About this episode

Harry Litman interviews Patrick Radden Keefe about his book 'London Falling' and the implications of wealth and power in London and the U.S.

A teenager hurtles from the balcony of a luxury apartment complex into the Thames. That unexplained death animates the newest book from one of America’s great nonfiction writers, Patrick Radden Keefe. Patrick joins Harry to unspool the story's web of shady characters, complacent police, and desperate parents. The two delve into the transformation of London into a playground for the extremely and unscrupulously wealthy—like Russian oligarchs—that made the fatal fall possible and draw out the way Trump is overseeing a similar shift in the United States. And Harry digs into Patrick’s approach to writing, including how his law degree informs his precise, almost prosecutorial reporting. Mentioned in this episode: London Falling: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704979/london-falling-by-patrick-radden-keefe/ Patrick's reporting: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/patrick-radden-keefe Patrick's story about Trump, Mark Burnett, and the Apprentice: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/07/how-mark-burnett-resurrected-donald-trump-as-an-icon-of-american-success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Harry Litman

Guest: Patrick Radden Keefe

Topics covered

• nonfiction writing
• wealth inequality
• London
• Russian oligarchs
• Trump
• crime
• journalism

Keywords

• Patrick Radden Keefe
• London Falling
• wealth
• oligarchs
• Trump
• journalism
• crime
• nonfiction

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New Yorker

Books & works: London Falling

More episodes of Talking Feds

• David Frum’s Unified Thesis of Trump’s Failings · June 4, 2026 · 34 min
• Purges, Payoffs, and Paxton · June 1, 2026 · 1h 0m
• Orange Slush (Special DOJ Episode) · May 25, 2026 · 1h 5m
• How SCOTUS is Slanting the Midterms · May 21, 2026 · 37 min
• Trump's "Systematic" Undermining of the Economy · May 18, 2026 · 36 min
• Race to the Bottom · May 14, 2026 · 1h 2m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Talking Feds podcast page.