatment for the progressive deep state inflicted on the US by Obama. On the other hand it is probably premature to characterize Trump as a tragic hero. Recommended!
I've read a lot of articles by Victor Davis Hanson, and one excellent previous book; "Why the West Was Won". He is a PHD level classisist, farmer, militarubooks historian, proffessor, and frequent contributor to National Review. He is a conservative intellectual -- the very species the left in the US today would say is extinct, or at least that they would like to hasten the extinction of (See "Passing On The Right", or "The Coddling of the American Mind")
The book is a good summary of the rise of ...more
The book is a good summary of the rise of ...more
In this book, Victor Davis Hanson manages to explain the rise of Trump and, if a person is even slightly charitably inclined toward the president, to make the case that he is a necessary rebalancing of American politics. VDH is a classicist, an expert on the Peloponnesian Wars, and is inclined to take the long view. He is not at his best when discussing a contemporaneous subject, yet he isn't so strongly invested in Trump that he needs to rely on contentious, volatile, or weakly-sourced claims.
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If you care about history but hate Trump, this book is a well-written counter-argument for how maybe we might all be wrong. Written by a thoughtful academic, this is no hagiography, but rather portrays the arguments for how the times were ripe for such an unlikely President. Trump, the author concludes, is a “tragic hero”, a necessary purgative, an outsider whose role is to shake up a situation that had become too comfortable for too many people. If you think Trump will be remembered as the wors
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Victor Hanson's stunning narrative of the rise of Donald Trump and the success of the first 2 years of his presidency is a must read for any conservative who wants to dive deeper than what the media is allowing to come out of Washington. This book is very easy to read and was hard for me to put down. The arguments are easy to understand and worth remembering whenever you need to discuss why you support this president. I highly recommend it to those interested in politics and recent political his
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As Mick Jagger once sang "It's the singer, not the song".
Victor Davis Hanson can write and argue. Steeped in Ancient Greece epics and history, he attempts the impossible. Anyone voicing the slightest approval of Donald Trump had better wear battle gear that can withstand the strongest weapons. Wear a MAGA hat anywhere and you are asking for it. So why even think about reading this book?
An old principle that has served me well is to read those you disagree with. Listen to their arguments. It may ...more
Victor Davis Hanson can write and argue. Steeped in Ancient Greece epics and history, he attempts the impossible. Anyone voicing the slightest approval of Donald Trump had better wear battle gear that can withstand the strongest weapons. Wear a MAGA hat anywhere and you are asking for it. So why even think about reading this book?
An old principle that has served me well is to read those you disagree with. Listen to their arguments. It may ...more
I could not finish this book. I read it because it was referenced online as a balanced perspective as a conservative viewpoint. It reads like Simple English Wikipedia trying to explain why so many people voted for Trump. I would say that if you were trying to explain to a 5-year-old how the current president got elected this would be my go-to book. For any other purposes it didn't seem to hold any new information it wasn't immediately obvious or derivable from anyone paying attention to the curr
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There’s nothing to argue with here.
Prof Hanson lays out the case for Trump from the ground to 35,000 feet.
Free from invectives or media hysteria, Hanson walks through the forces that brought Trump to power, while lambasting those who simply hate Trump unreasoningly.
Prof Hanson lays out the case for Trump from the ground to 35,000 feet.
Free from invectives or media hysteria, Hanson walks through the forces that brought Trump to power, while lambasting those who simply hate Trump unreasoningly.
Revenge of the Deplorables
Author Victor Davis Hanson – Greek classicist, war historian, and small-town farmer from California’s central valley – has given us a 372-page argument explaining how it came to be that Donald J. Trump managed to win the 2016 election. I suspect that the three characteristics listed above each in their own way give Hanson a unique perspective, and combined with the fact he is not only describing Trump voters but is in fact one of them – well, I soon decided that th ...more
Author Victor Davis Hanson – Greek classicist, war historian, and small-town farmer from California’s central valley – has given us a 372-page argument explaining how it came to be that Donald J. Trump managed to win the 2016 election. I suspect that the three characteristics listed above each in their own way give Hanson a unique perspective, and combined with the fact he is not only describing Trump voters but is in fact one of them – well, I soon decided that th ...more
I was looking for an explanation on how Donald Trump managed to win the candidacy and then beat Hillary. I think the author had some good arguments, regardless of whether or not you agree wit his conclusions.
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Hanson was educated at the University of California, Santa Cruz (BA, Classics, 1975), the American School of Classical Studies (1978-79) and received his Ph.D. in Classics from Stanford University in 1980. He lives and works with his family on their forty-acre tree and vine farm near Selma, California, where he was born in 1953.
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“Often the white elite signaled their disgust of the “white privilege” of the disintegrating middle class as a means of exempting their own quite genuine white privilege of insider contacts, professional degrees, wealth, inheritance, and influence.”
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“officials were losing their jobs over their involvement in real collusion that as of yet lacked a special investigator or counsel.”
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