 Book cover | |
| Author | Joshua Green |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Fred Sanders |
| Language | English |
| Subject | United States politics |
| Publisher | Penguin Press |
Publication date | July 18, 2017 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 288 |
| ISBN | 978-0-7352-2502-2 (Hardcover) |
| OCLC | 988290255 |
Devil's Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, and the Storming of the Presidency is a 2017 book by Bloomberg Businessweek journalist Joshua Green about the partnership between Donald Trump and Steve Bannon that led to their 2016 political victory and the rise of the alt-right.[1][2][3] Prior to writing the book, Green had worked as a journalist for The Atlantic and Bloomberg, where he garnered experience reporting on conservatives.[4] He had previously written a profile on Bannon in 2015, and interviewed Bannon for the book.[4][5]
The book describes Bannon's role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and how he helped lead Trump to success by capitalizing on the support of white males.[6]
The New York Review of Books called Green's work a "cautionary tale".[4] The New York Times described Green's research as "deeply reported".[1] The Washington Post commented Green was able to shed a light on Bannon's political operations.[3] The Guardian concluded Devil's Bargain successfully illuminated the "symbiotic relationship" between Trump and Bannon.[7] Paste commented on the writing style of the "compelling stories" in Green's work.[8] Salon observed Green had "amazing access" during the course of his research for the book.[5]
Contents summary
[edit]Devil's Bargain details the relationship between Trump and Bannon, the gaining influence of the alt-right movement during the same time period, and the events which led up to Trump's victory in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[1][2][3] Green describes the shared dislike of Hillary Clinton felt by Trump and Bannon, and their mutual dislike for the state of the country prior to Trump's campaign.[7]
The book recounts the precise nature of why Chris Christie was fired by Trump from the presidential campaign.[8] Green writes the firing was due to Christie attempting to use his own personal cell phone to take a call on election night from President Barack Obama.[8]
The author writes that Bannon garnered knowledge in his work with Breitbart News on how best to gather together white men who would support Trump in his election bid.[6] Green concludes that there was a Shakespearean irony in the fact that Bannon succeeded in getting Trump elected as U.S. president, but his candidate lacked the personal restraint necessary to accomplish simple goals.[6]
Composition and publication
[edit]Prior to writing Devil's Bargain, Green had worked as a journalist at The Atlantic and subsequently Bloomberg Businessweek, where he reported on Republican political figures after the George W. Bush administration.[4] Green wrote an article for Bloomberg which gave a detailed analysis of Bannon in October 2015, ten months before Bannon assumed leadership of Trump's campaign for U.S. president.[4] Green interviewed Bannon himself for the book.[5]
Reception
[edit]The New York Review of Books wrote in its review, "Green's book is in part a cautionary tale: both Trump and Bannon have a history of being taken lightly only to rear up and catch the skeptics by surprise."[4] The New York Times called the book a "deeply reported and compulsively readable account of Bannon's fateful political partnership with Trump".[1] The Washington Post wrote, "Green's book strips away the mystery surrounding Bannon".[3] The Guardian commented that the book "vividly pulls back the curtain on the symbiotic relationship between two of America's most polarizing figures."[7] Paste magazine wrote that "There are several, compelling stories in the book".[8] Salon noted, "Green does seem to have had amazing access to many people, most especially Bannon himself whom he apparently interviewed at length."[5]
Influence
[edit]Devil's Bargain is mentioned in Michael Wolff's 2018 book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Stephens, Bret (July 18, 2017). "How Steve Bannon and Donald Trump Rode the Honey Badger Into the White House". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
- ^ a b Luce, Edward (July 19, 2017). "The 'devil's bargain' between Bannon and Trump". Financial Times. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Posner, Sarah (July 18, 2017). "A new book about Steve Bannon exposes the ugly side of Trumpism". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f Tanenhaus, Sam (August 17, 2017). "The Making of the Tabloid Presidency". The New York Review of Books. ISSN 0028-7504.
- ^ a b c d Parton, Heather Digby (July 19, 2017). "Trump's Rasputin: Steve Bannon doesn't have Russia ties, but encapsulates infamous advisor's spiritualism". Salon. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c Gross, Terry. "Inside The 'Shakespearean Irony' Of Trump And Bannon's Relationship". Fresh Air. NPR. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c Green, Lloyd (July 18, 2017). "Devil's Bargain review: Steve Bannon and the making of President Joe Pesci". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077.
- ^ a b c d Breeding, Jordan (July 18, 2017). "Devil's Bargain: Chris Christie Was Fired Because Donald Trump Didn't Want to Use His Filthy Cellphone". Paste.
- ^ Wolff, Michael (January 5, 2018). Fire and Fury. New York: Henry Holt and Company. p. 276. ISBN 9781250158062.
