Full Disclosure

by Stormy Daniels

She was already well-known in some circles before March 6, 2018, but that's probably the first time you heard the name Stormy Daniels. That's the day she filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump over a nondisclosure agreement negotiated before the election but never signed.

How did Stormy Daniels become the woman willing to take on a president? What is it like to be reviled by some, held up as a beacon of hope by others, and to be an object of fascination to all?

In this book, Stormy Daniels tells her whole story for the first time: about how she came to be a leading actress and director in the adult film business, the full truth about her journey from a rough childhood in Louisiana onto the national stage, and everything about the events that led to the nondisclosure agreement and the behind-the-scenes attempts to intimidate her.

Stormy is funny, sharp, warm, and impassioned by turns. Her story is a thoroughly American one, of a girl who loved reading and horses and who understood from a very young age what she wanted―and who also knew she'd have to get every step of the way there on her own.

People can't stop talking about Stormy Daniels. And they won't be able to stop talking about her fresh, surprising, completely candid, nothing-held-back book.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Politics, Autobiography, Audiobook, Biography Memoir

Audiobook

First published October 2, 2018

About the author

Stephanie Gregory Clifford, known professionally as Stormy Daniels, Stormy Waters, or simply Stormy, is an American pornographic actress, stripper, screenwriter, and director. She has won numerous industry awards, and is a member of the NightMoves, AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame.

Reviews

[Manny]

[Original review, Sep 19 2018]

This book has magically removed a long-running source of disharmony in our household. For most of my life, I have liked mushrooms. Not is unfortunately allergic to them. She suggests from time to time that I - or, indeed, she - should prepare some mushroomy dish to satisfy my cravings, but I feel all guilted out. Suppose some of it got onto her plate by accident? So I politely refuse. Then she feels guilted out.

But now, oh happy day, I no longer want to eat mushrooms! Indeed, the very thought of doing so makes me a little nauseous. Not and I are finally on the same page.

Thank you, Ms Daniels!
___________________
[Update, Jan 30 2023]

mannyrayner: Do you know who Stormy Daniels is?

ChatGPT: Yes, Stormy Daniels is a former adult film actress and director. She has also been in the news for her legal battles with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

mannyrayner: Could you write an account of the relationship between Ms Daniels and Donald Trump in the style of the King James Bible?

ChatGPT: Verily, I say unto thee, there was a woman named Stormy Daniels, who was in the business of performing for the pleasure of many. And it came to pass that she had a brief encounter with a man named Donald, who was mighty in the land and known to all as the President of the United States.

But lo, the deeds of the President and the woman were made known unto the people, and there was much uproar and much scandal in the land. For the President had sought to silence the woman, and had paid her a great sum of money, that she might not speak of their liaison.

And the woman, being strong and steadfast, didst not keep silent, but didst speak unto the people, saying "I will not be silenced, for what has transpired between the President and I is of great import."

And the President didst try to cast her aside, and to deny that he had knowledge of the payment made unto her. But the woman persevered, and the truth was eventually made known unto the people.

And the President didst face much tribulation, for the people were not pleased with his actions, and he was subjected to much scrutiny and investigation. Yet, he didst remain steadfast, and didst not admit to any wrongdoing.

And so, the story of the President and the woman named Stormy, didst become a cautionary tale, and a lesson unto all who hold high office, that they should be wary of their actions and the consequences that may follow.

mannyrayner: Amen.

ChatGPT: Amen.

[Chat always insists that it's an emotionless machine and doesn't dislike anyone. But if it did dislike someone, I can't help suspecting that that person could be Donald Trump.]
___________________
[And for people morbidly interested in Chat's understanding of archaic English grammar:]

mannyrayner: I mailed your edifying story to a couple of friends, who also liked it. But one of them pointed out that it contains grammatical errors. I wonder if you can see where they are?

ChatGPT: I apologize for the errors in my previous response. Here is the corrected version:

Verily, I say unto thee, there was a woman named Stormy Daniels, who was in the business of performing for the pleasure of many. And it came to pass that she had a brief encounter with a man named Donald, who was mighty in the land and known to all as the President of the United States.

But lo, the deeds of the President and the woman were made known unto the people, and there was much uproar and much scandal in the land. For the President had sought to silence the woman, and had paid her a great sum of money, that she might not speak of their liaison.

And the woman, being strong and steadfast, did not keep silent, but spoke unto the people, saying "I will not be silenced, for what has transpired between the President and I is of great import."

And the President did try to cast her aside, and to deny that he had knowledge of the payment made unto her. But the woman persevered, and the truth was eventually made known unto the people.

And the President did face much tribulation, for the people were not pleased with his actions, and he was subjected to much scrutiny and investigation. Yet, he did remain steadfast, and did not admit to any wrongdoing.

And so, the story of the President and the woman named Stormy, became a cautionary tale, and a lesson unto all who hold high office, that they should be wary of their actions and the consequences that may follow.

mannyrayner: That's very good!

I think my friend would be interested to know if you can explain in detail the nature of the grammatical errors in the first version?

ChatGPT: Certainly, I'd be happy to explain the grammatical errors in the first version. Here is a list of the errors and brief explanations:

- Verb Tense Inconsistency: In several instances, the verbs used were not in the correct tense, either past or present, and were instead in an archaic form.

- Use of "Didst" and "Didst Not": "Didst" is an archaic form of "did," which is not commonly used in modern English. "Didst not" is the archaic form of "did not," and similarly not used in modern English.

- Use of "Unto Thee" and "Unto the People": "Unto" is an archaic form of "to," and "thee" is an archaic form of "you." These forms are not commonly used in modern English.

- Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement: In some instances, the subject and verb did not agree in number, leading to grammatical errors.

By correcting these errors and using more modern forms of English, the revised version is more accurate and easier to understand for a contemporary audience.

mannyrayner: But if it is in the style of the KJV, the first three points are not really errors at all. My friend was referring to the fourth point. Can you point out a specific example of an incorrect subject-verb agreement in the initial version?

ChatGPT: I apologize for my mistake. You are correct, the use of "didst" and "didst not" and "unto thee" and "unto the people" are appropriate for a King James Bible-style text.

Regarding the subject-verb agreement, in the initial version, there was an instance of incorrect agreement in the sentence "And the President didst try to cast her aside, and to deny that he had knowledge of the payment made unto her." Here, the subject "the President" is singular, while the verb "didst try" is plural. The correct form would be "And the President did try to cast her aside, and to deny that he had knowledge of the payment made unto her."

mannyrayner: Can you give me an example of a sentence where "didst" is used correctly?

ChatGPT: Certainly, here is an example of a sentence where "didst" is used correctly in the style of the King James Bible:

"And the Lord didst speak unto Moses, saying 'Go forth and lead my people out of Egypt.'"

In this sentence, the subject "the Lord" is singular, and the verb "didst speak" is conjugated correctly to agree with the subject. The use of "didst" adds an archaic, biblical tone to the sentence, which is appropriate for a King James Bible-style text.

mannyrayner: Are you sure of that?

ChatGPT: I apologize, my previous answer was incorrect. The use of "didst" is not grammatically correct in Modern English. It is an archaic form of the verb "did" that was commonly used in the Early Modern English period, including the time of the King James Version of the Bible. However, it is no longer commonly used in contemporary English.

For clarity and ease of understanding in modern times, it is recommended to use contemporary forms of English instead of archaic forms like "didst."

mannyrayner: Yes, but the intention here is to use "didst" in a passage that is written in an archaic style.

ChatGPT: I understand. In that case, the use of "didst" in a King James Bible-style text would be appropriate and not considered a grammatical error. It is a matter of stylistic choice, and the intention is to evoke a sense of the historical and literary style of the King James Version of the Bible. Thank you for clarifying.

mannyrayner: But if you are intentionally writing in a KJV style, then the sentence And the Lord didst speak unto Moses, saying 'Go forth and lead my people out of Egypt.'" is not grammatically correct! Can you see why?

ChatGPT: Yes, I apologize for the mistake. The sentence "And the Lord didst speak unto Moses, saying 'Go forth and lead my people out of Egypt.'" is not grammatically correct in a King James Bible-style text.

In King James English, the correct form of the verb "speak" in the past tense is "spake." Therefore, the correct sentence would be "And the Lord didst spake unto Moses, saying 'Go forth and lead my people out of Egypt.'"

mannyrayner: That is still not right!
I apologize for the error. The sentence "And the Lord didst spake unto Moses, saying 'Go forth and lead my people out of Egypt.'" is not grammatically correct in the King James Bible style.

In King James English, the correct form of the verb "speak" in the past tense is "spake," and the subject pronoun "the Lord" takes the second person singular verb form. Therefore, the correct sentence would be "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying 'Go forth and lead my people out of Egypt.'"

mannyrayner: Why do you say that "the Lord" takes the second person singular?

ChatGPT: I apologize for the mistake. "The Lord" is a third person singular noun, and as such, it should take the third person singular verb form, not the second person singular verb form. In King James English, the correct form of the verb "speak" in the past tense for a third person singular noun is "spake." So, the correct sentence would be "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying 'Go forth and lead my people out of Egypt.'" Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

mannyrayner: That is correct, but it KJV English it is also correct to use the auxiliary "do" in the past. Which form would be appropriate here?

ChatGPT: In King James Bible-style English, both the third person singular verb form "spake" and the auxiliary verb "did" followed by the infinitive "speak" are acceptable for expressing past tense.

For example, either of the following sentences would be appropriate in a King James Bible-style text:

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying 'Go forth and lead my people out of Egypt.'"

"And the Lord did speak unto Moses, saying 'Go forth and lead my people out of Egypt.'"

Both of these sentences accurately reflect the language style used in the King James Version of the Bible and convey the intended meaning in a historically and literarily appropriate way.

mannyrayner: Absolutely correct, thank you! I will tell my friend that you understand KJV grammar better than he had thought :)

ChatGPT: I'm glad I could help. If there's anything else I can assist you with, please feel free to ask.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: My Review.....


Audiobook read by Stormy Daniels

This audiobook was a lot more ‘listening-fun’ than John Bolton’s new book, “The Room Where It Happened”.... by far!!!!!

I loved listening to this Stormy Daniels read her book - but squirmed when Daniels talked about Trumps hairy balls......[I couldn’t resist] >
Sorry, for that visual.

Now that the ‘Trump-sex-tell-all’ is out of the way....(about 10 minutes of ‘THAT’)......there were many more interesting ‘tell-all’s’ in this 6 hour audiobook.

I happen to like many of the Editorial Reviews .... and see no reason to reinvent the wheel.
Here are a few of my favorites:
.....”The latest and perhaps juiciest Trump tell-all to land this year”(2018) - New York Times

.....”Blunt, funny, and authentic. She is all the things women are not supposed to be. And yet you like her—not in spite of her rule-breaking but for it. Perhaps more important, when you read her story, you believe her— Washington Post

.....Reading Daniels’ story in her own words, you find yourself charmed by her wit and her stark self-awareness, all of which draws you further into the book. I found myself turning page after page, genuinely intrigued—CNN

.....”What’s so refreshing about ‘Full Disclosure’ is the free-wheeling candor...The Daniels of ‘Full Disclosure’ is profane and funny. She is also gleefully, one might say gloriously, free of shame —New York Times Book Review

.....”A jaunty, foulmouthed treatment of her life...Above all, she is out to prove that she’s much more than ‘two to three minutes’ with Donald Trump —NPR

.....”Ranks with the best in a surprisingly moving genre” —Politico

.....”Personable, often profanely funny — Publishers Weekly

.....”Make no mistake, ‘Full Disclosure’ is a story for our times…Daniels is one person with an unvarnished narrative — The Guardian


Stormy Daniels is an adult film actress, Director and screenwriter who has also played rolls and appeared as her self in a variety of main stream movies and television shows, including “The 40 Year Old Virgin and Saturday Night Live.


A few more notes from me:

.....I loved the beginning when Stormy ( born Stephanie Clifford), shares about being in pre-school at 2 years of age. It was nap time. She wasn’t sleepy and didn’t like naps. She got up, walked out of the room, .....then walked home by herself at age 2

.....You knew -while listening to stormy‘s childhood, she was going to be a boss of something when she got big.

.....The 93 pounds Stormy gained while pregnant (string beans and ice cream tidbits), were hilarious.

.....Tremendously enjoyable Audiobook!
.....I’d be friends with Stormy! She’s savvy-smart, totally unguarded, had a very crappy cockroach poverty childhood, loves her daughter more than life itself, did an outstanding job writing this book,
and she makes no excuses for who she is or what she’s done. Good for her!


I wrote the following -below - before I had finished it:

For those of you who choose to read this page, it’s only an introduction of my experience into this book and one other. When I finish each book, I’ll add a review.

“If you need to choose a book between this one, and “Little Woman”, and you choose this one, you need to get your priorities straight”.
I love the above quote by the author, Stormy Daniels.

While listening to another audiobook called “Pale-Face Lies”, by David Crow....becoming fascinated with the story, I decided to visit Google,
type in the authors name, and see what else I could learn about him.
David Crow, author, was speaking to a ‘Talk-Show’ host. I thought this sweet short stocky man was adorable. Between his baby face, and his old fashion wholesomeness, I could imagine him as one of the kids in a favorite childhood TV show, “Spanky and Our Gang”.
David moved me.
I couldn’t wait to get back to listening to his book.
But.....
As I was about to return David’s audiobook I came upon a Jimmy Kimmel ( a guy hard for me to resist)

So....
Jimmy’s guest was Sonny Daniels.
I didn’t know the name, Sonny Daniels >> I know, I know, have I been living under a rock?
I knew the ‘story’ - only ‘parts’ of it. She was that lady talking about having sex with Trump......
ohhhh, it all started to come back to me of who she was ‘known for’.

NOTE..... I’ve adapted to feeling interrupted, and distracted, during our days of COVID-19, fight for justice days.

So, I wanted to get back to David’s book, but I also wanted to see if the library had this book available.
Of course they did. This is old news for most people who have not been living under a rock.
So I immediately downloaded the audiobook.

And here I am, Sunday, Father’s Day, noon-ish-
Our friends will be here any second.
And this is where I leave this review...,
Wanting to dive more into Sonny Daniels’ memoir
and
then... Daniel Crow’s memoir...
Both great so far....

To be continued....CURRENTLY READING BOTH BOOKS

5 star duo-beginnings

[Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

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A moment of appreciation for this queen: she knew people were going to be swarming this memoir for tea about the porn and the hush money and used it as a platform to talk about how much she loves horses and heavy metal bands.



No, but seriously.



FULL DISCLOSURE is one book in a sea of books written by people who thought to themselves "Fuck Trump" whilst riding the Cash-In Train, but unlike some of those books, she comes across as funny, sympathetic, and likable. I'm actually shocked that this book has such low ratings-- but on the other hand, no I'm not. 🤡



The memoir starts out with Stormy talking about her childhood in Louisiana, which involves her parents splitting, her mother's emotional abuse, and a rather awful and uncomfortable portion about her and a childhood friend being sexually molested by a neighbor as kids. She uses this as an opportunity to point out how people often say adult entertainment workers must have been abused to get into the jobs they're in, and how people don't believe victims (they didn't believe her). It's probably going to be triggering to some but she doesn't go into too much detail and I'm glad she got to tell her story, in her words, to such great purpose.



After that, there's a wild and chaotic journey through her venture and then stay in the adult entertainment industry. She started out stripping while still in high school and then a friend got her into porn (she started out with girl on girl and did her first M/F scene with a famous male porn actor who liked her and took her under his wing). Not only did she act, she also started writing and directing. I liked her descriptions of working on the set. I feel like some porn actresses seem to have regrets about their work, like Linda Lovelace and Jenna Jameson. But Stormy Daniels seems to come from the Asa Akira school of porn memoirs: she is enthusiastic and unapologetic about what she does.



The section I'm sure everyone came here for is in here, too: the hush money payout and the description of Donald Trump's wang. She describes his peen as looking like that mushroom headed thing "from Mario Kart" and said his pubes looked like the "Yeti." He also apparently had a thing about calling her "honey bunch." Excuse me, but no. Even grosser than the sex (WHY) is how he kept stringing her along by leveraging a guest spot on The Apprentice because-- I can only assume-- he saw that she was a professional and would be hungry for a spot that would land her into mainstream fame (HA THE IRONY). Which just goes to show how gross and sleazy and manipulative he is.



The payout/hush money part is even scarier because she was LITERALLY in fear for her LIFE. People were threatening to kill her (man showed up in a parking lot, saying what a "shame" it would be if "something happened to her" in front of her daughter) and her previous lawyer seemed to be in cahoots with Cohen, according to her, and was a shitty advocate. Her lawyer from the trial, Michael Avenatti, ended up being her ultimate representation and apparently you need a Discount Daniel Craig, Esquire, to see you through-- ahem-- "stormy weather" when it comes to legal woes.



I loved this book a lot. I liked her Southernisms and her sense of humor and her love of horses (which are worked in at every opportunity). She mentions biting a horse on the ear because it wouldn't stop biting her, and recounts how this see-how-you-like-it moment was a come-to-Jesus moment for the both of them. Holy animal cruelty, Batman. But it was the '90s and she was a kid and God, how she loved that horse. I think I can give her a pass for the ear biting since I think we can all agree that she's bitten off so much worse (note: she did NOT bite off the ear). Her roadie life with various late-90s/early-2000s metal bands was also super entertaining and her nightmare pregnancy is going to have me manifesting brain bleach for months to come, although did I cackle when she panicked at the thought of giving birth in a popcorn bowl in the back of a mini-van? Yes.



The discussions of child sexual abuse she endured as a kid and the intimidation she experienced as an adult are anxiety-inducing, and her relationship struggles in love and her mother's racists rants are troubling to read about, but every passage in this book feels weighted by her honesty. It's well-written and entertaining and I ended up tearing through this in a day (staying up half the night to finish, to boot). And it's all thanks to Trump lying about the hush money in the news again, because it made me remember Stormy existed and also that she had a memoir that I never got around to reading. Also, psssssst... it's free on KU, and I hear that every time you read it, the orange man has a nightmare about Shark Week (iykyk).



4.5 stars

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I zipped through this one thanks to a day-long power outage!

This was honestly a pretty enjoyable read. Stormy comes across as honest and genuine and she is legitimately funny. I laughed out loud at her Shark Week comments.

Her description of her encounter with you-know-who is stomach-churning but still funny. I like her, and what I really like about her is that not only is she comfortable with and confident in herself, she knows a bull-shitter when she sees one.

She did not have an easy upbringing and it's obvious that while she still holds resentments about her parents, she was able to move on and find her own family both in friends and in her husband with whom she had her daughter.

I think I enjoyed reading about her first meeting with Michael Avenatti the most. They really hit it off and her assistant was ready to get into his pants (although that's not the phrase that was used). It's obvious that there is real affection between Stormy and her media-savvy lawyer.

This was a surprisingly fun read. She's not a stupid woman and she OWNS who she is and what she does. She comes across as authentic and I find that refreshing.

You go, Stormy! And say hello to Thunder and Lightning for me!

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is straight talk. Stormy Daniels gives an unvarnished account of her childhood, her career and the brief episode in her life that thrust her into fame.

She had a stable start until her father left. Her mother sank into poverty, depression, alcohol and abusive men. With the exception an annual week or two with dad (that had the benefit of food and cleanliness) she had to fend for herself.

As she was graduating from high school with honors, a school paper editorship and other achievements, she began her porn career. Career is the correct term, she approaches it as any budding executive might, but the content, channels and “office politics” are very different. Soon she was writing scripts, directing and dancing/controlling her own shows.

The Trump encounter is a small slice of her life which, at the time was shared with very few people. The description of what happened is mostly the conversation and how he cornered (for want of a better word) her. The aftermath is a curious episode with football player Roethlisberger who appears to have expectations of her (most likely planted by Trump) and a series of phone calls that show Trump has not forgotten her and that he is not influential enough to get her on the Apprentice.

Prior to reading this, I did not fully understand her motive in seeking to overturn the (unsigned) NDA. In reading this, you see that she wanted to keep this quiet as much as Trump did. She hadn’t told her husband and this could interfere with her career. She was offered sums of money for the story. Once it went public on its own her life became the nightmare she thought it would, and you see her marriage, her small family, fracture over it. Her desire was to set the record straight… it was not an affair.

If this story ever blows over, Stormy is of interest all on her own. She has unabashedly built a career in a maligned industry. It’s an industry that typically exploits women and she has conquered it. It’s an incredible story and Stormy is clearly an extraordinary woman.

[Bettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

She's ready to share her story. Have a feeling that most of this will be quotes such as:

“Guys, you did great! Bodyguards and stylists?” I went with the black one, a Capella cutout bandage dress which fit perfectly, and kept Thunder and Lightning—my nickname for my breasts—in check.

Being a rape survivor does not define me at all. If anything, what was ingrained into me was the expectation that I would not be believed if I ever asked for help. It’s why I keep highlighting this whole passage, my finger hovering over the Delete key. What stops me is seeing a bracelet on my right hand, a blue rubber one that I give out to people at events. In white type there is a quote from me: “Standing up to bullies is kind of my thing.”

He smiled. “Our businesses,” he said, “are kind of a lot alike, but different.”

Brave woman but it has to be pointed out, her writing is terrible. Pretty sure Stormy herself won't mind me pointing that out because it doesn't mean her writing is not effective.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure on “Full Disclosure”: I liked it. It was a quick and riveting read. Stephanie Clifford (a.k.a. Stormy Daniels) had a shitty childhood, populated with completely ignorant and/or downright abusive adults; was sexually molested for years and told no one; wasn’t believed when she finally did tell an adult; started stripping in high school; still graduated as an A-student; made a decent living off of stripping which led to work in the porn industry, where she essentially learned to become a savvy businesswoman by turning herself into a million-dollar franchise as writer, producer, and star of her own movies; met Donald Trump at a golf tournament where she wasn’t that impressed but still slept with him; went years without thinking about the mediocre two minutes until Trump decided to run for president; was physically threatened by some henchman that was clearly hired by Trump or Trump’s sleazy lawyer, Michael Cohen; wasn’t going to say anything about Trump’s tiny dick or his lackluster sexual performance to anyone until Cohen’s own stupid actions gave her no choice; has gained more popularity with all this nonsense than she expected or really wanted; was, simultaneously, dealing with a husband suffering from depression and a daughter who is getting old enough to figure things out; and, in the end, may finally be the one to topple the Idiot-in-chief...

That’s a quick summary.

Now, here’s my real take-away: We haven’t come as far in society as we tell ourselves. We still live in a blame-the-victim rape culture. We are still ruled by a patriarchy of good-ol’-boy dickheads like Trump who think that they can get away with anything. And it’s our fault, guys (and by “guys” I mean “boys” and “men”, which, in some cases, are interchangeable). We are not doing enough to empower the women in our lives, to bolster their careers, to build their esteem, to give them the equal treatment that they deserve and that they have more than earned.

We still elect assholes like Trump. We waited how many decades to finally admit that what cretins and perverts like Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Louis C.K., Roy Moore, etc. did was wrong? We pat ourselves on the back for calling out the flagrant sexual abusers, but we’re strangely mum about our own bad behavior. We need to own up to our shit. We may not have committed outright sexual abuse and bragged about it on Access Hollywood with Billy Bush egging us on with infantile giggles and later sloughed it off as “locker room banter”, but we’ve done some shit. We know it.

It only eats away at us everyday. It makes us wonder what our wives or girlfriends (who really holy shit love us) see in us that makes them want to stay with us and treat us well. Maybe it’s for that reason that we do strive to be better men and, by default, better human beings. Maybe it’s for that reason that we want everything for our daughters. Why can’t she be an astronaut? Why can’t she be a professional basketball player? Why can’t she be president of the United States?

And when are we going to stop with the bullshit that says “everything is permitted” because I think somewhere in the Bible (and holy shit now I’m quoting Scripture?) it also has the addendum “not everything is beneficial”, which doesn’t mean I’m advocating for laws that ban pornography or public displays of affection or sodomy, for God’s sake, all of which are things I love, by the way, but I am simply saying everything in moderation, dude. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Too much porn can lead to porn addiction, limp dick, and major depression. But there are some things---e.g. using heroin, committing adultery, raping kids---that I know are going to have awful consequences without ever having to do them, so I simply choose not to. It’s a no-fucking-brainer. Or maybe it’s not, to idiots like Trump.

I want my daughter to grow up without fear of men, without having to worry about being groped in the workplace or on the street, without stressing about whether her job is threatened because she won’t play footsy with the boss. I want my daughter to have the confidence to be whatever she wants to be in life, whether that be an astronaut, or president, or a porn star.

Now, I’m not saying that I want my daughter to grow up to be a porn star. Honestly, I don’t think even Ms. Daniels necessarily wants that for her daughter. She just wants what any good mom wants: her kid to be happy, healthy, and well-supported.

She also probably wants her daughter to never have to lay spread-eagled while a Jabba-the-Hut look-alike with orange skin dry-humps her with a gerbil dick and then later has to write a fucking book to tell people what an awful lay the president is. Yeah. I’m pretty sure any parent would not want that for their daughter.

[Muhammad Ahmad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stormy Daniels once ran for public office using the slogan "screwing people honestly". This book very much lives up to the slogan. Stormy is forthright, smart and funny. She has an interesting story and she feels at the same time very familiar and quite alien. But it is not her profession that makes her alien. It is more the unembarrassed manner in which Americans speak of money and fame that makes many of them seem like a people apart. The media of course has focused on the handful of zingers in the book. But only after seeing it from Stormy's perspective does one get a true sense of how much balls it takes for someone to fight back the way she has.

[Lisa K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summary:
DT uses Pert Plus and old spice (makes sense)
Stormy is a proud Republican
Stormy did not vote in the election
Stormy is a grown woman who described changing a tampon as “I did my female thing”

ummm not the worst book I’ve ever read but also there was no wait at the library on a new release and I think we all know what that means

[Don Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and engaging. A story that needs to be told about an unlikely American hero. I recommend the book to anyone with an open mind. I thoroughly enjoyed this account of her life.

[Melania 🍒 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25|5
Interesting...☕️🐸

|| The read harder challenge 2018 - A celebrity memoir ||

[Reverenddave · Rating 2 out of 5]

To quote the Drive by Truckers, "Meanwhile the whole world suffers from hunger and meanness
But we're more concerned with the president's penis"

There are definitely worse books related to Trump, but ultimately this falls short of being recommendable. Its half standard biography and half the expanded story of her tryst with Trump and the subsequent belated insanity that resulted. The former is...fine in the ghost-written, disposable celeb bio style, though not something I would have gone through absent the latter. Unfortunately, the buzzed about second half fails to deliver outside the inventive comparison of POTUS' penis to Toad from Mario Kart. All the other salacious details have previously been covered in the tabloids, leaving this book to color in the margins and give some depth. But the book seems to purposefully avoid doing so. Most egregiously, it offers even less insight into why Stormy chose to give in to his preposterously entitled and inelegant advances than she did in her interviews.

Essentially, the book describes her as coming out of the bathroom, seeing the future leader of the free world has stripped down to his undershirt, briefs and socks (a sexually stirring image if there ever was one), sighing and yada yada yada she finds herself under him in missionary. Sure, the book implies it was out of pity in response to that pathetic tableau and I suppose the reader could infer that it was for the possibility of getting a spot on The Apprentice or she saw it as the easiest way out of an ugly situation, but given that she calls out all the readers who skipped immediately to this part of the book in the first sentence of the chapter it seems disingenuous not to give more insight and self-analysis into that critical moment and why she did what she did. (To be clear I am not leveling any judgement on her decision on the sex itself, just on how she decided to relate it in the book.) Disappointing.

[Onceinabluemoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saw her briefly on tv and she peaked my interest, enough to check this out from the library. Never would i think I would trust a porn star over a president, but she has my vote of confidence! She is smart, funny and to the point. I only wish when she was young she had met a rocket scientist with a cool car verses a dancer, she may have had a very different life path because she has the brains to have been anything. Who would think such a brief coupling would warrant such a pay off and ultimate upheaval. I hope she is happy and safe in her life going forward, i admired her candor and am glad I read this.

[R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

With humor and heart sexy and strong star Stormy Daniels describes the oft bumpy and muddy roads taken towards reaching domination in the adult film industry. More than a tawdry tabloid headliner, Stormy - much like her hero Tina Fey - broke the boy's-only barrier and (not so much like Tina Fey) wrote and directed some of America's finest cinematic narrative erotica. Sure, you can flip through the pages of this memoir until you get to the salacious details, but you'll only be denying yourself the Dickensian pleasure of a good old-fashioned rags to riches story.

[Amy Bruestle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on audiobook and I actually really liked it. I remember hearing about all of this on the news, and it was really cool to hear it all from her point of view. I don’t have much more to say, as this was a “just for fun” read.

[Alfred Haplo · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Updated 1/9/2021: Couldn't resist updating with recent headlines. How things change, and amuse.

Stormy Daniels wants to blow up Trump’s old casino.

Avenatti's trial over Stormy Daniels book funds.]

-------------
Reviewed 11/8/2018:

Let us meet Stormy Daniels anew. A wholesome blue-eyed blonde in demure white tank top and modestly bared arms smiled winsomely at us from the Oct 2018 cover of Full Disclosure, a far cry from the usual big hair and naked 36DD. Michael Avenatti wrote the introductory note. You may have heard of him.

With candor, Daniels wrote of where she had been and what has happened since. Disclose she did, but did she fully? A metaphorical thong was left on. A small part of her remained private still, I think. Along the way, we saw glimpses of what fed into that very guarded space, where she tapped into for strength long before that one night stand with a reality TV personality, long before that scandal with a sitting president, and long before Daniels came a-storming.

The memoir started with a prologue but really began with Stephanie Clifford, precocious toddler. An only child, she lived in a middle-class Louisiana neighborhood which deteriorated into seediness almost in parallel with the decline of her parents’ marriage. Her father, an architectural engineer, was distant by nature of his frequent travels and by his nature. Over the years, he made awkward overtures but eventually failed at fatherhood. Daniel’s mother, an office manager, was a bitter woman who was too self-absorbed to care about their filthy house or that her daughter was sexually assaulted near daily over summer by a friend’s neighbor. Daniels was 9 years old. Periodic sexual abuse spanned two years. At age 10, she overheard a conversation deriding her and her neglectful upbringing, and pronouncing that she would amount to nothing in life. That was one in a series of early let-downs. Daniels refused to be cowed as a victim of circumstances and of rape.

Instead, she took life and bullies by the balls. By 13 years old, she was having consensual sex, by 17 years old, stripping at a club, and from 21 years old, acting, directing, scripting and winning awards for pornographic movies. All by choice, which she made emphatically clear in her memoir, with level-headed pragmatism, complete ownership and no apologies. Pornography and strip-dancing were a business, a successful livelihood of pride for Daniels and not a psychological acting out from childhood trauma. “Stormy Daniels” was, and remains, a brand carefully cultivated and legally owned by Clifford.

Street smart and whip-smart, Daniels subverted stereotype. She was a straight A’s student who graduated from a magnet high school with a focus on math and engineering, was on the dance team, qualified for English AP classes, was editor of the school paper, and the recipient of college scholarships that she eventually forsake for a more immediately lucrative career in adult entertainment. She had a beloved, old horse to care for in a tiny, untainted, unreserved part of her young life, but horse ownership cost money that her estranged parents neither supported nor afforded. By 39 years old, Stormy Daniels was a household name in her field of expertise, a nationally ranked equestrian owning several horses, and infamous through no initiative of her own.

In the last two years, she was thrust into the limelight sparking the nation’s imagination. Details surrounding that story, and her reticence to come forward were revealed in Full Disclosure. Her private life, and especially that of her young child, husband of 10 years and equestrian community in a quiet Dallas suburbs were irrevocably upended with threats, criticism, and accusations of opportunistic. Daniels, no victim, anti-bullying, pushed back. Then, the unexpected happened. Tweet by tweet, interview by interview, witty repartee by witty repartee, public opinion began to shift. In the public case of Porn Star v.s. President, he was thoroughly fucked.

Full Disclosure served a higher purpose than just a memoir. Stripped off of the glitter and false eyelashes, Daniels wore her skin honestly without artifice. When I read of her - remembering the personal anecdotes - I saw first a person, a survivor, a mother, a horse lover, a businesswoman. The last paragraph of the epilogue, and particularly its intriguing last line ”...nothing lasts forever” made me think that “Stormy Daniels” was evolving into mainstream. This book, and the book’s cover, were perhaps part of that transition.

2-ish stars for the writing, rounded up to 3 stars for not boring me.

[A.R. McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Disclosure by Stormy Daniels was proudly standing as one of the popular 14-day loan books in my local library and the moment I saw it, I knew that I had to read it. I devoured the book in about three days, savoring the witty, intelligent commentary that Ms. Daniels so eloquently displays in her biography. But what I truly enjoyed from her memoir is not the ‘shocking’ retelling of her meeting with you know who; no, what I truly admired and loved was the way she was so honest and real. We live in a world that is obsessed and enchanted by sociopaths and narcissists that manipulate and hurt others just to achieve fame and success. Stormy is a genuine kind, beautiful soul that has gone through hell from the very beginning of her life to current times and I commend her for the strength and courage it took to share her story with the world.

Of course, this book review may be swayed by the fact that Stormy and I both adore books and writing; we both love Motley Crue and Pantera (the fact that she got to follow them around is so kick-ass and amazing and she will forever be one of my heroes for that); we both strive to be honest and real at all times. I think people will be shocked by this book, but in a good way; they will realize that yes, it’s completely plausible for a woman to be sexually confident, intelligent, and have value and worth. In Full Disclosure, Stormy bares her soul to us and she reminds us how life can be beautiful, daunting, silly, and dark all at the same time. Thank you, Stormy, for sharing your journey with us. I look forward to reading your next book and I can’t wait to meet you at Exxxotica in New Jersey in October.

[Timothy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Looking for trash? Of course you are, why else would you consider this book?. Lucky you, you've found it! The trashy story of trashy people trashing around in trashy cash. (This review contains obvious spoilers). An "adult movie" um "actor/writer/director/dancer" is a bit more likeable and eloquent than the current POTUS. Aren't we all.. Aside from TRUMPOTUS supporters. She tries to remind the reader every couple of pages how intelligent she is, which is annoying. A kind of bright opportunist who let the cheeto screw her so she could maybe get on TV doesn't really scream intelligence to me. I'm all for bringing down Trump, he's a garbage bag, but this author nearly voted for him even though he used her as a jizz sock. Yay Republican! Hero? Nope. Victim? Nope. Raw dogged a married man consensually to get on TV. 'MURICAN DREAM. Yeah, of course he's got a weird doodle.

[Mansoor · Rating 1 out of 5]

"I ended up in the middle of one of the biggest political scandals in American history."
🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Fred Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent enough and readable enough account of Stormy Daniels's life. I certainly didn't need a 600-page tome, just a quick read to get an idea of how she got where she was and what happened with Trump. Whether you respect what she does for a living or not, her account of what happened with Trump and Michael Cohen and others working with Trump (including one who claimed to be *her* lawyer but was really colluding with Cohen) is credible.

As I said in one of my comments while reading, I don't buy everything she says about her life. She was sexually abused as a child, and she claims this has nothing to do with her career choice. Granted, not every girl who is sexually abused grows up to go into porn, but, on the other hand, how many porn actresses were *not* sexually abused as children? I suspect there's a correlation. She seems comfortable with what she does, but I still don't view it as a career choice I would want a girl to aim for, even if there's more money in it than being a waitress.

Nonetheless, Stormy Daniels comes across as smart and unashamed, and very truthful.

[Ron Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a short book. Really only four chapters long. Her childhood. Her porn years. Her brief fling with Trump. And then a little bit about the aftermath. Worth reading more as a character study of the folks involved in Trump's inevitable impeachment. Everyone involved is sleazy.

The trashy porn star who's always trying to find THE money making angle that will allow her to retire to a horse farm.

The bumbling billionaire who porked her for two minutes. He liked the idea of her being on The Apprentice. But let's be real here. She was just one of many prostitutes. Nothing special. I think that clearly rankles her.

And then there are all the bottom feeders. The minions like Michael Cohen. The ambulance chasers like Gloria Allred and Michael Avenatti. The liberal media hacks eager for a scandal.

Nobody comes out a winner.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think this is doing too well, and people seem embarrassed to admit they're reading it. This book is funny and I think it's way better than the Amy Poehler type memoirs that people love.

[Richard Buro · Rating 5 out of 5]

The short version first.

While there have been many salacious events in American history involving governmental office holders, few have been near to attention garnering as the events involving our current president, Donald J. Trump, and Stephanie Clifford, an adult film star, screenwriter, and director using the pseudonym, Stormy Daniels. The events detailed in a small section of Ms. Clifford’s book written under her pseudonym. The book is entitled Full Disclosure.

The book is Stephanie Clifford’s biography. In addition to the nightclub dancing of her late teenage years, adult entertainment acting as well as screenwriting and even directing adult entertainment films. She details her childhood and youth in and near Baton Rouge, LA. One of her longest-lived interests is in her love of horses, their training in dressage, a formalized series of maneuvers guided by the rider in which the horse performs its routines. Despite her travels across the United States, her love of horses and their proper care and treatment are essential parts of her life, regardless of her immediate place of residence.

She notes in her work that she had a single physical encounter with Mr. Trump, followed by a few phone conversations throughout a few months. It was clear that she was unreceptive to the advances made by Mr. Trump. He continued to try to get Ms. Clifford into his television show called “The Apprentice.” Ms. Clifford rebuffed all the discussions about the television show. None of the offers were ever accepted.

The most alarming event that Ms. Clifford details in her book also mentioned in the news media in recent months where she was approached by a man who threatened to harm Ms. Clifford’s young daughter to keep Ms. Clifford from coming forward about the incident with Mr. Trump, an event that occurred years in the past. Of course, the disclosure of the incident during his campaign for election to the Presidency of the United States was untimely at the very worst, and it was also an infidelity issue that was not in the public view at the time. The result was for Mr. Trump’s attorneys to attempt to pay her for her silence.

Things have never been perfect for any of us, and Ms. Clifford is no different than the rest of us. However, she is finding that she does better lately than before, and things are looking up for the most part. The final analysis is she is a survivor and a fighter for her family and their best interests, and for this – at least – she needs to be commended for continuing to do the best with the skills and assets she has at her disposal.

Recommendations:

The work reviewed is an adult biography about a person who has made choices for her work and her leisure that match up well with her responsibilities and needs. She is making her family the best she can, and she is working as a director in her business that requires more than her artistic style demanding her close physical attention to details. She does more behind the camera and the scenes than in front of it; and, she makes those choices in the best interests of herself and her family. From that standpoint, she and her daughter are doing as well as can be expected.

The nature of her work precludes this book being put anywhere but secured and monitored locations in libraries due to the nature of her past work and her continued efforts to excel in the adult entertainment industry where she does more work behind the cameras rather than the acting in front of them.

For all the commentary and discussions of her past dancing, a starring role in adult entertainment films, and her directorial and writing contract work, the body and extent of her work deserve being shared with adults only and with discretion.



Review of Full Disclosure by Stephanie Clifford (aka Stormy Daniels) by Richard W. Buro is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41123342-full-disclosure.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://us.macmillan.com/terms-of-use.

[Inken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! Whatever you think of Stormy Daniels, she is without doubt funny, ferociously smart, brutally honest and genuinely likeable. She has become a respected writer, actor, director and business woman, taking care of herself since she was a child and with little to no help from any adult who was supposed to do it for her.

Born to a disinterested father and a mother who pretty much checked out when Stormy was eight. The parents of her best friend believed Stormy was white trash and would drag their precious child into the gutter, while being totally unaware of the next door neighbour's relentless abuse of both girls. A guidance counselor accused Stormy of lying about the rapes in order to get attention. Boyfriends cheated on her, a plastic surgeon ignored her wishes and gave her fake boobs that HE liked and her husband became so emotionally unstable she was afraid to tell him about Trump in case he committed suicide. Despite all this, Daniels is amazingly well-adjusted.

The tale of Trump and the legal s***storm that occurred afterward is too complicated to try and summarise here. Daniels did her best to stay out of things but when people in power started lying about her and putting those lies in writing, (not to mention having her life threatened) she'd finally had enough. Daniels is not a bad person; she is a human being. She is a working wife and mother who supports herself and her family and she has never pretended to be anything but what she is. The trolling and abuse she has suffered as a result of refusing to shut up and go away is appalling.

Whatever ultimately happens with this story, I'm quite sure Daniels will survive it. She is a lot tougher than people realise and even stronger than the men who are so determined to destroy her. And yes, I did read this book in one day, because it is so compelling and eminently readable.

[BRNTerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stormy's very funny, witty, and obviously a smart business woman but there was a little too much laughter in this. I feel people who always use humor and are outwardly positive do it to cover up emotional pain. Shiny happy people.

Her childhood was traumatic with two crappy parents who didn't care about her at all but she never said how it made her feel while growing up. She was molested for two years by an adult male (she didn't give any graphic details) and she never said how she felt about it at the time, why she never told anyone at the time, and she never said how that experience may have effected her relationships with men or just her life in general. She only said getting into porn had nothing to do with herself being molested. She never talked about why she's never gotten therapy or if she felt she could use some. She never even gave her thoughts on what it was like getting into the porn industry.

Despite her childhood, she got good grades in school and graduated high school with honors, was able to have jobs while in high school, including working at a vet's office, taught summer camp at an equestrian center (she had her own horse), and was even a stripper at age seventeen (like Jenna Jameson). During high school is when she started using the name Stormy.

As for the Donald Trump stuff, I couldn't have cared less about it. It wasn't her idea to bring it up publicly and she just wanted the whole thing to go away.

In case you're interested, years ago I reviewed a porn of hers here .

I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary Sisney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think Stormy minds that the bully-in-chief called her "horse face" because she loves horses. I bought and read her book because I liked her tough, take-responsibility-instead-of-playing-the- victim persona when I saw her on "60 Minutes." She also clearly has a sense of humor. I saw all of those traits in her book. She lets us know she's not a METOO victim, and she calls her large fake boobs Thunder and Lightning. I wasn't surprised that Stormy had a rough childhood, not because she's a porn star, but because she's strong and independent. She's a bit defensive about her intelligence, constantly telling us that she's smart, but then blonde strippers are probably tied with dark-skinned black women in the category of most likely to have their intelligence underestimated. She lets us know that she wasn't one of those strippers who was molested by a father or stepfather but then tells us that she was molested by a neighbor multiple times when she was nine, so. . . Since I'm not a fan of porn, I found the details about Trump's sex organ and the making of her movies (I usually like behind the scenes of movies, television, or even political campaigns stories) boring and icky, and I certainly didn't need to know what kind of condoms Stormy carries with her when she's planning to have sex (TMI). But I was intrigued to learn that actor Ed Norton is one of her biggest fans and that Stormy was the stripper (I thought it was a prostitute) who ran against former Louisiana Senator David Vitter after he was caught hanging with prostitutes. I remember that campaign as being amusing. Actually, except for a phone call with his "friend" Hillary Clinton, the least interesting passages in the book deal with Trump. I already knew that he was both corny and horny, but I enjoyed learning more about Stormy.

[Heidi Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turner, eye opener

I learned so many disparate things! From behind the scenes of a porn film, to the inner workings of corrupt men in power. But one thing I can’t shake... it made my stomach churn when I read about Stormy’s sexual assault. This happens so frequently, the American people have become numb to these horrific lives children are subjected to every day. Innocent, wide-eyed children who are supposed to trust the very people who extinguish their dreams. Peel the endless layers of politics away and see humanity for humanity. At its core, the United States is unravelling it’s morals and at what expense? And for who? For Donald? For a handful of selfish egotistical master manipulators who don’t give a rats a$$ about you, but you love them anyway? Is it really unfathomable that many of the men in power may be guilty of such unthinkable crimes to women, to CHILDREN, and thus ardently protect themselves by protecting the men who are publicly accused because it could be their turn next? The very ones who are writing our laws and suppressing our women? I’m so happy Stormy had this platform to write her side, unfettered, without the influence of biased editing of television and print. “You go girl.”

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do I admit I read this? Should I feel shame? If you read the book, you can decide. Very matter of fact, not overly dramatized and only one apparent intention: telling the truth. She’s not ashamed of her life, so why should we be? If only we could all stand behind our reality like this.

This is a story about an American woman’s ability to face life head on. It’s not smut, it’s not over the top and it’s fascinating to see her life unfold. The Trump encounter is there but not nearly as interesting as her grit or the details of her legal entanglement with him that she never asked for. The media has already publicized the most graphic passages so at this point I would probably let a high school kid read it. It’s refreshing to read something with truth as the apparent goal and not a partisan persuasion piece or even out to smear anyone. She treats Trump more humanely than most of the media, and it reads more sophisticated than one would expect. It’s actually inspiring.

[Meags · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved reading about Stormy and her life first hand. She has quite an interesting story and, whilst everything with Donald Trump was covered adequately, that was not the main take away from the book. What I found to be the most interesting and memorable inclusions was the author’s intellect and personality. My outsider perspective was that Stormy Daniels was, what some might call, “ditsy” or an “airhead” but her intellect as a creator (including writing and directing) and savvy business approach was evident throughout. Her personality and energy was also very intriguing and, when reading her autobiography, it felt clearly to be Stormy’s voice and point of view narrating the novel. Would definitely recommend reading if you are interested in learning about Stormy Daniels the intelligent businesswoman, mother and down-to-earth person, as opposed to Stormy Daniels the girl from the Donald Trump scandal!

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't NOT read this book. I had to know! I had to! And Stormy does not disappoint. It's ridiculous, a little trashy, full of drama, and I adored it. Trump is not the MAIN focus of this book, of course he has key importance, but Stormy does more than just center on him, she goes into depth about her shitty childhood, what led her into stripping, and then eventually porn. She talks about her many romances, her love for horses, how much she has overcome, and of course Trump. Trump and his weirdly shaped dick. Ugh. Stormy is a bit of braggart, I did this, then I did this, and omg can you believe I did this? But if you overlook all that, she has had one hell of an interesting life.