Summary of Jared Kushner's Breaking History

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 I was walking from my apartment to the subway station in Lower Manhattan to go to work at the DA’s office when my father called to tell me that he had been arrested.

#2 I was the head of the prosecutor’s office in New Jersey. I helped my father, who had been a major supporter of my Democratic rivals in that state. I had to help my mother, who was the sweetest person I knew, and my two sisters and brother, who were all very important to me.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Sep 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9798350000597

IRB Media

With IRB books, you can get the key takeaways and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

Book preview

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

I was walking to the subway station from my apartment in Lower Manhattan to my internship at the office of Robert Morgenthau, the legendary New York district attorney, when my father told me over the phone that he had been arrested. I rushed to the DA’s office building and tried to turn my attention to the files on my desk, but my mind was racing.

#2

I was angry at my uncles and aunt for not telling me about my father’s plans. I was angry at my father for not telling me, and at his lawyers for not advising him that what he was doing was illegal. But I decided to help my father, who had been through a lot, and help those around me.

Insights from Chapter 2

#1

My family’s existence is improbable. I am here today only because my grandparents survived the Holocaust and came to America. They taught me one of the most important things I’ve ever learned: life is a gift that can be taken from us in an instant.

#2

My grandfather, who was born in Europe, worked hard to start a successful construction company that built thousands of homes. He died in 1985 from a stroke at the age of sixty-three. My father, who was also born in Europe, met my mother when they were both eighteen. They were married by the time they were twenty.

#3

I was always working, from helping my father manage rental properties to building my own. I was a top student, and when I was accepted into Harvard, I was thrilled. But from that point on, I would go to class, then to the jobsites, where I would check on the progress and make deals with tenants.

#4

I made plenty of mistakes while growing my empire. One of the biggest was buying an apartment building that was illegally constructed, which reduced the number of rentable units and the return I had projected investors. I had to convert the building into condominiums, which took longer but yielded a nice profit.

#5

I had to learn how to absorb bad news and keep moving forward. I couldn’t have known that being thrust unexpectedly into a leadership position at my company would prepare me for a much more consequential role in the federal government.

Insights from Chapter 3

#1

I had to raise more than $500 million to save the purchase, and I sold a 49 percent interest in the retail space to the Chera family and the Carlyle Group. I brought in a real estate investment firm to co-own the building, and modernized the retail and commercial space to attract more lucrative tenants.

#2

I learned how to focus on important decisions and ignore petty distractions. I got better at mitigating potential downsides, taking calculated risks, and identifying market trends.

#3

I bought and renovated twelve thousand apartments across the country, and I made $14 billion in transactions in roughly ten years. I focused on the next deal rather than the last dollar, and I made many incredible connections through real estate.

#4

I met with Ivanka in 2007, and we immediately got along. I was surprised by her warmness and charm, as well as her intelligence. We spent several hours walking around Manhattan together, discussing neighborhood trends. I fell in love with her.

#5

As Ivanka got closer to me, I began to convert to Judaism. I asked Ivanka’s father for her hand in marriage, and he agreed. We were married at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

#6

I had planned an African safari for our honeymoon, but when we got to Amsterdam, bad weather delayed our connecting flight until the next day. We stopped at a gift shop in the airport and bought the cheapest coats, scarves, and hats we could find, and went to explore the city together.

Insights from Chapter 4

#1

Trump announced his intention to run for president on June 16, 2015. His daughter, Ivanka, introduced him. She gave a speech that was a thunderclap above the Republican political landscape. She spoke as an outsider confronting a corrupt and feckless political establishment.

#2

To help him draft his immigration op-ed, Ivanka called on Hope Hicks, a communications ace who had joined the Trump Organization in 2014. Hicks helped craft the campaign's message and designed creative events that brought out the best in Trump.

#3

I learned the three rules of Trump: controversy elevates message, when you’re right, you fight, and never apologize. Most politicians follow polls, but Trump changed the