Joshua Green’s Book, Devil’s Bargain, Takes Aim at Steve Bannon but Fails to Land a Solid Blow
TWO THINGS must be said about Devil’s Bargain, Joshua Green’s new book about chief White House political strategist Stephen K. Bannon: (1) It is not very good. (2) You won’t be able to put it down.
Devil’s Bargain is based on a story Green wrote for Bloomberg Business week in 2015: “This Man Is the Most Dangerous Political Operative in America: Steve Bannon runs the new vast right-wing conspiracy—and he wants to take down both Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush.” The title must have seemed ridiculous back then, when many were wondering what we’d be calling Bill Clinton a few months later. First dude?
At the time, Bannon was the chairman of Breitbart News, the alt-right site that would in due time help clear away Trump’s 16 Republican competitors like so much dry brush. Green interviewed Bannon and his associates for what he says was 20 hours of tape. He talked to Trump too: “a wide-ranging 90-minute interview in his Trump Tower office.”
This is the stuff book deals are made of, especially at a time when, for so many, consumption of political news is the intellectual version of stress eating. Devil’s Bargain, written in obvious haste (the afterward is dated June 5, 2017), is more synthesis than analysis, and the outline of Bannon’s strange career is neither illuminating nor useful; it can be summed up in about a dozen words: Virginia, Catholicism, Catholic school, Virginia Tech, the Navy, Harvard, Wall Street, Hollywood, Breitbart, Trump.
This story is from the July 28 - August 04 2017 edition of Newsweek.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 28 - August 04 2017 edition of Newsweek.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Ramy Youssef
DESCRIBING RAMY YOUSSEF'S WORK ISN'T EASY, BECAUSE HE REFUSES TO settle on just one thing. \"I feel really inspired to connect in the way that it makes sense.\"
Tobias Menzies
HOW MUCH DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE assassination of President Abraham Lincoln? That's a question Tobias Menzies hopes to answer in Apple TV+'s Manhunt (March 15).
The Fall and Rise of Katt Williams
He's had a string of run-ins with the law, yet the comedian's popularity continues to grow-with a recent podcast appearance blowing up the internet
AMERICA'S Greatest Workplaces for JOB STARTERS 2024
Getting a career started is never easy. First-day stumbling blocks can give way to larger questions about choosing the right career path. Imposter syndrome, information overload, the challenge of new colleagues: it's almost enough to make you miss the routine of sending out endless résumés to online job descriptions.
THE INCONCEIVABLE SEARCH FOR SPERM
Making MOTHERHOOD a reality in the face of virtually every cultural taboo
I'm Suing Harvard Over Rife Antisemitism
I applied to the university's Divinity School to be an ambassador for Orthodox Jews and build bridges with other cultures; instead I'm battling discrimination
Gen Z's Pockets Full of Cash
Digital wallets and bank cards might appear to be the modern way to pay, but physical money is making a comeback among young adults
Biden's Age Problem Tears Democrats Apart
After being depicted as an 'elderly man with a poor memory,' questions surrounding the president's advanced years are dividing his party
Country Has Won Our Achy Breaky Hearts
The genre has never been so popular-and with the likes of Beyoncé reminding fans of its roots, its mainstream appeal looks set to grow and grow
'Deadly Risk' of Fat-Loss Drugs
Diabetes treatment Ozempic has become popular among dieters due to its weightloss side effect, but a study warns of a link between the drug and suicidal thoughts