Review: Trump: The Art of the Deal by Donald J. Trump, Tony Schwartz (With)

4 stars for Trump: The Art of the Deal by Donald J. Trump, Tony Schwartz (With).

I have come to learn about this book from the previous non-fiction book that I have reviewed. Truth be told, though The Art of the Deal piques my interest, I am not at all sure if I want to continue reading yet another book on Donald Trump after The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump and Fire and Fury, both of which did not manage to earn good ratings from me. In the end, curiosity wins. And I find myself enjoying Donald Trump's telling of his building, accumulating, and accomplishing of things against all odds.

This is a man who talks and talks and enjoys it totally. He thinks big and he talks big. Since it is a double-edged sword, I can see why people either like him a lot or they do not like him at all. According to Trump, deal-making depends on a variety of factors - genes, instincts, courage, and good fortune. He thinks he possesses it all.

No doubt much of what has been mentioned in the book has changed in the course of these three decades, the fundamentals of the art of business dealing remain the same.

Think big
Protect the downside and the upside will take care of itself
Maximise your options
Know your market
Use your leverage
Enhance your location
Get the word out
Fight back
Deliver the goods
Contain the costs
Enjoy it

In his closing chapter of the book published in 1987, Donald Trump admits to not knowing what's next, only that it will not be the same. Fast foward thirty years to 20 Jan 2017, this man is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. What an unexpected turn of events.

Donald Trump may be criticised for not having the political background, experience, knowledge and tact to lead a nation but, you have got to hand it to him, this man not only hides a shrewd business acumen, he has the uncanny ability to assess situations or people and turn them to his advantage. He is direct and he is persistent, to the point of relentless even in the face of a total lack of encouragement. These qualities are what make him so successful a businessman.

Trump: The Art of the Deal. Everything that makes him Trump and defines his savvy, energy, and charisma is in this book. Whether his business associates, adversaries or even the general public agree with him - his ways and actions - or not, is beside the point since he is the protagonist in this book. In any case, if you want to know Donald Trump, just read the book.


Publisher: by Donald J. Trump, Tony Schwartz (With)
Publication date: 12 Jul 2009

*** Favourite quote ***

..Good publicity is preferable to bad, but from a bottom-line perspective, bad publicity is sometimes better than no publicity at all. Controversy, in short, sells.

~ Trump: The Art of the Deal
Donald J. Trump, Tony Schwartz (With)

@}--->>--->>-----

Trump reveals the business secrets that have made him America’s foremost deal maker!

“I like thinking big. I always have. To me it’s very simple: If you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big.” — Donald J. Trump

Here is Trump in action — how he runs his business and how he runs his life — as he meets the people he needs to meet, chats with family and friends, clashes with enemies, and changes the face of the New York City skyline.

But even a maverick plays by rules, and Trump has formulated eleven guidelines for success. He isolates the common elements in his greatest deals; he shatters myths; he names names, spells out the zeros, and fully reveals the deal-maker’s art. And throughout, Trump talks — really talks — about how he does it.

Trump: The Art of the Deal is an unguarded look at the mind of a brilliant entrepreneur and an unprecedented education in the practice of deal-making. It’s the most streetwise business book there is — and the ultimate read for anyone interested in achieving money and success, and knowing the man behind the spotlight.

*Blurb from Goodreads*

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