Too Much and Never Enough by Mary L Trump

Too Much and Never Enough

by Mary L Trump

* THE INTERNATIONAL AND SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER *

‘Even in the darkest of Dickens novels, no family comes across quite as mendacious, grasping and avaricious as the Trumps’ Financial Times

A REVELATORY PORTRAIT OF DONALD J. TRUMP AND THE TOXIC FAMILY THAT MADE HIM – WRITTEN BY HIS NIECE, MARY L. TRUMP 

Mary Trump spent much of her childhood in her grandparents’ large, imposing house in New York with Donald and his four siblings. She describes a nightmare of traumas, destructive relationships and a tragic combination of neglect and abuse. As a first-hand witness and a trained clinical psychologist, Mary explains how specific events and general family patterns created the damaged man who occupied the Oval Office.

Written by the only Trump willing to speak out, Too Much and Never Enough is a fascinating and unnerving analysis on one of the world’s most powerful and dysfunctional families. Mary Trump’s insight and intimate familiarity means she alone can tell the truth on what makes Donald, and the rest of her clan, tick.

Reviewed by Nicole Lynn on

4 of 5 stars

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Initial thought: While this book does point out a lot of Donald Trump’s faults, it isn’t so much a character study of Donald Trump, but instead more of a character study of an entire family. It closely examines the Trump family, especially Fred Trump & his raising of his 5 kids. This family was portrayed as dysfunctional and completely lacking in love & empathy and showcased how those missing components affected the 5 children. The author couldn’t talk about Donald Trump without showing the family and life he grew up in—without showcasing how his father treated him & his whole family. I’m not quite sure how I feel about this book because part of me feels sympathy towards this family & the kids who had to grow up in that environment, but part of me also doesn’t want to feel sympathy for those who had the resources to learn & work on being better than the products of their parents—or at least could afford therapy to work through those traumas and feelings. I guess I’m torn. But I think most readers, myself included, cannot ignore Mary’s final points & observations at the end of the book—that Donald Trump cannot put this country’s interests first, but will only act on what is best for himself, his ego & his instinctual wish for his father’s continual approval.
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Review to come.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 6 September, 2020: Finished reading
  • 6 September, 2020: Reviewed