Trying to Make Sense of 2016: Books that Explain Trump's Win
Remember 2016? That year when everything changed? The year Donald Trump, the guy with the hair and the tweets, actually became president? It was a shocker, a real head-scratcher. We all had questions: How did this happen? What were people thinking?
Well, luckily, some brilliant folks decided to dig into the whole situation and wrote about it. These books aren't just about Trump's win, they're about the deeper forces that made it possible. And they're totally worth checking out if you want to understand what happened and why.
The Big Picture Books:
- "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House" by Michael Wolff
This book, which hit the shelves right after Trump took office, was like a bomb going off. It gave a super-inside look at the Trump administration and painted a wild, chaotic picture. It was controversial, to say the least, but it definitely got people talking.
- "The Populist Explosion" by John Judis
Judis, a political commentator, takes a broader view. He looks at the rise of populism across the globe, not just in the US. He digs into the economic anxieties and cultural changes that are fueling these movements.
- "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis" by J.D. Vance
Vance's book is more personal. He tells the story of his own family and the struggles of working-class Americans in the Rust Belt. It helps to explain how people who felt left behind by the system could be drawn to a candidate like Trump.
The Deeper Dive Books:
- "The Authoritarians" by Robert O. Paxton
This one gets into the psychology of authoritarian leaders like Trump. Paxton, a historian, examines the patterns of behavior that can lead to authoritarian rule, and how they can be exploited.
- "The Assault on Reason" by Al Gore
Gore, the former Vice President, is concerned about how reason and logic are being undermined in our political discourse. He examines the rise of misinformation, the spread of conspiracy theories, and how all of this feeds into the rise of populist leaders.
Think Beyond the Headlines
These books offer more than just a recap of the 2016 election. They provide insights into the political climate, the social and economic factors at play, and the psychology behind the movement.
They might make you angry, they might make you sad, they might even make you scared. But they'll definitely help you understand the world we live in today.
Note: The books mentioned above are just a starting point. There are tons of other great books out there that explore the 2016 election from different perspectives. So do your research, find the ones that resonate with you, and start reading!