Liar’s Circus (Carl Hoffman)

Liar’s Circus by Carl Hoffman

There’s a lot that this book has in common with Dignity, in that the Carl goes around talking to folks in places where Trump voters tend to hang out (VFW, diners, church groups, etc.). He also makes it a point to be one of the first in line to each of the rallies that he attends and befriends several other regular early birds.

My top takeaway was his connection of Trump’s rallies to religious revival movements, and the degree to which participants (including to some degree the author himself) experience a kind of ecstatic state from the power of the lighting, sound, and demonization that are consistent throughout Trump’s rallies.

I found the bits where Carl compares Trump rallies to other “dangerous” environments that he’s covered as a journalist somewhat tedious and unnecessary.

Still, it’s a short read and probably worth it for anyone curious about the feeling of these rallies and profiles the particular type of people who attend them repeatedly.