Full Set acquires world rights to Scott Lucas book Spectacle: Donald Trump's Chaos Machine

Scott Lucas book Spectacle: Donald Trump’s Chaos Machine acquired by Full Set 

Full Set has acquired Spectacle: Donald Trump’s Chaos Machine by Scott Lucas for its 2027 current affairs list. 

Publisher Blathnaid Healy acquired world rights in all languages directly from the author. 

Since entering the political arena, Trump has leveraged spectacle and showmanship to upend norms, defy reality and create confusion. This dot-connecting book explores how Trump uses spectacle as a machine to fashion his own story, engage and recruit devoted followers while diminishing his rivals and opponents. But spectacle is only good for so long. And in his second term, Trump is a showrunner on borrowed time.   

Lucas is professor of international politics at the Clinton Institute, University College Dublin; professor emeritus of international politics at the University of Birmingham; and editor-in-chief of EA WorldView, a specialist US and international affairs site. As a political analyst, Lucas regularly appears on outlets such as RTÉ, BBC, Sky, Al Jazeera English, France 24, Deutsche Welle and NDTV. An Alabama exile in Europe, he lived in the UK for 40 years before relocating to Ireland in 2024.   

Lucas said: “For more than a decade I have watched a showman damage the US and the world. I wrote this book hoping we can replace a spectacle of destruction with a spectacle of decency.” 

Healy said: “Trump generates rivers of news every day. Bending and shaping narrative at every turn. Scott’s perspective as an American in Europe, a long-observing journalist and an international relations expert uniquely positions him to cut through the chaos of this unorthodox president.”  

Spectacle: Donald Trump’s Chaos Machine will publish in May, 2027 and you can preorder a print copy direct from the publisher here.