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Dennis Rodman, North Korea and Donald Trump’s ‘The Art of the Deal’

Dennis Rodman, left, presents Donald Trump's book "The Art of the Deal" to North Korea's Sports Minister Kim Il Guk on June 15 in Pyongyang, North Korea.
(Kim Kwang Hyon / Associated Press)
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In what appears to be an act of literary diplomacy, former basketball star Dennis Rodman has brought books to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

One book was Donald Trump’s “The Art of the Deal,” which Rodman was photographed giving to the nation’s sports minister, Kim Il Guk.

That book was published in 1987, four decades before Donald Trump would become president. During the presidential campaign, Trump’s ghostwriter on the book, Tony Schwartz, spoke up about his experience working with Trump and was highly critical of him, saying “I put lipstick on a pig” and that now the title he would suggest would be “The Sociopath.”

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Rodman also brought a children’s book — “Where’s Waldo” by Martin Hanford. “Where’s Waldo” is presumed to be a gift for Kim Jong Un’s daughter.

Whether Rodman was able to find either book in a Korean edition is unknown.

Rodman also gave Kim two signed sports jerseys.

carolyn.kellogg@latimes.com

@paperhaus

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