Five Presidents by Clint Hill

 

 

For July, we read Five Presidents, by Clint Hill, and held the discussion outdoors at Paul Miller Park in Perham in the main shelter area. We are planning to meet there again for our August meeting, where we discuss East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Hope to see you there!

 

Onward!

Secret Service agent Clint Hill brings history intimately and vividly to life as he reflects on his seventeen years protecting the most powerful office in the nation. Hill walked alongside Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, and Gerald R. Ford, seeing them through a long, tumultuous era—the Cold War; the Cuban Missile Crisis; the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy; the Vietnam War; Watergate; and the resignations of Spiro Agnew and Richard M. Nixon. With a unique insider’s perspective, Hill sheds new light on the character and personality of these five presidents, revealing their humanity in the face of grave decisions.  

 

We had a wide spread of reviews for Five Presidents~ it ranged from a small handful who enjoyed the book enthusiastically, to a couple of people who just liked it, could have taken it or left it, to yet a few more who really didn't care for the book at all. Most everyone could agree it was an easy, uncomplicated read that didn't really make you think (like The Silent Patient did us). We liked hearing about the intricacies and quirks of each of the presidents depicted.

It appeared the big draw for those who really liked it was that it was a retelling of history from a time in their personal lives that they could relate to and reminisce about. It was said he was a hero for running towards danger without hesitation when duty called, and they also appreciated his sacrifice, dedication and respect for the office of the presidency, something that seems to be sorely lacking in today's culture.

However, while respectfully acknowledging all those good remarks, a fair amount of members found Hill arrogant (could that be a necessary attribute for a job such as this?), despite his efforts to appear otherwise. He was clearly in love with Jackie Kennedy and seemed largely, although admittedly so, absent and neglectful of his first wife and children. He had no qualms sharing that Johnson had a bad temper (and what he describes as an annoying habit of giving elaborate tours of his beloved Texas ranch and childhood home, complete with attempts to outsmart the secret service about his whereabouts and intentions) or throwing Nixon under the bus regarding Watergate (commenting he knew all along Nixon was a bad egg), but completely overlooked and omitted Kennedy's rampant extramarital affairs.

One member found the book mostly a bore with repetitive, unnecessary details (all the parades and their intricate details, Eisenhower's many golfing excursions) amongst a few interesting bits of information mixed in. It was said the book didn't really disclose anything a high school history book wouldn't have already covered, and was therefore found uninspired. 

Should we know everything a president is up to? It was pointed out that former President Jimmy Carter is widely known as a good, honest man... but is he considered a good president? Did he get the job done and do it well?

 

Did you enjoy Five Presidents? Fans of the book also enjoyed: The Kennedy Detail, by Gerald Blaine, The First Family Detail, by Ronald Kessler, and First Women, by Kate Andersen Brower. All of these titles are available in Viking~ reserve your copy today!   

 

At the conclusion of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:
Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read? 
"NO"
Rate the book 1-5 stars, with 1 being the lowest rating: 
 3 stars