Saturday 6 January 2018

Watching Breakfast Television over my Shredded Wheat and Banana this morning, I was struck by the thousands who, in the US, had queued since midnight in huge queues in order to buy the latest book on Donald Trump.   Why would any one need to do this I ask?
I can see a need by journalists, political pundits and the like, but for ordinary people, surely they could wait until today; or if copies ran out (which I doubt as publishers would have expected a huge rush) next week or month.   And I wonder just how many of the people in that queue would actually read, digest and finish the book anyway. 

Yes, there are questions over his ability to be in charge of the US. particularly at this time, when there is such a lot of unrest in the world (but then isn't that always so?) and yes, I would also guess that many of the citizens who voted him into office are beginning to question whether or not they made the right decision at the time of the election.   But standing all night in a queue - in what for many has been the coldest night for a long, long time (witness the deep, deep snow along that East coast for example)- for a book which will not be an easy read and will defeat many before they get to the end? You have to ask yourself whether they wish to put it on their coffee tables to show that they are politically aware, or are they really going to sit all week-end and read it from cover to cover?   I suspect it will make depressing if not scary reading.

If you are one of my readers in the States then  you have my sympathy.    You do not have the monopoly on making wrong or ill-informed choices at election times.   Here in the UK we do it all the time.   And, if it is any consolation to us all, in the long run things usually turn out alright.

Looking at footage of the snow down that East coast of the US tonight - twenty feet in some places - Central Park in New York looked particularly beautiful, as did parts of Boston- makes me hope it doesn't eventually end up here.   So often, after there is a cold spell in the US it crosses the Atlantic and arrives in a lesser form here.   You in the US seem to cope very well with your snow.   Here, an inch on the railway lines is often enough to bring the whole country to a standstill. 

I have been back to ukuleles today and some really rather good (and not too difficult) stuff to take us into the New Year.   How good it is to make music with a group of like-minded people.

Keep warm, whether you are in the US or in the UK - hot water bottles and electric blankets are the order of the day I suggest (or rather the order of the night).

36 comments:

John Going Gently said...

If the book has the ability to topple Trump I am all for it

Jennifer said...

I don't know why anyone needs any more confirmation that our country is being run by a demented old idiot who was so far from qualified for the job that it would be hilarious if it wasn't so terrifying.

Anonymous said...

If just owning it is a political statement, the more people who buy it the better.

Sue in Suffolk said...

I guess if they don't read it they can use it to light a fire to keep warm!
Temperature suddenly dropped here by lots of degrees this afternoon.
Stay warm

Mac n' Janet said...

I don't need a book to tell me that Donald T is m o re than a few cards short of a full deck. We'll survive him, but it's going to be a long four years.

Hard up Hester said...

I cannot imagine queuing for anything these days, I have friends who queue for the sales, but not me.

jinxxxygirl said...

Well Pat .. i'am not in any queue for a book about Donald Trump... Nor am i looking for anyone's sympathy.. at election time he was still the best choice. Hillary was not the right one either.. was she perhaps the 'safer' choice? .. perhaps.. But life is not always about playing it safe.. Homeland security could have done us all a favor by taking the man's twitter account away... I would think it would be some kind of security issue wouldn't you.. just letting the president rant about anything and everything he wants to.. Social media should be for the masses who have nothing better to do with their time.. i would hope a president had better things to do with his time.. I had hoped Trump would be more lets say 'presidential when he got in office... but it doesn't look like it. Well Weave you got me going.. lol But no i would not be standing in he cold getting a book about Trump.. Hugs ! deb

Hilary said...

I live in northeastern NY state, and it is brutally cold.......and plenty of the white stuff.....wind chill tonight is supposed to near MINUS 50 degrees Fahrenheit. HORRIBLE.
As far as the ass in the white house........so many of us are appalled, frightened, angry, there are not enough adjectives. I can't stand to see his face, hear his voice, and I certainly would not stand in the cold for any reason whatever if it had to do with HIM.

Joanne Noragon said...

Some of those cars in Boston are frozen in a river of ice to the running boards. But the children and their intrepid parents are making the best of days off school to go sledding. I cannot imagine why anyone would stand in line for a book they could have preordered and have in the mail the same morning as the queruers. Well, that's the best I can do to pluralize que, etc.

Jill said...

I think lots of the buying is to prove a point. To make it super popular. As for your statement that many Trump voters question his ability and/or their vote I am sorry to say I do not think that is the case. Most seem to have dug in for the long haul and are remaining supportive with excuses and deflected blame for all of his horribleness and failure.

Jill said...

If the radio plays a sound bite of him I cannot listen. I have changed the station instantly every single time.

The Weaver of Grass said...

So far such interesting comments, particularly from my US readers who are of course at the coal face so to speak. Thanks so much. Keep 'em coming.

DUTA said...

There's no much point in arguing with or about someone who's got Luck. Donald Trump is a person with Luck. He's lucky in business, lucky in love, lucky in politics.

If the russians had anything to do with his election, what does that say about America with her mighty intelligence organizations FBI, CIA and God knows what else. Where were they? I've asked myself the same question also in connection with Hillary's email affair. If the russians or the north koreans know something they shouldn't know, that's from these emails. So, how come she isn't in jail? how come the above organisations let her run for Presidency?

"Something is rotten in the land of Denmark." Very, very rotten. No books from either side could cover this fact.

Cro Magnon said...

He certainly is a President who will never be forgotten; sadly not for the right reasons. 'We survived Trump' will be the next big banner; providing we all do!

p.s. I prefer your new font size.

arsene said...

https://themovieday.blogspot.co.id/

Derek Faulkner said...

To quote DUTA "he's lucky in love" - I imagine that luck has little to do with it, he's a very wealthy man, how often do you see an aging, not good looking millionaire, with an aging, not good looking wife? The Americans were just plain unlucky last elections, they somehow got stuck with two pretty much un-electable choices but one had to win. It'd be like us having to choose between Blair and Corbyn.

Derek Faulkner said...

Pat, why are your comment times all wrong. I posted my comment above at about 06.40 this morning (Sunday) and yet it shows 22.19

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

You'd have thought everyone would have heard enough about DT already, particularly those who oppose his presidency. And from what's been reported there doesn't seem to much in the book that would provide essential reading for those who support him.
If he's a "stable genius" I'll happily carry on being a wobbly nitwit.

Heather said...

How can anyone be sure that the contents of that book are factual. I am afraid I have become rather cynical in my old age, but my sympathies are with those in the US who didn't vote for Trump. Politics everywhere has changed dramatically in my lifetime.
Hope the weather from the US doesn't treat us too harshly, though a 'proper' winter has it's benefits.
Enjoy your ukulele practice and keep warm.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Derek - the simple (very simple!) answer to your question is that a) I hadn#t noticed and b) I wouldn't know how to change it anyway. But I will have a go later today.
Thanks everyone. What interesting answers you have given me.

Derek Faulkner said...

Nor would I know Pat and it probably isn't that important in the scheme of things.

Librarian said...

I would sign Jennifer's and Jill's comments.
As for the time stamp on comments, that is something blogger does more or less without human interference. You can check in your settings what time zone you are registered under on blogger, but sometimes even that is not a clearly logical reason for those odd time stamps.

Sue said...

I totally agree.

I think we live in an age when people don't want to feel they are being left behind, so if something is advertised as 'a must have' folk will fo anything to get it.

We've woken up to a white frosty world, but it's nothing compared to America's magnificent snow.

Shawn said...

I obtained an early copy of the ebook from a friend who is very good at such manoeuvres and I am certainly enjoying it. But I must say there is nothing new here, certainly nothing we couldn't imagine even if we hadn't heard it reported before. What I appreciate about the author's technique is the tidiness he brings to the story. After reading endless articles about the shenanigans in the White House, it's nice to get a cohesive portrait of the major players. We will hear endless criticisms of errors in the book - the result of poor editing - but this will in no way detract from the message. On these cold New England days, when we are housebound by the weather, Fire and Fury is more fun than playing Scrabble. I can email you the ebook if you'd like!!

Granny Sue said...

I wouldn't stand in line for it, but I have surely enjoyed the radio discussions about it (no TV at our house). I have been sick at my stomach since his election, and so very very angry about the things he is doing to our country, and embarrassed at how he has turned the presidency into a sideshow. It's appalling. It is important to take the long view these days and remember that this too shall pass. In the meantime, we will plant our gardens, enjoy our families, protest whenever possible and go on with our lives. In 4 years, if he lasts that long, we can hope for change.

Tom Stephenson said...

I hear that once again his sanity is questioned in the book. I thought that was an old issue which was now taken for granted, but if it was it would be the perfect excuse to legally get him away from the button.

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

There has been enough of the book written about and talked about on the Internet and TV that one does not have to buy the book. Yesterday, the orange one got out on stage, surrounded by his flunkies, and told us that he is “like, really smart”. We all feel much better now. The snow will melt, the cold weather will get warmer, but this creature, his awful following, and the worldwide havoc they have caused will be here for some time.

liparifam said...

I won't be reading the book - I know all I need to know about Trump, and the book is just further confirmation. However, my sister purchased it on book tape immediately - better than standing in line! In any case, I have all my books delivered right to my doorstep by Amazon, LOL.

Rachel Phillips said...

Please don't be embarrassed Granny Sue. As Weave says your country does not have the monopoly on making bad or ill informed election choices. Believe me we made a hefty one in this country by electing Tony Blair who lied to us and misled us and took us to war and straight headfirst into the problems we now have in the Middle East. The embarrassment you bring upon yourselves. If he did not have an audience, there would be no sideshow.

Devon said...

One of my only consolations at this time is that he only won the electoral vote, more people voted against him than for him. I hope those who voted him in will be sensible and vote him out in 3 years! I don't need to read the book to see he is mentally unsound, all one needs to do is catch a snippet of his twitter feed now and again.
Stay warm Weave!

donna baker said...

Trump is such an embarrassment. The people that voted for him think it's the press or "fake news" that have smeared him. How dumb can they be? As dumb as DT I guess. All they have to do is listen to Trump himself. He really is a moron.

Minigranny said...

I can't even bear to think about Trump let alone read about him.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for all your comments and also for the offer Shawn - but no thanks = I really don 't think I want to wade through it.

Ruth said...

It's quite possible the book about Trump was written by someone of the same ilk. There seems to be no truth anywhere anymore, so it hard to believe there's any truth in the book. It's frightening to know that our governments are run by liars. Maybe it's always been that way and we were too naive to see it?

Jean Jennings said...

I was not a Hillary supporter, either, but I was certain we could, as a nation, have survived 4 years of her administration.

I'm not certain at all that our form of government will survive with Trump. If nothing else, it's seems to be exposing the depth and depravity of the swamp.

The Weaver of Grass said...

If nothing else, as Ruth above says, it has made us all think about truth and the people who purport to govern us.