Secret Service agents, acting as human surveillance cameras, observe everything that goes on behind the scenes in the president's inner circle. Ronald Kessler reveals what they have seen, providing startling, previously untold stories about the presidents, from John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson to George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as about their families, Cabinet officers, and White House aides. Kessler portrays the dangers that agents face and how they carry out their missions—from how they are trained to how they spot and assess potential threats. With fly-on-the-wall perspective, he captures the drama and tension that characterize agents' lives. In this headline-grabbing book, Kessler discloses assassination attempts that have never before been revealed. He shares inside accounts of past assaults that have put the Secret Service to the test, including a heroic gun battle that took down the would-be assassins of Harry S. Truman, the devastating day that John F. Kennedy was killed in Dallas, and the swift actions that saved Ronald Reagan after he was shot. While Secret Service agents are brave and dedicated, Kessler exposes how Secret Service management in recent years has betrayed its mission by cutting corners, risking the assassination of President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and their families. Given the lax standards, "It's a miracle we have not had a successful assassination," a current agent says. Since an assassination jeopardizes democracy itself, few agencies are as important as the Secret Service—and few subjects are as tantalizing as the inner sanctum of the White House. Only tight-lipped Secret Service agents know the real story, and Kessler is the only journalist to have won their trust.
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"Awesome Ronald Kessler does a real good job on telling about what the real story behind a lot of our past and present presidents " — Daniel (5 out of 5 stars)
"Awesome Ronald Kessler does a real good job on telling about what the real story behind a lot of our past and present presidents "
" Okay at best, somewhat interesting. I can't believe this guy writes for a living, some of the stuff in this book is just stupid crap (sorry for being blunt). "
" The gossipy stories about presidents' personal lives were interesting, but the book wasn't very well written so I can't give it above a 3. "
" Some of the stories Kessler told were interesting (especially the ones addressing the character of presidents, vice presidents, & their wives), but overall, this was a poorly written book. "
" Very interesting book. Current and former members of the secret service share their opinions of Presidents and Vice Presidents. Opinions of President Lyndon Johnson were eye opening. As was the commentary on the negative aspects of the secret service. "
" Well written interesting book. Could have gone deeper into a lot of the subjects he covers. It was kind of funny that one of the first thing written is Secret Service Agents are to say nothing about who they guard-Then the secrets are spilled lol. This was a fun read. "
" Frankly, it was not very exciting. Just a few assorted tales of folks in the White House. Nothing much new and nothing really detailed. "
" This was really a very interesting book. Easy read and really entertaining. New insight into a unique job. Recommend to anyone. "
" 3.5 stars. Like most non-fiction, there was some interesting chapters and some not so much. A good read for anyone interested in the secret service or someone who likes a behind the scenes look at former presidents and their wives. "
" Everything you ever wanted to know about the Secret Serice but never thought about asking. "
" The SS began after Lincoln's bodyguard was criticized for heading to a local bar after Abe entered the theater. This is interesting background stories right up to present-day Obama (who still smokes daily though he denies it). "
" Admittedly some of the stories are juicy I felt like I was reading a book length version of a gossip column "
" Excellent view of the private lives of President's and a good look at the internal workings of the Secret Service. "
" Offers some interesting tidbits about presidents past and present. No earth shattering revelations here, but Kessler seems hell bent on shaking up the Secret Service suggesting that it's poorly run organization will one day soon lead to disaster. Not the most elegant of writers, but workmanlike. "
" It's constant temporal jumps dizzy and fascination with the tactics of security bore but the occassion gossipy tidbit (e.g., Jimmy Carter would very publically report to the oval office at 5AM where the book says he would nap for a couple hours) is worth the trip. "
" Horrible book. I wanted to know about the Secret Service, not how many women various presidents have slept with. So I couldn't finish it. Utter trash. "
" Goos book. It is a little self serving but an easy read. "
" very informative. a quick read. "
" Amazing how a book with so much dish can be so dull. "
" Very interesting. It is worth reading for the historical information it has. "
" Interesting, a little sensationalist. If the allegations of recent management troubles are true, that would be disturbing. "
" Very disappointed in this book. 1) It was poorly written. 2) It was very partisan. The Secret Service deserve better than to have this book represent them. "
" Horribly written. Repetitive. All interesting info could have been put within a single chapter. "
" Not that interesting and very repetitive. I quit reading it about 3 chapters before the end because I was that bored with it. Definitely wouldn't recommend it and won't look for any of his other "exposes" either. "
" I thought this was an interesting view of the Secret Service and the job that thy do. It was a quick read and I thought a bit slanted to the Republican Presidents. "
" I keep using the word salacious to describe this book. It's fine. Really. But it's mostly lurid stories about former presidents having affairs told with the moral compass and gossipy voice of a Sunday School teacher. "
Ronald Kessler is the New York Times bestselling author of The FBI, Inside the CIA, Moscow Station, Escape from the CIA, Spy vs. Spy, The Spy in the Russian Club, and The Richest Man in the World. He is an award-winning former correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, and his articles appear in leading periodicals. Mr. Kessler lives in Potomac, Maryland.
Alan Sklar, a graduate of Dartmouth, has excelled in his career as a freelance voice actor. Named a Best Voice of 2009 by AudioFile magazine, his work has earned him several Earphones Awards, a Booklist Editors’ Choice Award (twice), a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award, and Audiobook of the Year by ForeWord magazine. He has also narrated thousands of corporate videos for clients such as NASA, Sikorsky Aircraft, IBM, Dannon, Pfizer, AT&T, and SONY.
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