Russian Roulette: The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump Hardcover – March 13, 2018

Fantastic! I’ve been glued to the news for 2 years. This book explains EVERYTHING from the very beginning. I thought it might be a tough read due to the vast amount of information. I was pleased to find it as addictive as a fresh Grisham novel; except this is our reality.

Great book by two authentic, outstanding journalists. I find it hard to believe that a few people have given this book one star the day it came out...oh, they aren't certified purchasers. Regardless, this book works as a current timeline of all the great work that journalists have been doing over the last years, including the authors. Although this story currently isn't finished, it gives great insight into what is and has been happening since Trump started running for the office of the presidency. Highly recommend.

Political writers David Corn and Michael Isikoff have written "Russian Roulette", the well-told story of Russia's meddling in the politics of the United States. I'm not judging the political story told, but merely how it was told. The reader has to make up his own mind about the political ramifications of Corn and Isikoff's story, which begins with the 2016 US Presidential election and goes back from there to look at Russia/United States relations since the Soviet Union became Russia.

Corn and Isikoff are professional writers and they know how to tell a story. Even though they begin with Trump, the connections between the two countries began in the 1990's. Savvy Mikhail Gorbochov was succeeded by Boris Yeltsin, who was followed by Vladimir Putin, a cagey former KGB foreign intelligence officer. Each of the three American presidents who dealt with Putin in turn had different views of the Russian leader. The authors go into detail about Putin's control of his world, where oligarchs and businessmen came and went, while Putin remained in power and the political and financial corruption flourished.

But Donald Trump met Vladimir Putin a few years before he became US president. He was trying to do business - hotel business - in Moscow and visited the country in 2013 with his Miss Universe contest. The authors go on to discuss Putin's relationship with Trump in the years since.

No one reading this book will change his mind about Donald Trump. That cake's baked for most of us. But, if you're looking for a well written political book, you really should read "Russian Roulette".

I've been devouring Trump-Russia books as fast as they come out and finished this one a few days ago. Russian Roulette amasses lots of details to establish the context of how Russia came to dominate cyber warfare and infiltrate and affect our 2016 election. The authors clearly explain and prove the extent of Trump's cushy Russia connections, the many thugs and criminals he surrounded himself with, and how Putin was able to "play" him, most likely because of financial and/or sexual kompromat and Trump's own all-consuming appetite for wealth and power. The authors establish through several examples how Putin has used this tool many times to control other powerful men.

Like most non-GOP voters, I was horrified by Trump's candidacy and election--though I believe he's illegitimate and refuse to call him "President." This book walks you through example after example of how murderous and corrupt Putin and his cronies are and how the disinformation tactics of the FSB (formerly KGB) are being practiced now by Trump, the RW media, and his supporters.

I've been very angry at the GOP's total inaction to defend us against Russia's cyber warfare--the GOP holds all power in this country right now but they are not fighting at all to protect the integrity of our elections. Instead they are obstructing Mueller's investigation at every turn--especially McConnell and Ryan and the ridiculous Nunes gang. And while the authors write about McCain's sincere efforts to warn the IC about Russia's meddling, McCain himself has caved repeatedly in favor of protecting Trump.

I was also angry to read in this book about the ongoing reluctance of the Obama Administration to tell the American people what was going on in the weeks before the election, when our government knew we were under attack and that Russia was actively working to undermine Clinton's campaign and support Trump. The authors explain Kerry's and Obama's justification for their inaction--Kerry's misguided belief that he could "reset" diplomatic policy with Putin and Obama's concern that he didn't want to appear biased and so give Trump oxygen that the election was "rigged"--all that played right into the Trump Russia masterplan. The election was rigged all right--in Trump's favor.

The authors show that a lot of people and institutions were asleep at the wheel and didn't see what was going on. And when they did, their response was too little too late and totally drowned out by the coverage of Trump's nonstop appalling antics. Lots of careful attention is given to Fusion GPS and Christopher Steele, whose dossier on Trump's Russia connections has been instrumental in moving this story along. The authors' role in that part of the story is really interesting.

I highly recommend this book--it makes a strong case for how Russia was able to influence our election. It's all here--Trump's early shady business dealings, his family's involvement with Russian oligarchs and mobsters, why Putin hates HRC, the full story of the DNC hacking and the fallout of that, Wikileaks, Roger Stone, Michael Cohen, and Trump's other unsavory "friends," Comey's role, Brennan's, Harry Reid's attempts to get the word out to the American people, the St. Petersburg troll farm, Facebook, Cambridge Analytica--even how Putin probably picked his business pal, Rex Tillerson, to be SoS.

After reading this you may have the same reaction I did--HOW is it possible that Trump is not in jail right now? I really hope patriots in the IC are doing something to protect us from Russian cyber warfare in the next election--even if it's covert and not sanctioned by Trump or the GOP, as they prove every day that they are obviously fine with handing over our country to Putin.

Very well written, easy to read, and hard to put down. It's not a political hack book--but very informative. The book goes into why Vladimir Putin loathed Hillary Clinton, the past mistakes of Obama's handling of Putin. It explains that Democrats regret not paying a little more attention to Mitt Romney's warning that Putin's Russia is our biggest threat. The Putin murders of double agents and opposition party leaders over the last few years. I have been one that have been watching this Russian investigation since day one, and this book ties those broken links together, and I am learning things I never knew. If you're a novice and haven't been paying attention, this book works for you also. Putin has been on a stealth warpath with the United States and Europe for quite some time now. While many Republicans stood by in shock while Trump continually praised Vladimir Putin during the campaign season, & while he has continually claimed that Russia was just a "ruse," this book explains why he has held this unusually warm attitude toward Putin, when no other would. A must read!

Started reading and couldn't put it down. Well written, thorough account of just what Russia has been up to for years. Develops just who the unwitting victims were, as well as those who were purposely complicit. Everyone should read so that we can all understand the depth of the Russian threat and be part of the solution.