Fire & Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff has easily been the most talked about book this year. Wolff presents a behind the scenes look at the Trump administration in this shocking real-life page-turner, based on hundreds of conversations conducted over 18 months, including with most of Trump's senior staff. While some of Wolff's claims may give readers some reservations about the accuracy of every detail, this explosive account will no doubt remain a hot topic into the near future.

Like many libraries and booksellers, we were blindsided not only by the rushed release date of this book, but the clamour for it after the fact. The library currently has several copies in print, e-book and audiobook formats but it is still difficult to keep up with demand. With this in mind, if you happen to find yourself on the waitlist for Fire & Fury, you may want consider exploring some related titles in the interim.

Trumpocracy: the corruption of the American republic was another Trump-related book with a lot of buzz released last month. Canadian writer David Frum, an Atlantic senior editor, argues that Donald Trump has undermined America's most important institutions as part of a carefully crafted plan to institute authoritarianism. Frum urges readers to “aspire to a deeper citizenship and wider loyalties,” and conservatives, among whom he includes himself, to embrace a more moderate ideology. Denunciations of the current administration are aplenty here, but Frum’s optimism—notably, regarding the chances of returning decency and integrity to the Republican Party—set this apart from Fire & Fury.

What Happened by Hilary Clinton is a candid book of essays by the former secretary of state. It includes entries describing her experiences in the 2016 presidential campaign, including her many run-ins with Donald Trump. Love her or hate her, this book has been widely popular since being released last year.

In his new book A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order, Richard Haass takes a more macro look at things. Haass, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, maintains that the world that followed WWII has run its course; great-power rivalries are returning; Europe is newly unstable; borders count for less, and debt burdens risk corroding the dollar. If you have a strong interest in American foreign policy, you’ll be interested in this one. However, if you are curious about Fire & Fury for the juicy gossip alone, A World in Disarray probably won’t be a good substitute.

Could it Happen Here?: Canada in the Age of Trump & Brexit by Michael Adams, which was released last year, uses social research to examine whether Canadian society is threatened by the populist forces affecting other parts of the world.

If you are firmly rooted in the pro-Trump camp, we have books for you too! Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again is Donald Trump’s most recent book (he’s authored several over the years) which coincided with his Presidential campaign. It outlines his views on key issues, including the economy, immigration, national security, and healthcare.

Finally, if you can’t bear to hear any more about the Trump administration, then consider the other Fire and Fury by Canadian university prof Randall Hansen. It explores the ethical dimension of the use of area bombing by both the axis and the allies during WWII. In an amusing turn of events, this 10 year old book jumped onto the bestseller list because of people purchasing it in confusion. It has absolutely nothing to do with Donald Trump.

All of these titles are available from your branch of the County of Lennox & Addington Libraries. Search from them here. 

This article was originally published in The Napanee Beaver.