Publication Date: July 14, 2020
Review, short version: Four roses out of four.
Review, long version:
What’s left to say about Mary Trump and Too Much and Never Enough?
Since the July 14 release of her book she’s been seen and heard everywhere, giving print, TV, and every other possible kind of interview:
The book has been reviewed dozens of times, with comments including “mesmerizing,” “memorable,” “compelling” and “a deeply satisfying read.” A whopping 81% of Amazon reviewers have awarded it five stars, though there were a few bad reviews, probably from people who also refuse to wear face masks.
And though we know White House press secretary Kaylie McEnany didn’t read the book, she had her comments ready: “It’s a book of falsehoods, and that’s about it. It’s ridiculous, absurd allegations that has absolutely no bearing in truth.”
I expect Ms. McEnany meant to say “that have absolutely,” but considering she’s a Trump mouthpiece, perhaps not.
And speaking of Trump, whom we also know didn’t read Too Much because he doesn’t read – period – Trump eventually weighed in as well:
In an interview shortly after, Mary called the comment that she was a mess “an attack he hurls, predominantly, I think, about women. Honestly, I’m in very good company. I believe he’s said the same thing about Nancy Pelosi, and I’m fine with that.”
A fine response.
I not only read Too Much, I bought it – I was one of the preorders:
Which helped Mary’s book to appear here, on the August 2 New York Times best seller list:
It’s a fast read – only 211 pages – and I believe Mary, as both a Trump family member and a person with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, is qualified to speak. She’s credible. She offers reasonable insights into not just what Trump is, but why he is what he is.
So there was nothing eye-opening for me in Too Much and Not Enough – Trump’s egregious defects have been on public view for 50+ years.
Nothing, that is, until almost at the end, on page 209, when Mary talked about Trump’s response to the pandemic, and how different this could have been:
“It would have been easy for Donald to be a hero. People who have hated and criticized him would have forgiven or overlooked his endless stream of appalling actions if he’d simply had somebody take the pandemic preparedness manual down from the shelf where it was put after the Obama administration gave it to him. If he’d alerted the appropriate agencies and state governments at the first evidence the virus was highly contagious, had extremely high mortality rates, and was not being contained. If he’d invoked the Defense Production Act of 1950 to begin production of PPE, ventilators, and other necessary equipment to prepare the country to deal with the worst-case scenario. If he’d allowed medical and scientific experts to give daily press conferences during which facts were presented clearly and honestly. If he’d ensured that there was a systematic, top-down approach and coordination among all of the necessary agencies. Most of those tasks would have required almost no effort on his part. All he would have had to do was make a couple of phone calls, give a speech or two, then delegate everything else. He might have been accused of being too cautious, but most of us would have been safe and many more of us would have survived…”
With these words, Mary Trump summed up Trump’s legacy – and wrote his epitaph:
I Hate Houseguests 