No Such Thing As Over-Exposure: Inside The Life and Celebrity of Donald Trump - Hardcover

Slater, Robert

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0131497340 ISBN 13: 9780131497344

Publisher: Financial Times Management, 2005

Synopsis

Presents a life of the New York real-estate magnate, with an analysis of his gift for self-promotion, his hands-on management style, and his deft use of the media to boost the ratings of his popular TV show, "The Apprentice."

About this title

Review:

To read the latest Trump tale is to be reminded of writer Fran Lebowitz' comment that there are only two social classes in America--the celebrities and the audience. Business biographer Robert Slater, who spent 100 hours with Donald Trump, provides an intriguing link between the two in No Such Thing as Over-Exposure: Inside the Life and Celebrity of Donald Trump. About the man who made bragging an art form, Slater wonders: Does Trump have any definable business strategies and leadership strategies? Why did he become a business celebrity? Why did The Apprentice become a surprise hit?

The result is a surprisingly fascinating profile of a man who shattered the CEO public relations paradigm by branding himself rather than his product. The Slater timeline begins with Trumps' spit ball throwing, football playing, military school youth. He describes dear old Dad's philosophy of development ("Get in get it done, get it done right and get out.") This is followed by an engaging recap of how Trump changed the New York skyline by leveraging Atlantic City properties and then became a poster boy for the recession of the 1990s. His much reported rise and comeback is deconstructed in terms of his capacity for self-branding (force of personality, willingness to broadcast private life, delivering the goods, and "truthful hyperbole.")

Slater spends too much time on getting Trump to say yes to the book and trying to create a management roadmap from Trump's unique career. But he gets the details right. Trump tends to stay close the office, doesn't use computers, thinks e-mail is for wimps, avoids germs by withholding handshakes, broke up with his second wife in a gossip column, and calls himself the biggest star on television.

Slater interviewed 150 people, yet the most revealing moments are when Trump speaks for himself. For example, when he insists that he is "worth the salary of six actors on Friends." When ex-wife Marla Maples comments about his virility, he says, "That's what sells condos in New York." Such comments derail Slater's desire to extract leadership lessons from Trump. Whether you find him brilliant or a carnival barker, Donald Trump is one of a kind. His success represents a moment when a celebrity and his audience are merged: Neither can stop looking at him. --Barbara Mackoff

From the Back Cover:

"The Donald Trump that I have come to know over the years is not easy to capture in a book. It was a pleasure to read Robert Slater's well-researched, fascinating look at what makes Trump tick. Other than reading Trump's own books, there is no better way to find out why Donald is so successful."

—Alan "Ace" Greenberg, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Bear Stearns

"There is no bigger ego that ever walked this earth than Mr. Trump. Beyond his success as the world's preeminent developer, he's built THE power brand that stands for wealth and success around the world. Slater's book takes us farther inside the Trump mind and modus operandi than anything else to date. I should know. I have worked closely with Donald Trump for years."

—Barbara Corcoran, Chairman and Founder, The Corcoran Group, Author of If You Don't Have Big Breasts, Put Ribbons On Your Pigtails

"The audacious genius of Donald Trump is fully revealed in Robert Slater's latest book, No Such Thing as Over-Exposure. I've worked for a lot of business titans in my career, including The Donald, and no one understands the power of publicity and the value of a brand better than Mr. Trump. Whether it's a 70-story tower, a reality show or a bottle of water, when Trump affixes his name to a project it turns to gold. This is a must read for all those who want to understand fully the brilliance of our era's best entrepreneurial promoter.

—Howard J. Rubenstein, President, Rubenstein Associates, Inc.

"When I was asked if I would consider writing a brief—100 words or less—endorsement for No Such Thing as Over-Exposure: Inside the Life and Celebrity of Donald Trump, it immediately occurred to me that I could write an endorsement for the book in one word—mastery.

Donald Trump is a "master" at everything he does, everything he says and everything he thinks. That is not to say that he hasn't made mistakes or gone through challenging periods in his personal and professional life—he has. However he has brilliantly developed his own personal mastery over it all—the good, the bad and the ugly.

You'll read all about his true genius of mastery in Robert Slater's No Such Thing as Over-Exposure: Inside the Life and Celebrity of Donald Trump, who I would also like to add, has mastered the art of writing business biographies."

—George M. Steinbrenner, III, Principal Owner New York Yankees

"A refreshing antidote to the mumbling modesty that bedevils much of our culture. Trump understands that self-promotion and fame is the best insurance of power already attained. Slater captures this lesson beautifully in this fast-paced, punchy book, packed with interviews, savvy, and insight into one of the phenomena of our age."

—Paul Levinson, Professor of Communication and Media Studies, Fordham University; Author of Cellphone: The Story of the World's Most Mobile Medium

"Donald Trump is a master of the game. Robert Slater's entertaining book provides an enticing behind-the-scenes look into Donald's unique world. The complete access Donald gave Slater enabled the writer to capture the strategies and thinking behind the key deals and business moves which contributed to Donald's impressive rise. I really enjoyed reading No Such Thing as Over-Exposuremdand I think it will be appreciated by those fascinated by Donald's incredible career."

—Preston Robert Tisch, Chairman, Loews Corporation, Chairman and Co-CEO, New York Football Giants

"This is a fascinating look at one of today's more interesting and unusual personalities."

—Steve Wynn, Owner of Wynn Las Vegas

"Much has been said and much has been written about and by Donald Trump. As a friend for over 35 years and as a fellow real-estate developer, I can say without reservation that this book provides unique perspectives on Donald's character and methods that reveal why he is a billionaire. The book is so insightful that I have insisted that my own sons read it so they can begin to understand the Trump Magic."

—Richard S. Lefrak, The Lefrak Organization

With The Apprentice, Donald Trump has gone beyond celebrity to become a true legend. He's the one billionaire everyone recognizes, the only one whose name is its own global brand. But, for all the ink that's been spilled about him, nobody's ever fully captured the man—until now.

Donald Trump agreed to give Robert Slater unprecedented access to his world: over 100 hours of private conversations and meetings. Wherever Trump went, Slater was there: as a "fly on the wall" at deal-making sessions, on Trump's Gulfstream...everywhere. Slater interviewed 150 of Trump's former and present employees and colleagues, even his toughest competitors.

Now, he reveals the man in full: the businessman and dealmaker, strategist and survivor, celebrity and personality. You'll learn how Trump transformed himself from an unknown local real-estate developer to a global magnate. You'll see how he really does business, discovering lessons that go far beyond anything he's revealed before. You'll witness his brilliant media management...and watch him leverage his celebrity to save his casino business, not once but twice. Most remarkable of all, you'll discover how Trump really feels about his celebrity, his empire, his outsized American life.

• Why there's no such thing as over-exposure

• From celebrity to legend: larger than life—and lovin' it

• Not just a billionaire: a global brand

• How to build a multi-billion-dollar global business on your own name

• One tough hombre: coming back, again and again

• From $9.2 billion in debts to the Forbes wealthiest American list

• A "fly on the wall": watch Trump operate, for real Trump at work: real Trump dealmaking, decision-making, and leadership

The real Donald Trump: the most revealing Trump profile ever written!

Based on an unprecedented 100 hours of private, personal access to Trump...plus over 150 interviews with associates and rivals!

The first book to capture all of Trump: executive, dealmaker, strategist, survivor, celebrity, student of the media...and the man behind the legend

Beyond the art of the deal: Trump-powered business lessons you won't find in his own books

Who is Donald Trump?

You think you know. You don't. Even if you've watched The Apprentice.

Even if you've read his best-selling books.

Want to know what really makes him tick? How he really operates?

When Donald Trump heard about the book, he threatened to sue. Then, he changed his mind...and gave Robert Slater more access than any other journalist or author—ever. Slater sat beside Trump at buy-out sessions and building inspections, on his helicopter and jet plane, at QVC and at Apprentice rehearsals. Slater watched Trump in public—and in his most unguarded moments. And Slater talked to everyone...from legendary rival Steve Wynn to publicity-shy Trump family members.

The result: the most intimate and powerful Trump profile ever written.

This, finally, is the real Trump: totally uncensored, and utterly riveting.

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Financial Times Management
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0131497340
• ISBN 13: 9780131497344
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 247