Election 2016: The Great Divide, The Great Debate is a collection of essays written in real time, reacting to and predicting the emergence of Donald J. Trump as a viable then winning candidate—interrupted periodically by fictional analysis from the author and fictional characters, demonstrating the psychological aspects of the campaign regarding the American psyche. In addition, there are fictional futuristic happenings and speculations about what could happen. There are a number of footnotes, some cite sources, some are explanatory, and some are updates of relevant subject matter. Taken as a whole, it a story about an unprecedented event in American and world history.
The book aims to give an accurate, entertaining analysis and accounting of unprecedented events from a unique perspective, and hopefully will help readers bridge ’The Great Divide.
Reviews
Election 2016: The Great Divide, The Great Debate
Title: Election 2016: The Great Divide, The Great Debate
Author: Mark Jabbour
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1984564726
Pages: 35
Genre: Politics & Social Sciences
Reviewed by: Aly Avina
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Pacific Book Review
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 4+ years in America, then you know how divided our nation has become since Donald J. Trump came on the scene as a presidential candidate-turned-actual President. For many, it is a bit mind-boggling that a real estate mogul billionaire turned reality television star would be a viable candidate for the presidency, so when he was voted to become the President of the United States, it was shocking for some while others were thrilled of this development. And thus, the nation became heavily divided in ways we haven’t seen before in the modern age.
Author Mark Jabbour discusses this and so much more in Election 2016: The Great Divide, The Great Debate.
Jabbour is described as an educated man who is “a former Democrat, progressive, feminist, a former Barack Obama two-time voter and delegate, and a Trump voter.” For some, this may seem like an oxymoron of sorts. To go from one side of the coin to the other is not often seen in American politics but this does give the author a very different and unique perspective of things. This is what makes this book such an intriguing read. In this book, he looks at things from a liberal point of view as well as a conservative one to show how this election and the aftermath have affected the American psyche.
He also created fictional characters and scenarios to further demonstrate the possible long-term effects of this nation’s divide and what that can ultimately mean for us as a country. It is very interesting to read how he feels the election in which Donald Trump won the presidency affected everything going forward on both sides of the political spectrum. I am someone who enjoys hearing the other side’s perspective to get a better understanding of their thought process and why they want things to be a certain way, even if my political views don’t align.
This is a thought-provoking and well-written book with both fact and fiction throughout to better support the author’s point of view on the matters at hand. Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican – or somewhere in between, I believe you will find this to be a fascinating read that will certainly stay with you long after you’ve finished last sentence. See where you stand on these issues and pick up a copy of Election 2016: The Great Divide, The Great Debate by Mark Jabbour today!
Author Spotlight: Mark Jabbour
Title: Election 2016: The Great Divide, The Great Debate
Author: Mark Jabbour
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1984564726
Pages: 35
Genre: Politics & Social Sciences
Read Author Spotlight
Synopsis
Election 2016: The Great Divide, The Great Debate is a collection of essays written in real time, reacting to and predicting the emergence of Donald J. Trump as a viable then winning candidate-interrupted periodically by fictional analysis from the author and fictional characters, demonstrating the psychological aspects of the campaign regarding the American psyche. In addition, there are fictional futuristic happenings and speculations about what could happen. There are a number of footnotes, some cite sources, some are explanatory, and some are updates of relevant subject matter. Taken as a whole, it a story about an unprecedented event in American and world history.
About the Author
Mark Jabbour is a former Democrat, progressive, feminist, a former Barack Obama delegate, and a Trump voter, but not as trumpeted by leading leftists – deplorable, disadvantaged, religious, cynical corporate shareholder or corporate executive and certainly not uncivil. This is his story, a personal account of how and why became a vocal supporter of Donald Trump and the costs of that choice. However, that’s not the whole story; it’s also the story of humankind and how and why the species became who we are and the story of why the American people have come to be so divided. It is a debate, accurately addressing both sides, something the author has relished his entire life – open and honest intellectual discourse. Mark earned a degree in Psychology and Anthropology and has worked in the industries of hospitality, construction, healthcare, fine art, and education. He has also been a small business owner, on the board of directors of a non-profit NGO, as well as a homeowner and builder. Mr. Jabbour has been married and divorced, has three adult children, lived in four countries and nine states. This book, his fourth, is dedicated to his father, a retired USAF colonel who died during its writing. It is also that story.
The US Review of Books
Election 2016: The Great Divide, The Great Debate
by Mark Jabbour
Xlibris
book review by Mihir Shah
“Clinton is wrong in that regard. It doesn’t take a village to raise a child; it takes a man, a father (with help, of course).”
On the surface, what appears to be a text delving into the perfect storm that was the 2016 presidential election is far more. Weaving in philosophy and psychology, Jabbour delivers an ideal balance of observation, analysis, and research to grab readers’ intrigue irrespective of their political affiliations.
The author opens up early with a thrilling discourse on power, especially its hierarchical value in family systems, and how it is directly integrated with man’s “religious gene” and innate need to worship. From the child worshipping his father to fathers worshipping kings (modern-day CEOs and moguls), the moment was ripe for Trump’s rise. As the text progresses, Jabbour remains steadfast in his reporting and analysis, decoding some of the more complex moments like Obama’s United Nations speech, the humanitarian crisis in Syria, and the potential for a third world war.
On the one hand, the author does a masterful job of completing a character study on the essence of Donald J. Trump, reviewing everything from his 1987 The Art of the Deal to poring over his final clinching speeches pre-election. At the same time, he is unafraid to tackle the complexities of immigration, sustainability concerns, and the downright watered-down world that has resulted from the overuse of political correctness and the victimology mentality. Digging deeper, Jabbour sheds light on why Trump stands by his distrust for the media as well as confirmation bias in emails and the idea that experts are too often going off feel than empirical evidence.
Needless to say, the author’s stance is never unclear. However, he is meticulous in his argument, identifying a series of nearly twenty popular Trump criticisms and essentially dissecting each for the layman to make his own decision. A strong flowing writing style leads to endlessly insightful and entertaining content, making for a thought-provoking read.
