While I do not typically read political nonfiction, I am glad that this was the second in my adventure to do so. Read more about what I thought about “The Gatekeeper’s here.”
I will begin by saying that I selected Choosing Donald Trump by Stephen Mansfield knowing that Mansfield and I would not agree politically. I was looking to be educated by someone who aligns differently politically than myself. In this arena the book was what I hoped. However, I will also add that I do not believed Mansfield provided an unbiased view of the topic, I don’t think he set out to, so just be prepared. Where Mansfield has written about the presidents’ faith (in two of his most recent books, The Faith of Barack Obama and The Faith of George W. Bush) it is to be noted that he didn’t even tackle that topic this time around. In this book there are four parts “an unlikely champion,” “the backstory,” “the appeal,” and “of prophets and presidents.” Each section accomplishes its goals and the overall goal of the book to explain why “Christian Conservatives Supported Him” as the subtitle suggests.
That being said, I learned a lot about our current president including where he came from; how he “became both the ‘King’ and ‘Killer’ his father had hoped;” I learned about how he was influenced by Norman Vincent Peale and Paula White; and why he may have been selected despite the fact that he was under qualified and inexperienced for the job of the President of the United States of America. Mansfield explores Donald Trump as a man in these terms, and also in terms of how he was ill fitted in personality and temperament as well. In section 3 Mansfield explores the main pull towards Trump as president, despite his overall loss in the popular vote, as stemming from his commitment and overall opposition to repealing the Johnson Amendment (that according to Trump has “blocked our pastors and ministers and others from speaking their minds from their own pulpits,” – specifically in relationship to their tax-exempt status), his opposition to Obama’s legacy, his outright disgust of Hillary Clinton and the voice that he gave to Christian Conservative anger.
I believe the book should be read with a critical lens, but also is an okay place to learn more about Donald Trump’s history, upbringing, and the factors that molded him into the man he is today.
About the Book
Stephen Mansfield is a New York Times bestselling author and a popular speaker who works with leaders worldwide.He first rose to global attention with his groundbreaking book The Faith of George W. Bush, a bestseller that Time magazine credited with helping shape the 2004 U.S. presidential election. The book was also a source for Oliver Stone’s award-winning film “W.” Mansfield’s The Faith of Barack Obama was another international bestseller. He has written celebrated biographies of Booker T. Washington, George Whitefield, Winston Churchill, Pope Benedict XVI, and Abraham Lincoln, among others. Publishers Weekly described his book, Killing Jesus, as “masterful.”
Stephen’s humorous but fiery Mansfield’s Book of Manly Men has inspired men’s events around the world. His more recent The Miracle of the Kurds has been selected as “Book of the Year” by Rudaw, the leading Kurdish news service. As a result of this book, Mansfield has become a leading voice in support of the Kurds against the evils of ISIS in the Middle East. He has just released a book already being lauded for its timeliness: Ask the Question: Why We Must Demand Religious Clarity From Our Presidential Candidates.
Stephen speaks widely about men, leadership, faith, the lessons of history, and the forces that shape modern culture. He is also a much in-demand leadership and communications coach whose firm, The Mansfield Group, is located in Washington DC.
Mansfield lives in Nashville and the nation’s capital with his wife Beverly, an award-winning songwriter and producer.
For more information, visit StephenMansfield.TV.
I received a hard copy of Choosing Donald Trump in exchange for my honest review.
I did enjoy this on audio book as well, it’s always nice to hear from the author them self and hear the book read in their own tone.
