5 comments about TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald.

1. Took me ages to read. Sometimes a bit funny but mosly boring. I don't like Trump but the person interests me. The book is as much hype as the Trump himself.



2. I rate this book as 3½ stars.
   
   After I heard Donald Trump was suing the publisher of this book for 5 BILLION dollars, I knew I just had to read it. Perhaps that was all part of Donald's plan, but I fell for it, and I'm glad I did.
   
   I've been a big fan of Donald Trump ever since I just happened to stumble upon one of his books (I got it for free in a real estate seminar). I had a great appreciation of his business talents and, after reading what Donald had to say about himself instead of what the press had to say about him, I appreciated his attitude. This book changed that.
   
   This book changed my opinion of Trump, but neither in a positive nor negative way. Surely, this book lays out a very convincing case for Donald's net worth or business prowess to be nothing near as much as he claims. But it also gives a dimension of personality which never really came through in his own works.
   
   The stories covered and quotes are excellent - especially from Donald himself. He is TRULY a character. The author takes a balanced look at nearly all the major projects Donald mentioned in _The Art of the Deal_, and many of the details (and some not so detailed facts) are pertinent; the book also cites sources meticulously. Did you know Donald went over budget $50 million on The Plaza Hotel and had to be bailed out by his dad - what ever happened to television city - was it really smart to take on the city officials and say "this city is a cesspool of corruption and incompetence" while Donald was asking them for a ¾ billion dollar tax break?
   
   Not that the look at Trump is really "bad". His personality really shines in this book. For a rich guy, he is really anti-establishment, a cheapskate, and is very personable. You get a real feel for what he's really like. After reading this book, maybe I wouldn't want to follow his business advice blindly, but I'm more likely to want to sit down and have a beer with the guy - he sounds fun. To say Trump is a BS artist is like declaring the sky is blue - I always knew his projects were spun with his own opinions, so it's good to see a different viewpoint on his familiar projects.
   
   So why only 3½ stars? Because, despite the fact that the content of the story is great, the book is terribly written. For the author's sake, I hope there was a rush to publish because of the aforementioned lawsuit, because this has all of the organizational and journalistic talent of a high-school cheerleader writing a business memo. There's no organization, no structure, and bad jokes all over - luckily, the content of the book outweighs this otherwise unreadable mess.
   
   Bottom line is that if you've enjoyed Trump's past books, reading this book will give you a non-spin version of his business deals - and really introduce you to the man himself.



3. After listening to this audiobook, I have to say it's definitely an interesting perspective on Donald Trump. Timothy O'Brien is definitely what you would call a "Negative Nancy"...he focuses on the failures of more than the accomplishments of Donald Trump. But hey, the evening news in every major city does too, as they love covering the latest murders, rapes & child kidnappings - as that negative stuff gets press & makes money. That in turn creates a distortion of reality...or a negative warped view on reality...which is what this book is. As I said, I think Timothy O'Brien is doing the same thing here...he wants to just talk primarily about the negative aspects of Donald's career. If he was more of an objective reporter, he would focus on the good and bad things. No, I'm not a die hard Trump fan, before you ask. But I have researched him quite indepthly & read many books on him, and this one is definitely one of the worst. But I'm sure some people will love it because the 'average joe' enjoys hearing negative things about successful people. So have fun reading the book or listening to the audiobook if you like such garbage.



4. The book isn't bad but is mainly a rewrite
   of the better (***.5 out of 5 star) "The
   Art of the Deal", from 1987. O'Brien lauds
   crimnals like the Rockefellers and mentions
   AIDS infested ex-Commie-Hunter / Lawyer Roy
   Cohn as being pals with The Donald. But he
   really gets himself in a mess with his Non-
   Pro Football (non)knowledge! Here are some
   of his errors: (1) He claims the late Pete
   Rozelle (nee Alvin H. Rosencranz) came into
   the NFL right out of the (then) L.A. Rams
   front office, which isn't true. He was a
   Lawyer, like Cohn, who came to the NFL's
   Commissioner's Office after a year as the
   NFL's Legal Counsil (previous to that he
   WAS the Rams G.M., et, al...). (2) He
   claims that the old American Football Lea-
   gue "played independently from the NFL
   for six season". Actually, Timmy, it was
   10 seasons (1960-69). When the AFL-NFL ag-
   reed to merge in June 1966, they agreed to
   start playing in Jan. '67 a post AFL & NFL
   Pro Football Championship game called the
   Super Bowl [this WAS after six years of
   AFL play].(3) O'Brien says Doug Flutie
   wasn't as dynamic as Joe Namath. That's
   like comparing Coconuts to Pineapples;
   what O'Brien could have said is that the
   '85 USFL Generals weren't as good as the
   1968-69 Jets, and ended it at that. Be-
   sides, Flutie just retired as the last
   ex-USFL player (unless Sean Landeta makes
   another comeback!),after a 21-year Pro ca-
   reer and Namath bearly lasted 13 season...
   (4) O'Brien claims that even though the USFL
   kicked the overrated NFL's keester in court,
   the jury agreed that it was the USFL's poor
   Management, et, al, and moving to the fall
   that did the upstart United States Football
   League in. Bull(bleep)! O'Brien has probably
   never read the transcript of the court case
   USFL V. NFL, which I have a copy of. The jury
   found the NFL guilty ON ALL COUNTS of conspir-
   ing to Monopolize ALL of Pro Football in North
   America, not just the US. In fact, Pres. Ken-
   nedy hauled Rozelle, a slimey crook in front
   of Congress in 1962 and the arrogant khazar
   even ADMITTED he was trying to MONOPOLIZE Pro
   Football in the US THEN! (Of course it should
   be noted that AFL Boston [now N.E.] Patriots
   Owner Billy Sullivan was a close friend of
   Joe Kennedy's family. Certainly JFK favored the
   (then) upstart AFL...))And lastly, O'Brien says
   that nobody wanted to give the USFL any TV cov-
   erage if it moved to the Fall schedule. Once
   again Bull(bleep)! The USFL had a contract in
   perpetuity with the (then still new) ESPN! Tim-
   othy O'Brien further lies when he says that
   the USFL's talent level was far inferior to
   the overrated, monied NFL. Let's see; the
   USFL played a manly 18 game schedule (like the
   better CFL does) compared to the NFL's wimpy
   16 game schedule; The USFL drafted and signed
   (and played!) three straight Heisman trophy
   winning players. Compare the best NFL QBs of
   the day; Dan Marino, Phil Simms, John Elway,
   Joe Montana, Dave Krieg to the USFL starters
   of Flutie [played 21 Pro seasons, 6 CFL MVPs,
   five Grey Cups], Bobby Hebert, Jim Kelly [H-o-F],
   Steve Young [H-o-F], Cliff Stoudt [played 15 Pro
   seasons]and they are absolutely equal. In fact
   Kelly is the only QB in NFL history to take his
   team to four straight Super Bowls! Marino(1)
   didn't do it, Elway (though 5 Super Bowls) didn't
   do it, Simms (2 S.Bs) didn't do that, etc., etc.
   Mr. O'Brien, you get a C++ on the trump stuff
   which wasn't bad but you get an F+ on your Foot-
   ball Non-Knowledge! Overall, C.



5. After reading (and thoroughly enjoying) Trump's own The Art of the Deal I went in search for more on the captivating man known as "The Donald." I leafed through the pages of TrumpNation and was excited to see a bit about Trump's personal life, so I bought it. Although the book was written by a professional writer, it was not as easy a read (i.e. entertaining) as The Art of the Deal. The author came across as full of himself as his claims of Trump being. I found it rather juvenile and boring that O'Brien often repeated phrases he obviously felt were clever throughout his book. On the whole, here was an author writing a book on a magical personality but completely failed to capture any of it. Instead, he overanalyzed the person behind the aura and seemed surprised to find, in fact, an actual person. Person or persona, O'Brien came off as envious of both. In my opinion, TrumpNation was a disservice to anyone that is a fan of Trump and therefore, the author should not be capitalizing off those who are. I will be returning my book for "spite."

No comments about John Wanamaker: Honesty, The Foundation Of A Great Merchant's Career.

2 comments about Texas Rich: The Hunt Dynasty from the Early Oil Days Through the Silver Crash.

1. This is an interesting book on a fascinating family. H.L. Hunt was truly one of a kind. At on time he was the richest man in the world and amazingly had three seperate families. His life and that of his children is a case study in Texas Oil Wealth. The Hunts are to Dallas, what the Rockefellers are to New York or the Cabots are to Boston, their name alone means wealth in Dallas. It a shame that all of their money did not create a university or endow a great medical facility, instead they created posh hotels like The Crescent and The Mansion or redevelopment projects like Reunion, all of these ventures where for profit and though they helped retain Dallas' posh image, they really did not effect the average Dallasite. The first family brothers trying to corner the silver market was the height of huburis and they paid a steep price for their arrogance. Ray Hunt of the second family has definitly done the best of the children, he had much less money to work with, but he did the best with what he had and he is worth billions and is the wealthiest of the Hunts, he would have made the old man proud.



2. This is a good history of H.L. Hunt as well as some of his
   children.Hunt turned a wildcat oil venture into a fortune of several billion dollars.His oil company eventually became Placid Oil.His early days in the oil patch up until the present are given excellent coverage.You are also able to read about
   some of his sons who also did well.Lamar was the owner of the
   Dallas Texans who became the Kansas City Cheifs.Nelson Bunker
   Hunt attempted to corner the silver market that eventually
   crashed.His daughter Carolyn became a hotel tycoon.You are also
   able to read about his son from the other family Ray who also
   became a business leader in Dallas.This is a very good book
   that you will enjoy reading.

3 comments about The Whitney Women and the Museum They Made.

1. Although I like this book for what it is, it isn't exactly what I expected it to be when I bought it. I expected the book to give much more insight into the actual creation of the Museum by Gertrude, but for the most part that aspect is just gleemed over. Also, as another reviewer has pointed out, the contributions of Julianna Force are barely even mentioned in the book. If you didn't know better, you'd think Julianna did next to nothing the whole time she worked there, which is more than a little untrue.

   However, it must be noted that Ms. Biddle says first and foremost that her book is a "memoir," and as such certain factual omissions might be expected. Consequently, the book is filled from nearly beginning to end with quite a bit of gossip that those interested in the Vanderbilt or Whitney families or in museum politics will find terribly interesting.

   What I got most from the book though is the wonderful sense of supreme devotion that Flora Whitney Miller must have had to the Museum and to her mother Gertrude's memory. This was illustrated time and time again when Flora donated more of her money and capital to keep the Museum functioning in a way that befitted her mother's name. As other members of the Whitney family have shown in recent times, a single painting of the calibur that Flora Miller sold for the Museum's sake could have set her heirs up for life, had she chosen not to sell it and had passed it on.

   The book also seems to give insight into the recent controversies at the Whitney involving the display of Hans Haacke's controversial art display, with different members of the Whitney family taking different sides. After reading this book, it's obvious that certain ill feelings by some members of the family for others go back many, many years.

   In summary, if you like gossip, then this book is for you. If not, there are other books about the Whitneys that might be of more interest to you.




2. While I certainly enjoyed the Vanderbilt and Whitney family backgrounds, I found nothing worth noting in this book regarding the early days of the Whitney Museum. I purchased the book because I am writing a research paper on the founding of the Whitney Museum. Alas, the book focuses much on the fate of the Museum after Gertrude Whitney's death. There is very little detail or specifics concerning her role in the Museum, nor that of the main catalyst, Julianna Force.

   I will say that the book is a good, juicy look into the aristocratic Vanderbilt family, but that's about it.

   There is focus on later years, but very few details concerning the early days of the Museum.

   I'll shelve it for now and save it for a rainy day!




3. "The Whitney Women and the Museum They Made" pays tribute to Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, who founded the museum through sheer force of will and social power, and Flora Whitney Miller, her daughter, who gave us the enduring legacy through charm and persuasion. It is mostly, however, a memoir about the author, Flora Miller Biddle who is Flora Miller's daughter and Gertrude's granddaughter. This is disappointing because Gertrude and Flora (mère) are fascinating people. Flora (fille) is decidedly bourgeois by comparison.

   In the preface, Mrs. Biddle reminds us "...this memoir does what all memoirs do; it tells only part of the story. Don't memoirs allow writers to keep from revealing all they know?" The sad truth is a reader can learn much more about Gertrude by reading "Little Gloria, Happy at Last". Mrs. Biddle admits she barely knew her grandmother, but surely this doesn't mean there is little to know or tell about her.

   The Whitney was a family institution. Gertrude built it and dared New York to defy her taste in art. Flora (mère) had the grace, the connections, and the remnants of the inheritance to ensure its place in history. They may have been rich and from one of the most socially important families in New York, but this is an astonishing accomplishment for that time. Women simply didn't do these things. Oddly enough, the book takes this achievement for granted.

   Mrs. Biddle has seen - not steered - the museum through its most difficult times, albeit in a role less grand than her mother's and grandmother's. At the same time, Flora, like Flora (mere), has not lost focus of Gertrude's mission to serve the living American artist; not simply be a repository for early to mid twentieth century American art. We are all richer for this achievement.

   It is quite an insight into a museum I have visited since I was a child. Who would have though how disorganized it was? How desperate at times! It is a tribute to the author and her family that they had the vision to recognize the Whitney could not survive as a family institution.

   The relationship the author has had with so many of the artists is awe-inspiring. It is a gift so great she doesn't seem to realize it and these characters, which should fascinate, seem cardboard. The book is a strange combination of chronography and reminiscence; its structure is hard to follow. The author is constantly lamenting that her family is no longer fabulously wealthy (for the museum's sake, of course) which is tiresome. Mrs. Biddle makes quite a show of her rebellion against her parents' society lives and her strive towards `normalcy'. Sadly, this does not seem to have made her happy.

   I love the museum and learned much of the concealed history of an old friend. This got me through the book. If you're genuinely interested in the Whitney Museum of American Art you should read it. If you're looking for the story of four generations of women, for the drive and energy it took them to build and maintain this remarkable institution you may be disappointed.

1 comments about Business Unlimited: Memories of the Coming Kingdom.

1. I consider this one of the best books that I have ever read. While reading it I had the feeling that I was reviewing a 21st Century account of the Book of Acts: very practical testimonies of what God is able to do in the workplace and in our lives if we just trust Him and keep our faith in Jesus Christ. A must read for all christians that consider themselves kingdom embassadors or kingdom entrepreneurs for Christ.The author Gunnar Olson is also founder of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (www.iccc.org). I also suggest reading books by Myles Munroe for a deeper understanding of kingdom principles.

5 comments about The Trumps: Three Generations That Built an Empire.

1. This is one of the best biographies I have ever read. It led me to appreciate and admire Donald Trump and his family.
   
   Gwenda Blair spins a fascinating account of Trump's grandfather's exploits in the Gold Rush days, then details Trump's dad's rise to mogul status in New York real estate. Trump then builds on that heritage with grand achievements of his own.
   
   It's a remarkable story because the progeny of so many prominent families fail to match, and sometimes even disgrace, their forebears (Paris Hilton, for example). Donald could easily have chosen the life of a spoiled playboy, but that wasn't about to happen when you are a Trump. You see that in Trump's kids. As I recall the oldest ones, like his dad, graduated from the Wharton School of Business. You don't get into that school because your daddy is Donald Trump. You have to have the scholastic credentials.
   
   A lasting image is Fred Trump's Sunday visits to construction sites, with his boy Donald in tow, picking up discarded nails as they walk the project. Then there was Donald's dutiful attendance at a military academy. It was tough going at first, but he had a family obligation to fulfill. He later became a BMOC. Some sons have the spirit knocked out of them by Type A dads, but Fred Trump managed to instill even more drive and ambition in his son.
   
   The book recounts several of Trump's battles to get his projects off the ground. He faced obstacles that would have made quitters out of less persistent entrepreneurs. But The Donald kept plugging away. It wasn't just in pursuit of riches, but to realize his vision.
   
   The author openly lauds The Donald as one of the most positive people on the planet. Yes, Donald was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but we can all learn from his story. You have to hang in there, roll with the punches, and keep fighting.
   
   A biographer has a responsibility to paint a complete picture. Blair doesn't shrink from that. She details, but doesn't dwell on, Trump's womanizing and other scandalous exploits. Overall, the book is an inspiring tribute to the Trumps.



2. At first glance, you might say that "The Trumps" is another well-written biography of the highly successful Trump patriachs. And while
   some of the content is fair and accurate, it is quite obvious that for the most part, the book was written by a third-rate novelist with a
   first-rate agenda. The negative tone she sets of the Trumps, sometimes blaring, others not; and particularly of Donald, is proof that she
   can only envy the great success each has had. She takes every oppurtunity to spin that, without government subsidies, none of these
   would have ever achieved greatness. The book was indeed, an interesting read, but if you can't stand the envious musings of a not-so well
   known author who lives to bash those who have accomplished anything, steer clear. I was able to handle it because I enjoy controversy.
   Throughout the tome, the writer provides misrepresentations of various documented facts, including even mistitling well-known
   executives! Clearly, a segment of the American public does not like "The Donald"; typically because they are phonies who hate all
   successful people. However, unlike this book, Trump's three titles were all #1 bestsellers. There's a reason -- they're better written and
   more exciting! It's time that people like the author of this book realize that Donald Trump is nothing more than a savvy businessman
   playing to the interests of his special niche; the ultra wealthy, just as this book plays to its author's class -- those repulsed by anyone who
   could achieve success independently.



3. The first generation you will read about was never allowed to reach its conclusion, due to an unfortunate early death. The second and third generations of this grandfather, father, and son trio are much longer. The second generation too has recently come to a close after a very long and successful life, in excess of 93 years, and the verdict on the third is still evolving. There is no question where the business acumen was at its greatest, the talent rested with Mr. Fred Trump, the second of the three men, and his story is the one of substance. The grandfather never had a chance to play out what likely would have been a very successful life, but during the time he was a businessman he was creative, bold, and gutsy as any pioneer.

   Donald Trump is certainly the most well known, for marketing himself is a large part of whom he is and what he does. He is a man who can only speak in superlatives about anything he is involved in, even if some grand and prominent project bears his name and little else. The name on a building has very little to do with who owns it, who paid for it, or who made it happen. Donald Trump's primary business is Donald Trump. His flair for promotion and obsession with how he is perceived has become his career. There is no question he has had his successful projects, but the question of would they ever have happened without his father is a legitimate one. And he probably would have had much more success and a much larger fortune had he stuck to the business he knew, developing real estate. He got sidetracked with buying an airline, paying absurd prices for casinos that still are far from trophy properties, and while he may have benefited, the holders of stock and various bond issues have not.

   Fred Trump is the man you would have given your money to and slept soundly at night. He was an astute man of business, he was self-made, and he spent no time promoting who he was. In this manner he was like many other long time major developers in the NYC area that developed massive amounts of real estate and fortunes to match without having any interest in the world knowing what they were worth.

   Forbes Magazine often documents the calls they receive from Donald Trump complaining about where he is listed on their richest people list. This is not something his father or grandfather ever would have contemplated, nor would they brag to anyone listening how they increased their net worth by failing to honor financial commitments. In the end his charismatic style allowed him to get financial institutions so grossly over invested in his view of the world that he could never be allowed to go bankrupt, as the lenders could not afford it.

   His predecessors in the family rate much higher on substance, and the newest Mr. Trump rates highly on style. But for all of the perceived satisfaction he would have the public believes he enjoys, in the end the author portrays a man that craves publicity to the detriment of his personal life. Squiring around beautiful women makes for nice pictures, but he and it and getting a bit old.




4. At first glance, you might say that "The Trumps" is another well-written biography of the highly successful Trump patriachs. And while some of the content is fair and accurate, it is quite obvious that for the most part, the book was written by a third-rate novelist with a first-rate agenda. The negative tone she sets of the Trumps, sometimes blaring, others not; and particularly of Donald, is proof that she can only envy the great success each has had. She takes every oppurtunity to spin that, without government subsidies, none of these would have ever achieved greatness. The book was indeed, an interesting read, but if you can't stand the envious musings of a not-so well known author who lives to bash those who have accomplished anything, steer clear. I was able to handle it because I enjoy controversy. Throughout the tome, the writer provides misrepresentations of various documented facts, including even mistitling well-known executives! Clearly, a segment of the American public does not like "The Donald"; typically because they are phonies who hate all successful people. However, unlike this book, Trump's three titles were all #1 bestsellers. There's a reason -- they're better written and more exciting! It's time that people like the author of this book realize that Donald Trump is nothing more than a savvy businessman playing to the interests of his special niche; the ultra wealthy, just as this book plays to its author's class -- those repulsed by anyone who could achieve success independently.



5. Did you ever wonder how Donald Trump could have been so knowledgable and astute at so young an age. How did he do it? Who taught him? Family that's who. Unbelievably true. Ms Blair's research spans three generations. Friedrich who eventually earned a fortune in Alaska; his son Fred Jr. who made millions from U.S. government housing programs and his grandson, "the Donald" real estate developer and promoter. The book gives us an up close view of Donald Trump's ego, his wives and their role, his survival after near-bankruptcy, his eagerness for publicity and his "midas" touch. The man can close a deal. Well written and fascinating. Once upon a time there was the Rothchilds and the Rockefellers. This era it seems belongs to the Trump Dynasty.

No comments about The Most Dangerous Man in Detroit: Walter Reuther and the Fate of American Labor.

No comments about The Driving Force: Getting Extraordinary Results with Ordinary People.

2 comments about OIL BARON OF THE SOUTHWEST: Edward L. Doheny and the Development of the Petroleum Industry in California and Mexico (Historical Perspectives on Business Enterprise).

1. Martin Ansell has written an intelligent, obviously well researched book on Edward Doheny, but just as he has accused the other biographer of Doheny, Dan La Botz (Edward L. Doheny: Petroleum, Power, and Plitics in the United States and Mexico), of having a negative bias of Doheny as seen from the political left, Mr. Ansell's presumptions about Doheny's honorable nature and neglected status as a major, constructive pioneer of the American West is clearly written from the political right.
   After reading both these works, I'm still waiting for a book that has some objectivity in its analysis of the life of Edward Doheny. However, due to Doheny having all his records destroyed after his death, any objective book may be about five pages long.



2. Interesting, historical, about a man that left an impact on the oil industry and California. A special interest to me, I am a distant relative. The Three Doheny brothers came from Ireland, moved to MN, had large families. Many of these decendents were brave and adventureous.

No comments about It Was Never about the Ketchup: The Life and Leadership Secrets of H. J. Heinz.