A new book reveals much of Trump’s success is based on a myth he is a self-made billionaire

Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AAP by John Hawkins, University of Canberra Lucky Loser tells the story of Donald Trump’s less-than-stellar business career and how he was able to misrepresent it as a success. It is written by New York Times investigative journalists, Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig. Both have won Pulitzer Prizes for earlier analyses of Trump. Another badge of honour is Trump sued them – and lost. They are by no means the first writers to expose the Potemkin village that is Trump’s business empire. A telling insider account came from Trump’s niece, psychologist Mary Trump, who revealed the creator of Donald’s fortune was his father Fred. Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success – Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig (Bodley Head) Setting things straight However, at more than 500 pages, including more than 40 pages of notes on sources, this new book is the most comprehensive rendering. It is detailed, clearly written and has been well-reviewed in the financial press and by economic historian Brad de Long. The authors aim to draw on financial statements and interviews to “set straight Donald Trump’s chaotic onslaught of untruths and misdirection”. A large part of...