Description
First edition of Trump: Surviving At The Top, with a great inscription by Donald Trump to a “True Warrior,” who saved him from bankruptcy in 1990.
Octavo, xiv, 235pp., [4]. Red cloth spine, title in gilt on spine, replica signature in gilt on front cover over white boards. Stated “first edition” on copyright page, with a full number line. Red end papers. In the publisher’s first state dust jacket, near fine, with $21.95 price on front flap, light shelf wear, bright illustrations.
Inscribed on the front free endpaper: “Aug “90 / To Stan – You are a True “warrior.” Now we have to go all the way – I want you to be the central figure in Book #3 – Fight Hard / Donald.”
In 1990, as Donald Trump’s real estate empire approached bankruptcy, he approached the accounting firm of Kenneth Leventhal & Co. of Los Angeles to negotiate with his top lenders and “convince them that their client is worth more outside of bankruptcy court than in it.” (Washington Post, June, 1990)
Along with Leventhal, the lead negotiator was Stan Ross (1936-2018), the “True Warrior” and likely recipient of this copy of Surviving At The Top. The credibility of Leventhal and Ross went far to reassure banks of the valuation of Trump properties, and the Trump brand itself. They delayed his first bankruptcy until 1991, with three more to follow in 1992, 2004, and 2009.
Stan was not featured in Trump’s third book, The Art of the Comeback.
