Insane Clown President

By: Matt Taibbi

Narrated by: Rob Shapiro

Dispatches from the 2016 election that provide an eerily prescient take on our democracy's uncertain future, by the country's most perceptive and fearless political journalist.

The 2016 presidential contest as told by Matt Taibbi, from its tragicomic beginnings to its apocalyptic conclusion, is in fact the story of Western civilization's very own train wreck. Years before the clown car of candidates was fully loaded, Taibbi grasped the essential themes of the story: the power of spectacle over substance or even truth; the absence of a shared reality; the nihilistic rebellion of the white working class; the death of the political establishment; and the emergence of a new explicit form of white nationalism that would destroy what was left of the Kingian dream of a successful pluralistic society.

Taibbi captures, with dead-on, real-time analysis, the failures of the right and the left, from the thwarted Bernie Sanders insurgency to the flawed and aimless Hillary Clinton campaign; the rise of the "dangerously bright" alt-right with its wall-loving identity politics and its rapturous view of the racial "holy war" to come; and the giant fail of a flailing, reactive political media that fed a ravenous news cycle not with reporting on political ideology but with undigested propaganda served straight from the campaign bubble. At the center of it all stands Donald J. Trump, leading a historic revolt against his own party, "bloviating and farting his way" through the campaign, "saying outrageous things, acting like Hitler one minute and Andrew Dice Clay the next." For Taibbi, the stunning rise of Trump marks the apotheosis of the new postfactual movement.

Taibbi frames the reporting with original essays that explore the seismic shift in how we perceive our national institutions, the democratic process, and the future of the country. Insane Clown President is not just a postmortem on the collapse and failure of American democracy. It offers the riveting, surreal, unique, and essential experience of seeing the future in hindsight.

©2017 Matt Taibbi (P)2017 Random House Audio

Now I understand bettet...

...how we got to this point, both from the Republican and Democrat point of view.

Good "sequel" to SHATTERED

Really 3.5 stars, but rounded up as the audio narration fit very well, with my main issue being Taibbi's no-holds-barred blunt style; at times I would've preferred a bit of tact.

Read "Shattered" first, using this one as a complementary story of how he won after understanding better how she lost. Taibbi's epilogue does go into her loss, as part of an indictment of the Democrats in general, but this book is all about failing to "stop the 'unstoppable'." In a sentence: many voters wanted change, not more of the same establishment insiders (including Cruz) in both the primaries and general election. The book is structured as dispatches from the campaign front along the way, rather than reflective chapters.

Taibbi has no respect for Trump, or any of the Republicans, ever. Biased - check! The thing is that his "hitjob" is backed up in pointing out politicians' hypocrisy. Moreover, his prime target is not the Republicans (or even the Democratic establishment), but the media . . . or what passes for such these days. So, in that respect I recommend the book to all, except partisan Republicans. However, if you think every so often "Man, this guy can be really obnoxious!", it's not you!

Matt is the Writer for My Generation

Another outstanding release from the uncompromising journalist. I did not keep up with much reporting from the campaign as it was like watching a disaster in slow-motion. And that is using my nice words.

So Mr. Taibbi does it again--makes me laugh out loud while giving important insights and filling me in on some key things I forgot or missed.

I could not turn it off--almost finished it in one day. Definitely worth a listen to get over the shock of what happened and the orange mayhem occurring daily. Enjoy!

Depressing.

Despite in my view being a left leaning writer, Mr. Taibbi gives a balanced view of the train wreck that is Ameicam politics.

Funny & Upsetting 2016 Campaign in Slow Motion

Would you listen to Insane Clown President again? Why?

No, once was enough.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The most compelling aspect of this book is seeing the 2016 campaign through the eyes of one of our best current events writers. You once again feel like there is no way that Trump could win even though you already know he does.

Any additional comments?

I relived what was in my opinion a disaster of an election. Matt Taibbi is very insightful and this book gave me a whole new view on what was happening and it illuminated many reasons why we all should have seen this coming. It felt like a slow motion car wreck and I couldn't stop listening.

Sad

while I enjoyed the book, it's hard to not recognize house sad and prescient it is. it outlined in very clear ways how Trump managed to get elected this past election season. It pulled no punches on any candidate, which in retrospect is a good thing. The narrator of this book did a really nice job presenting the material in a manner which the author had written it.

Great Behind The Scenes Look !

Great behind the scenes look at the Riae of the American Fueher! I would highly reccommed this book!

We missed the obvious

Mr. Taibbi points out what we all should have noticed from the beginning; there ain't no middle America any longer. And because of that, people are mad as hell. Unfortunately, Donnie won't be able to deliver.

cool-aid mustache removal for whichever partisan.

I voted for Hillary but still snickered when she lost. I'd love to tell Mr. Taibi why; I would be first in line to purchase any follow up book entitled INSANE CLOWN BOMB THROWING ELECTORATE. ICP hits hard in every direction, media included. if you cant appreciate this book, you are part of the problem.

Excellent inside story of a historic presidential campaign

First of all, production and narration were first rate. Must have taken yeoman effort to get it ready so quickly. Many books don't work well in audio but this one did. I don't know if audio books are word for word or are edited for audio but the narrative worked in this case.
I haven't read Rolling Stone in decades but hearing this book felt like reading Hunter S. Thompson writing about the 72 election. I don't know if that was intentional or not but a it was a refreshing trip back in time.
I am a proud member of the "tribe" that is the villain of this piece. When I watched wrestling as a small child I always rooted for the villains. They seemed to be having more fun.
In my opinion, a good writer makes the reader eager to turn the next page. Matt Taiibi is a good writer.
The writer caught the essence of political campaigning that I hadn't realized before. I now wonder why anyone would subject themselves to this process.