I would like to thank Net Galley and the authors for the opportunity to review this book.

The content in this book is deeply researched, clearly and effectively reasoned, and well argued.

The authors do a very good job of not only outlining the manner in which Trump broke the norms of presidential behaviors, but also how many of his predecessors took actions that over time have significantly changed and expanded the powers of president of the United States. Trump is shown to be an extreme example but entirely unique in his actions.

I think that anyone interested in the history and transformation of the role of our government's chief executive, and wants insights on how it may need to be more explicitly constrained in the future would benefit from reading this publication.

Insightful and detailed writing, this was an eye-opening introduction to the facts of how much of what we perceive as our governmental system is not codified, relying instead upon a series of norms and guardrails. Depressing but vital reading!

On a daily, hourly, basis Trump tramples the rule and history of the office of Presidency. Hennessy and Wittes haven't just told us what they see, they've done months of research and analytics bringing us a horrifying picture of how truly unstable and dangerous Trump is.

I loved this book and found Hennessey and Wittes insightful on both Trump and the history of the Presidency. Many of the norms that Trump has intentionally obliterated are neither statutory nor constitutional, but simply accepted practice. That is definitely something Congress needs to rectify when this country returns to normal. This book is full of facts, citations, and history, and much research was done for this insightful book. The authors tried to and I believe assessed what Trump is doing not what is believed or thought to be doing Hennessey and Wittes did their research and showed you what is really going on. I feel that the authors have really helped look at what is going on with the country and how to fix it. I highly recommend this book for truth and research.

A brilliantly researched written book by these authors both scholars in their field.The shock of Trumps presidency the damage he does to our democracy is explained here.Taking us through history to the presidency today this book will explain the history and the unfortunate time we’ve arrived at #netgalley#fs&g

Hennessey and Wittes provide a factually, theoretically, and historically thorough examination of the office of the presidency and the current president in the role. The authors' thoroughness results in a book of daunting length, but the topics and themes covered warrant the complete examination that the authors provide. The book provides an excellent record of events that evade documentation through daily news reporting, so-called norm-breaking. The work adds dimension and grounding to claims of norm-breaking. Thanks for allowing my access to the text. for preview.

I continue to read political books, hoping that I may find a gem or two that will examine the events of the day without overloading the text with a slanted view. They are difficult to find. This book at times will push toward the center for a few paragraphs before sliding back to the left.

The disdain for President Trump is spread throughout the book, on numerous occasions straining the reader’s credulity. Chapter One begins by arguing that his oath of office “…didn’t mean anything at all…” The book asserts that a written opinion by an unnamed person in the Justice Department and Trump’s boast about the size of the inaugural crowd (labeled “the ultimate evidence”) make it “…abundantly clear that the pledge meant nothing to him” and that Trump “…couldn’t even fake it credibly.” Buried in the text is the authors’ admission that “One cannot know what was in Trump’s heart as he said the words the Constitution prescribes.” Even as they admit this truth, Ms. Hennessey and Mr. Wittes still assert the exact opposite. This technique is repeated throughout the book.

Similarly, there are pages upon pages concerning Trump’s travel ban, and how the courts forced his administration to back up and dilute the original order. It sounds horrible as the book asserts that President Trump must be out of control. In fairness, the authors allow a passing mention that early in the previous administration, President Obama had tried to close Guantanamo Bay. In both instances, the checks and balances of our government worked. The point is that President Trump is not alone in his attempts to push the boundaries while working to achieve his promised agenda.

While I could go chapter to chapter and discuss the smears and insinuations in each, it is easier (and less space-wasting) to break it all down to a quick overview. There is no doubt that President Trump is an unorthodox president; however, he has achieved some of his promises and continues to bring others to fruition. Democrats have unsuccessfully tried to overturn the 2016 election for three years and, recognizing that it will be difficult to defeat President Trump in 2020, continue to try to oust him with whatever method is handy. This book falls into that category. It will be loved by those who already have the same viewpoint and unread by those who don’t, so not much chance of changing anyone’s mind. As far as the writing itself, the choice to flip back and forth between male and female pronouns when referring to a president was distracting and sometimes confusing. Those of you who don’t like your novels filled with vulgarisms may wish to avoid this book. It has plenty of vulgarities, up to and including f-bombs, and not all of them in quotes.

While the authors do outline the actions of previous presidents that could be considered precursors of what President Trump has done and said, the book concentrates on finding as much fault with him as is humanly possible. One glaring omission is a discussion concerning the attitudes and actions taken by other politicians in Washington. Donald Trump may be adding his own personality to the job (what president doesn’t) but he is also influenced by those who oppose him. Three stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for an advance complimentary copy of this book.

Susan Hennessey and Benjamin Wittes offer us a comprehensive look at the ways that Trump's presidency has degraded our political institutions. Their expertise on process, law, and the history of the presidency as an institution are amazing, and they are exactly the people who can make sense of exactly how dangerous our current political moment is. As they illustrate, when a president is actually uninterested in respecting his office or following the constitution, he can do a lot of damage. It wasn't until Trump because president that I realized that a lot of our norms depend on the honor system.