The First Family Detail: Secret Service Agents Reveal The Hidden Lives Of The Presidents (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
The author provides a detailed inside account about the challenging job of protecting the president, his family and those around him, often with too few resources. While this is a well-researched book complete with the first-hand accounts you would expect, there are a couple flaws that keep it from a 5-star rating. First, if you have read Kessler's previous book on this topic, you will recognize the content that is "recycled" for this book. Second, while the details likely are accurate, because Kessler adheres to the good journalistic practice of having multiple sources, some of the details are a bit lurid for my tastes. Perhaps this is my own weakness of not wanting to see all the warts of our leaders. Others might find his high moral standards a bit self-righteous, but I think he holds the old romantic (even Platonic) notion that our leaders are chosen from the best of us. Not surprisingly, he finds himself rather disappointed with some who have been picked to lead our nations.If you were to pick one book on the topic, I definitely would recommend this one. This is a total tabloid type book and full of flat out lies. As an example Kessler claims that VP Biden only allows 2 Secret Service vehicles near him when he is back home and that the military assistant who carries the back up nuclear football, his doctor and a large portion of his security detail is left behind, out of his sight "according to a secret service agent on Biden's detail". Are you kidding me, even if this was true which I doubt, does anyone really think an active secret service agent assigned to the VPs detail would tell anyone about this, that the agent would put the VP in that kind of danger? I also noticed that in this book and Kessler's previous book about Secret Service agents who protect the POTUS the Republican Presidents and their families are portrayed as kind, likeable people while the Democratic Presidents and their families are portrayed as mean, very unlikeable people. The author also spends a LOT of time beating up on and vilifying Hillary Clinton, it seems like he is obsessed with her, it borders on creepy.I would not consider this an accurate historical record at all. I consider it a tabloid, guilty pleasure style book, feel a little guilty for reading it, take the information with a grain of salt.
What do You think about The First Family Detail: Secret Service Agents Reveal The Hidden Lives Of The Presidents (2014)?
Learned some things I didn't know before and reinforced some that I did. It was okay.
—Seni
Irrelevant, unimportant and trashy . . . but kind of fun too.
—lee
