As a child, I held no interest in politics or global goings on. Throughout my time in school, I only cared about it insofar as it pertained to history. As a result, I only started paying attention to what was happening during the run-up to the 2016 election, even though I wasn't old enough to contribute my two cents to the democratic process. Thus, my introduction to current politics came during a rather turbulent election cycle. Now, I'm not here to debate political stances, I just want to set the scene for why Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff caught my attention.
During the 45th president's term, mass media was in a tizzy about the chaos coming out of Washington. This, in turn, shaped my perception of the administration. It seemed to be a whirling mess, a chaotic cesspool of incompetence. However, reading the inside look of Fire and Fury presents a slightly different picture. No punches are pulled about the lack of political expertise of all involved. In fact, Wolff goes so far as repeatedly remind the reader of it. However, the confusion comes with an explanation: in-fighting. Everyone on Donald Trump's staff seems to have has his or her own agenda, often at odds with those of others. Bannon vs "Jarvanika" (Wolff's unified nickname for Jared Kushner and Ivanka's joint persona). And on top of everything sat Trump, with his own ideas, along with his yes-woman, Hope Hicks. In other words, the chaos was not necessarily a product of incompetence, but possibly the symptom of a breakdown in unity.
Overall, although slightly interesting, I'm not sure Fire and Fury is worth going out of your way for. If you pick it up for a dollar while browsing the used bookstore, sure, but it won't fundamentally swing anyone's opinions one way or the other on the polarizing president and his retinue. Writing is average as at best. So, its a pretty skip-able book.
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