Book Review: 5 reasons to read Siege

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Michael Wolff's sequel to the best-selling novel Fire And Fury, US President Donald Trump's presidency, is as gripping and alarming as the first book. Here are top quotes to make you pick up the book right away

No 1
"You usually have enough competent people in the White House to weed out the wife beaters, but you couldn't be so choosy in the Trump White House"

No 2
A successful career at the Trump Organization depended on getting Trump's attention and favour. Cohen, like Trump, played at being a mobster to the point of becoming one. The coarser, grosser, and blunter you could be, the better; such behaviour affirmed your standing with the boss. Trump's oft-used injunction--"Don't bring me problems, bring me solutions"--was taken as both license and direction to do whatever it took to advance the Trump cause.

No 3
Understanding that the president was a barefaced liar left his aides with a nearly continuous sense of alarm and foreboding. But the train also helped define Trump's strength: lying was a powerful took in his arsenal. Politicians and businesspeople dissemble and misrepresent and spin and prevaricate and mask the truth, but they prefer to avoid out-and-out lying. They have some shame or at least a fear of getting caught. But lying willfully, adamantly, without distress or regret, and with absolute disregard of consequences can be a bulwark if not a fail-safe defence. It turns out that somebody always believes you. Fooling some of the people all of the time defined Trump's hard-core base.

No 4
"How much more do you sell when I'm on the cover instead of just a celebrity?" Trump pressed Howard [Dylan Howard, editor of the National Enquirer], meaning instead of people like Jennifer Aniston, Brad and Angelina, or the big-ratings reality television stars.

"Fifteen to twenty per cent more," said Howard to a satisfied Trump, who a few minutes later, reconfirmed: "So, I sell fifty per cent more than any of the movie stars?"
"Well, like I said, fifteen to twenty per cent more"
"Let's call it forty," said the president.

No 5
At one point during the final weeks of the campaign, Bannon visited New York City to check in with an old Trump crony who closely monitored the president's state of mind. What would happen, Bannon wondered, if the Republican loss was truly decisive and the new Democratic majority piled on with subpoenas, aggressive investigations, and constant hostile oversight? Could Trump hold us under that, especially given that he had already fired or frightened away almost everyone who had once provided his support apparatus? "I think he'll kill himself," said Bannon, answering his own question.

"No, no," said Trump's old friend. "He'll fake a heart attack.

Siege: Trump Under Fire by Michael Wolff published by Hachette is priced at Rs 700

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