Ivanka Trump Publishes Book, Highlights Advantages of Nepotism

It’s not often that you read a book championing nepotism. The subject, in fact, seems almost to make some folks’ skin crawl. But Ivanka Trump, the uber-privileged daughter of billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump, talks about the advantages of growing up rich and privileged in her new book, and even attributes much of her success to nepotism. Of course, the world at large already knows HOW Ivanka has met with any success – but now she’s admitting it.

Ivanka, who is 27 years old, notes in her new book "The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life," that "The message I take in from the people who inspire me is that success isn’t something that happens to you; you happen to it." The book is largely about what Ivanka learned while growing up rich, but she does take the time to explain to young women – with whom she has nothing in common – how to focus in the workplace, negotiate in business settings and do well amidst uncertainty both in life and at work.

The book, which is 241 pages long, includes many of Trump’s self-termed "Bulletins from my BlackBerry." Most of these are messages that she has received over the years from people she admires. Among the celebrities quoted are Russell Simmons, Arianna Huffington, Jonathan Tisch, Cathie Black and Chris DeWolfe. While admitting that her father is responsible for her success (sort of), Trump does note, "We’ve all been dealt a winning hand, and it is up to each of us to play it right and smart."