American Oligarchs

The Kushners, the Trumps, and the Marriage of Money and Power

By: Andrea Bernstein

Narrated by: Andrea Bernstein

Length: 15 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

A multigenerational saga of two families who rose from immigrant roots to the pinnacle of US power that tracks the unraveling of American democracy.

In American Oligarchs, award-winning investigative journalist Andrea Bernstein creates a vivid portrait of two emblematic American families. Their journey to the White House is a story of survival and loss, crime and betrayal, which stretches from the Gilded Age through Nazi-occupied Poland to the rising nationalism and inequality of the 21st century.

Drawing on hundreds of interviews and over 100,000 pages of documents, many previously unseen or long forgotten, Bernstein traces how the families grew rich on federal programs that bolstered the middle class, and then sheltered their wealth from tax collectors. Wielding half-truths, secrecy, and media manipulation, they blurred the lines between public and private interests, then leveraged political, prosecutorial, and judicial power to avoid legal consequences. At once intimate and sweeping, American Oligarchs reveals how these dynasties encouraged and profited from a system of political dark money that has pushed America to the precipice of oligarchy.

©2020 Andrea Bernstein (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Anyone concerned about American democracy should read Andrea Bernstein’s devastating exposé of the Trump and Kushner families. With meticulous precision, she documents the pernicious effects of dynastic wealth and power, now threatening to turn the highest rungs of the US government into a corrupt oligarchy." (Jane Mayer, The New Yorker staff writer and New York Times best-selling author of Dark Money)

"A rich and highly readable compendium...Bernstein is an intrepid reporter." (William Cohan, New York Times Book Review)

"By building American Oligarchs around the Kushner and Trump family narratives, Bernstein offers readers a fresh perspective.... Readers who follow the news more casually will also find the epic family tales a compelling way to understand the myriad deals and ambitions that define the Kushners and Trumps." (David Kocieniewski, Bloomberg.com)

Journalism at its best... giving us hope

Thank you Andrea (and team). I anxiously await your Trump Inc podcasts and applaud your efforts to inform me and your audience.

Prequel to A Family of Villans Origin Story

I am completely floored. There were so many times I had to rewind the book because I couldn't believe what I'd heard. Bernstein's presentation of the Kushners & Trumps made this almost sound like work of fiction. So much so that is was difficult to accept this is actually happening. The beginnings of both family shines a light into the individuals we see today. I am honestly amazed at how Jared has been seemingly brainwashed by the Trumps, granted his father planted the seed of corruption. It just goes to show how easily Man is susceptible to greed., no matter the upbringing of their ancestors. Truly an incredible book. I highly recommend. It's written in a way that's not too dense, with memorable lines that will have you turning in bed as you try to dissect.

One of the best books to date on the Trumps

Firstly, I'm a huge fan of Berstein's ProPublica podcast, Trump, Inc. Secondly, I spend far too much of my free time educating myself on the train wreck that is the Trump administration/family. So far I've read/listened to 8-10 books on the topic, and this is by far the most informative in terms of how the Trump and Kushner families have to date faced minimal accountability for the generations of fraud, harming taxpayers, people of color, employees/contractors, tenants, investors, and now the entire country. Most appalling are the multiple squandered opportunities to stop the ongoing grift, and the hypocrisy of the xenophobic grandsons of two immigrant families.

Excellent content, sing song presentation.

I thank the author for her diligent research. The more information made public, the better for the country. I would recommend a professional reader for your next effort. I almost quit listening several times because of the annoying sing song cadence.

I’m glad I didn’t.

Fabulous book with far reaching historical context

Fabulous book with far reaching historical context that helps to “explain” as far as one can in our current times, how these two families ended up where they are, doing what they are doing.
Obviously well researched despite the many obstacles both families put up.
Everyone should read this book, regardless of political persuasion. Bernstein is known to be a fact based reporter with a long history reporting in the greater NYC region and provides important information to every citizen about who is running things and what can’t

Socialist Cretins

The audacity to not only bilk the government, banks, family, and business associates out of HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS by two families who were given every advantage afforded by government agencies at all levels within their chosen locales of the United States is a soul crushing revelation within this in depth investigation of the Trumps and the Kushners. That Trump magnifies his abuse of governmental amenities can be compounded by his bald faced accusations of socialist candidates and socialist proposals by potential political opposition candidates.

I would love to get a PowerPoint presentation of every underhanded deed over the decades described in this wonderful book to help offset social media claims by the cult followers of the luckiest cretins on earth.

Very True Account of Trump's White House

Trump was just as horrific a President as he is a person.
Well written

Well researched and written

Get this book. it's excellent. My only complaint is the audio is sometimes difficult to follow.

This book left me sad and mad!

The Kushner family history is horrific. I cannot imagine having to live through the nightmares. As opposed to the Trump family. What a bunch of spoiled brats. Both explain from a different perspective what is happening in our country at present.

The most thorough

Book on all that is Trump. If you only read one book this should be it.