''Whose Boat Is This Boat?: Comments That Don't Help in the Aftermath of a Hurricane'' is a 2018 children's book credited to U.S. President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
and compiled by the staff of ''
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' is an American late-night talk show, late-night news satire, news and liberal political satire talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert, which premiered on September 8, 2015. Produced by Stephen Colbert, Spartin ...
''. It is composed of statements made by Trump during his visit to affected areas in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. Proceeds from sales are to be donated to organizations that support victims of both Florence and the later
Hurricane Michael
Hurricane Michael was a powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that became the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the contiguous United States since Andrew in 1992. It was the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane to make ...
. According to ''The Late Show'', as of December 19, 2018, it has sold over 400,000 copies and raised $1.5 million.
Overview
''Whose Boat Is This Boat?'' is composed of quotes made by Donald Trump during his visit to affected areas on September 19, 2018, in the aftermath of
Hurricane Florence
Hurricane Florence was a powerful and long-lived tropical cyclone that caused catastrophic damage in the Carolinas in September 2018, primarily as a result of freshwater flooding due to torrential rain. The sixth named storm, third hurri ...
. The title, according to
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert ( ; born May 13, 1964) is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program ''The Colbert Report'' from 2005 to ...
, is drawn from an "impassioned, and truly heartfelt response to this one boat that washed ashore." During his visit, Trump made a number of comments about a boat that had been shipwrecked on the property of a survivor and homeowner in
New Bern, North Carolina
New Bern, formerly Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 31,291 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is located at the confluence of the Neuse River, Neuse a ...
. These included statements such as "at least you got a nice boat out of the deal"; "Is this your boat? Or did it become your boat?"; and "To see what we're seeingthis boat, I don't know what happened, but this boat just came here."
The book is credited to "Donald J. Trump (by accident)." However, the publisher,
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster LLC (, ) is an American publishing house owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts since 2023. It was founded in New York City in 1924, by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. Along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group US ...
, credits authorship to The Staff of ''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'', which it describes as: "bipedal mammals. They were born on earth and currently reside in the New York City area. Their hobbies include kayaking."
Proceeds from the book will go to benefit several charitable organizations aiding victims of the hurricane, including the
World Central Kitchen
World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization that Food security, provides food relief. It was founded in 2010 by Spanish American chef and restaurateur José Andrés following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, earthq ...
. According to Colbert, publishing the book would ensure that "Donald Trump's comments about that boat are helping in spite of him."
The book's blurb describes it as "An excellent teaching tool for readers of all ages who enjoy learning about empathy by process of elimination." Colbert reflected upon the announcement of the book, "It's the perfect gift for young readers and presidents who don't read."
Simon & Schuster's press release says "Research suggests this will be the first children's book ever published that demonstrates what not to say after a natural disaster." It also quotes company president
Jonathan Karp
Jonathan Karp (born April 2, 1964) is an American book editor, publisher, and writer. He is the publisher, president, and chief executive of Simon & Schuster, and has also led the company's flagship division. Karp also founded Twelve, an imprint ...
, who wrote:
Donald Trump has described himself as the
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway ( ; July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Known for an economical, understated style that influenced later 20th-century writers, he has been romanticized fo ...
of Twitter. With this book, he proves himself to be the
Dr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel ( ;"Seuss" '' 2018 U.S. midterm elections.
The week of October 21, 2018, it was the second best selling non-fiction book on Amazon.com.
On November 15, 2019, following reports that the book had repeatedly been hidden or gone missing at Coeur d'Alene Public Library in
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Coeur d'Alene ( ; ) is a city and the county seat of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. It is the most populous city in North Idaho and the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 54,628 at th ...
, ''The Late Show'' donated to the library a rare, oversized "unhideable edition" of the book, measuring four feet wide and three feet tall.
See also
*''
A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo
''A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo'' is a 2018 children's book written by Jill Twiss and illustrated by EG Keller (a pseudonym of Gerald Kelley). The book is about a fictional day in the life of Marlon Bundo, the real-life pet rabbit of th ...
'', a satirical children's book created by ''
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' (often abridged as ''Last Week Tonight'') is an American news satire late-night talk show hosted by comedian John Oliver. The half-hour-long show premiered in the end of April 2014 on HBO and currently has ...
''
*''
I Am a Pole (And So Can You!)
''I Am a Pole (And So Can You!)'' is a 2012 spoof of inspirational children's books. It was written by Stephen Colbert and illustrated by Paul Hildebrand. The book tells the story of a fictional pole finding his purpose in life. The title is a pl ...