5 Books Recommended by Donald Trump to Change the Way You View Politics, Power, and Positive Thinking
Calling Donald Trump a controversial figure is an understatement. But whether you love him, hate him, or simply want to understand what’s going through his head, you might be interested in what’s on his bookshelf.
The 45th President of the United States, TV personality, and businessman has written a few books himself — including The Art of the Deal and The America We Deserve — and he has recommended plenty of books over the years, too.
Want to discover the powerful ideas in the books recommended by Donald Trump in less time? The Blinkist app was designed to help you do just that.
The app shares key ideas from nonfiction books in 15-minute explainers you can read or listen to. There are 5,500 titles to choose from across 27 categories including personal development, psychology, and politics.
You’ll walk away from each explainer knowing everything you need to know about a book. Plus, if an explainer resonates with you, you can read the book fully knowing you’ll get something valuable from it.
5 Books From Donald Trump’s Reading List
1. Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin
Talent is Overrated
- 21 min reading time
- audio version available
Ever wondered what makes successful people the way they are? Is it some superhuman gene they were born with, or something different about the way they were raised? Geoff Colvin, an editor and columnist for Fortune, attempts to answer those questions in Talent is Overrated.
The book dives into the lives of people at the top of their fields, like Tiger Woods and Warren Buffett. Colvin argues that talent isn’t what makes them exceptional at what they do and that it’s years of dedicated practice, instead.
– Donald Trump
2. Triggered by Donald Trump Jr.
Triggered
- 19 min reading time
- audio version available
No matter what side of the aisle you sit, Triggered offers an interesting insight into what one conservative in particular — Donald Trump Jr. — thinks of left-wing politics.
Trump Jr. outlines what he describes as the tactics the left use to bring down conservatives. That includes everything from political correctness to physical violence, shadow banning to doxing.
Of course, Trump’s son wrote this book, so it’s no wonder it’s a favorite of his — the former president called it a great book on Twitter.
3. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
The Art of War (New Version)
- 11 min reading time
- audio version available
The Art of War may have been published around the 5th century B.C., but it remains an interesting read to this day. And Trump agrees — he Tweeted a line from the book back in 2012.
Written by ancient philosopher and military strategist Sun Tzu, The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise, but it’s not all about techniques to help you win a war.
The advice in the book can be applied to anything, from business to sport to politics — or anything in life where you may come across conflict and competition.
In fact, it’s often seen as one of the most influential leadership books of all time, having influenced leaders around the world, many of them in politics.
4. The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
The Prince
- 24 min reading time
- audio version available
The Prince is another classic book that can be applied to leadership and politics today. This one was written back in the 16th century by Italian politician Niccolò Machiavelli.
Readers learn what makes a great leader and how to gain power and keep it at any cost, even through cruel or treacherous means. The book even inspired the word “machiavellian,” used to describe anyone who’s cunning and deceitful.
Political leaders like Benjamin Franklin and Napoleon are said to have been influenced by Machiavelli’s ideas, and Trump joins the list.
5. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
The Power of Positive Thinking
- 19 min reading time
- audio version available
The Power of Positive Thinking is not a title you’d expect to see on a list of books recommended by Donald Trump. But it’s been widely reported that Trump’s self-confidence stems from this book.
Trump’s father was a huge fan of the author, and it appears to have rubbed off.
And Trump isn’t the only one who likes the book — it sold more than 5 million copies worldwide, and many credit it with changing their outlook on life. But it’s a controversial read, too.
It’s written by Norman Vincent Peale, who was a minister and the founder of the Positive Thinking Foundation. Topics include how changing your thinking can change your reality, how to stop worrying, and how prayer can help you succeed in life.
Want to read books recommended by Donald Trump, but don’t have the time? That’s where the Blinkist app can help. Here’s how it works.
A Book Explained in 15 Minutes
Blinkist’s team of expert researchers, writers, and editors read through entire books and share the most powerful ideas from each one in a bite-sized explainer. You can then read or listen to these explainers in 15 minutes, taking in the ideas on your commute, when working out, or as part of your morning routine.
And Blinkist’s library is always growing — 70 new books are added each month.
– Aidan McCullen, Athlete & Media Personality
Blinkist Helps Millions Make Real Change
Blinkist is making users’ lives better, but don’t just take our word for it.
The app is loved by 23 million users around the world, and Apple named it one of the top 20 apps for lifelong learners.
It helps users read more — 95% of users read significantly more now than before they discovered it — but it also helps them apply the ideas they learn from books to their lives.
In fact, 91% have created better habits and 87% have made positive changes to their lives, all thanks to the things they’ve learned on the app.
Listen, Learn & Share
Powerful ideas make more of an impact when they’re shared. Blinkist Connect lets you add a friend to your Premium account for free.
– Hitha Palepu, entrepreneur and author
Not only does that mean they can access Blinkist’s library of 5,500 books for themselves, but you can share the titles and ideas you discover on the app with each other.
Swap the advice you’re incorporating into your work or personal life, and spark debates with interesting takes on your favorite topics.
Plus, all this learning can take place on the go as you can listen to, as well as read, all of Blinkist’s explainers.
Want to read like Donald Trump? Download the Blinkist app to get started.
