Why read Trump Was a Joke?

Book cover of Trump Was a Joke: How Satire Made Sense of a President Who Didn't

Book description

* Trump Was a Joke offers the best, most-comprehensive guide yet to the power of political satire in shaping public opinion during turbulent political times. This exploration in satire and trump includes a foreword by American documentary filmmaker, author, and left-wing activist Michael Moore.

* Would be recommended reading in…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Trump Was a Joke as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Strobe Witherspoon

Author

Satire holds truth to power, provides levity during hard times, encourages political engagement, and creates a shared narrative in a world that seems like it’s circling the stupidest drain in the stupidest house in stupidtown.

Using existing satire scholarship, these and other arguments are presented in the context of the Trump era (2015 – who knows) in a dispassionate but unapologetically partisan manner. The conclusion is that political satire was a net benefit, even during moments that defied the laws of absurdity.

I found these arguments compelling but would have liked more discussion of the troll paradox – a term…

From Strobe's 3 favorite reads in 2023.