IT TAKES A DISTILLERY—OR THREEAUGUST 24, 2017 BY STEVEN HAYWARD
Years ago I developed a standardized measurement for the agony involved in reading and reviewing tendentious books. I call it the “Donaldson Scale,” after Sam Donaldson of ABC News, whose book I once had to suffer. “One Donaldson” means that a full bottle of scotch or its equivalent is necessary to grind out a review.
Hitherto few books have rated more than a Half-Donaldson, though the occasional effort of a French literary critic, or any John Irving novel, comes close to rating a Full-Donaldson. The memoirs of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sidney Blumenthal have shattered the Donaldson Scale. To paraphrase one of Hillary’s previous offerings, these books take a whole distillery.
What Happened is going to require multiple distilleries if the early previews are any guide. Living History was a major bestseller back in 2003, but I predict What Happened will be a sales dud. But this is a no-lose proposition, as it is certain to be an interpretive dud that I hope Democrats will blindly follow.
Combining, "I AM Victim, Hear Me Whine!" with Hil
liary's natural condescending and pedantic tone ... how could this book fail to be a winner?!