American Reckoning - by Jonathan Alter (Hardcover)

About the Book

"As one of a handful of journalists allowed in the courtroom, for 23 days Jonathan Alter sat just feet away from the most dangerous threat to democracy in American history, watching the spectacle of the century: the felony trial of Donald Trump. Highly publicized but untelevised and thus largely hidden from public view, this landmark trial offered hope of real justice amid a grueling eight-year national ordeal and foreshadowed the drama of the 2024 presidential election. Alter shares everything he witnessed--from eviscerating takes on the colorful characters to the chilling legal ups and downs--to offer a barbed account of the trial and its aftermath, including fresh reporting about the historic events of the summer of 2024. A Zelig of journalism experiencing a crisis of faith in the good sense of the American people, Alter chronicles the shaping of his political consciousness and his bracing, unpredictable relationships with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain, and Joe Biden, whose decision to stand down in favor of former prosecutor Kamala Harris put the criminal trial front and center as Americans render their own verdict at the polls. Deeply personal and passionate, American Reckoning is an eye-opening book from a journalist with a front row seat on history, offering a troubled yet hopeful look at our national moment of truth."--

Book Synopsis

A vivid eyewitness account of the historic first criminal trial of a president and a cri de coeur for democracy from a New York Times bestselling author and presidential historian.

As one of a handful of journalists allowed in the courtroom, for 23 days Jonathan Alter sat just feet away from the most dangerous threat to democracy in American history, watching the spectacle of the century: the felony trial of Donald Trump. Highly publicized but untelevised and thus largely hidden from public view, this landmark trial offered hope of real justice amid a grueling eight-year national ordeal and foreshadowed the drama of the 2024 presidential election.

Alter shares everything he witnessed--from eviscerating takes on the colorful characters to the chilling legal ups and downs--to offer a barbed account of the trial and its aftermath, including fresh reporting about the historic events of the summer of 2024. A Zelig of journalism experiencing a crisis of faith in the good sense of the American people, Alter chronicles the shaping of his political consciousness and his bracing, unpredictable relationships with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain, and Joe Biden, whose decision to stand down in favor of former prosecutor Kamala Harris put the criminal trial front and center as Americans rendered their own verdict at the polls.

Deeply personal and passionate, American Reckoning is an eye-opening book from a journalist with a front row seat on history, offering a troubled yet hopeful look at our national moment of truth.

Review Quotes

"Alter's fine, indispensable book offers an understanding of the presidency worthy of Robert Caro and a legal account of a celebrity trial that would have enthralled Dominick Dunne. It is a must-read."
--James Zirin, The Washington Monthly

"I have been deeply indebted to Jonathan Alter for his political wisdom and journalistic experience these last 20 years, and I'm grateful for this gripping guidebook through a bizarre chapter in the life of our strangest president."
--Stephen Colbert

"Jonathan Alter's American Reckoning is a wonderful hybrid--a memoir of an extraordinary career in journalism, a political history of our recent past, and above all an insightful account of Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York. It's also a cry for decency and democracy at a critical moment."
--Jeffrey Toobin, author of Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Rightwing Extremism

"Because the trial wasn't televised, the country couldn't experience it. Alter's lively account brings home the drama, the twists and turns, the moments of real accountability--with broader thoughts about his own life experience and essential constitutional values. First-rate."
--Harry Litman, former federal prosecutor

"A must-read for anyone who truly cares about the majesty of the rule of law during these perilous times."
--Retired New York Judge George Grasso

"I loved reading about Jonathan's formative years and the powerhouse women who influenced him. Now I know why he's such an original thinker! This is a great read."
--Susie Essman, actress on Curb Your Enthusiasm

About the Author

Jonathan Alter is a columnist, historian, and documentary filmmaker. He is the author of three New York Times bestsellers about American presidents and covered the Trump felony trial for NYTimes Opinion, The Washington Monthly, and Old Goats, his Substack newsletter. He lives in Montclair, New Jersey.