Readers Reviews

OUTSTANDING

by Spanky


I purchased the book and the audio CD. I started reading the book and could not put it down. I read it in one night. The Title of the book is right, lots of "detail." An Outstanding well written book. I purchased the CD for my husband and he (like myself) was in awe for what the secret service do, and what they did that day.

Readers Reviews

Treat yourself to history

By JEFFREY MCGRAW (New York USA)

Having lived through the JFK assassination at a very young age, it was a great insight into the events of the day which I then recalled in vivid detail as I read The Kennedy Detail by Gerald Blaine and Lisa McCubbin. It was detail oriented, a little slow in spots but brought to the forefront the sacrifices these brave men and women have contributed over the years. The agonizing step by step detail about the final political trip by the Kennedys and leading up to those "six seconds" in Dallas only served to undersocre the elements of danger that went with their job and meager salaries. When I was done I felt like I had relived each and every one of those minutes from the inaugeration tothe final burial at Arlington.

Inspirational, insightful and a good book. So get a warm drink, bundle up in front of the fire and pull up the afghan and read a piece of history. I guarantee that you won't be sorry.

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

Simply the Best

Aaron J. Hill "christiansoldier" (Cleveland, OH USA)

This book tops any documentaries, books, or anything else out there dealing with JFK. I felt like after reading this book, not only do I feel as if I have a better knowledge of the assassination, but I also have a better understanding of the role of the Secret Service. I have gained much more respect for them as well. While I was reading this book, I felt as if I was a "fly on the wall". You feel as if you were right there with the Secret Service during every event. That is just how good and well written this book is. It also answered a lot of the questions I had. I am not one to normally reread books that I have already read, but I could easily reread this book at least five times every year. A must have for any history buff or JFK enthusiast.

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

Different "Kennedy" Book

R. R. Costas Jr. (San Francisco, CA United States)

By

I really enjoyed this book. I am by no means a conspiracy junkie, but I am aware of the conspiracies out there, read at least one conspiracy book and I am aware of some of the flaws of the Warren Commission Report. However, I almost specifically bought this book because it wasn't meant to explain the assassination away or to pass judgement on the Warren Commission or the conspiracy theories. Only at the end does the author (Blaine) give his opinion on some of the conspiracy theories and what he perceived to be some attacks on the integrity of the Secret Service men that he knew better than anyone who's written a book on the assassination. It didn't seem excessive to me and it was well within his rights.

Neither did I care to find out about JFK's secret dalliances with any number of women. I'm of the school that that is nobody's business but his and his wife and if the book deviated into that topic as well as all the conspiracy theories, it'd be much longer than the 400 pages it turned out to be. You can find tons of other books and blogs about either of those topics elsewhere.

I bought the book because I thought it'd be really interesting to know more about the Secret Service detail in those days and, in particular, to read accounts of the assassination from people who were there in the moment and whose job was to prevent such a thing from happening. I had not been privy to a lot of this information from one source. I thought the book gave a fascinating look at the job of a White House Secret Service Detail, not only safeguarding the President, but also his wife and his children. Compared to what we see today, and I'm sure due in large part due to the Kennedy assassination, it seemed an incredibly simplistic and arcane way to protect the most powerful man in the world. But it was what it was and the Secret Service was not properly funded by Congress at that time.

I think the book also shows to many of us why the Kennedy assassination was such a transforming event for the nation. It does show to those of us who have no recollection of that administration, why the Kennedys gave the country such a good feeling of optimism. They simply seemed to be very decent people all around, imperfections and all, and it showed in the way they treated their Secret Service detail, generating an intense loyalty on the part of the agents. As the agents testify during the book, Presidents Eisenhower and Johnson were not quite as "personal" in their dealings with the detail. Not that they tried any less hard to protect those and every other president, but the genuine affection they had for the Kennedys was palpable.

It was interesting to learn about the agents, but also about the advance work that had to be done in preparation for any presidential trip and how the president also determines how much risk he's willing to take. Kennedy, more than Eisenhower or Johnson, seemed to have an inability to help himself when it came to greeting crowds. This, of course, generated more alarm and concern for the agents but it was the president's prerogative. JFK also preferred to remove the limos' tops pretty much as long as it wasn't raining. To him, it was important for the people to see as much of him as possible in order to generate more voter support. This was also the first time I learned that it was the president who specifically asked (in Tampa) the Secret Service to not have agents riding directly on the back of the limo, for the same purpose of visibility and connection to the crowds. It wasn't some conspirator within the service who made that decision.

The events leading up to and through the assassination were interesting to the extreme. If you know enough about the conspiracy theory there is information here on some of the better known aspects of these theories, but they are mentioned as facts and not with a view to debunk any theories. Examples are the finding of the "magic bullet", the number of shots the agents claim they heard, the car slowing down during the shooting, the positioning of the head wound as reported by agents and doctors versus what others state and the decision to switch caskets and performing the autopsy in Bethesda Naval Hospital instead of in Dallas, as the law dictated.

Particularly heartbreaking is the story of Agent Clint Hill, whose true responsibility was Mrs. Kennedy, but who is the agent we all see in the film of the shooting jumping onto the limo and shoving Mrs. Kennedy back into the car. The poor man, along with the rest of the detail, was traumatize for years and you should watch the 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace that he did in 1975 and which is described in the book. It is impossible not to feel for this man.

Some passages or chapters seemed a little lengthy or unnecessary and that's the reason I didn't give 5 stars. For new information, interesting stories, non-judgmental story-telling and a different perspective on the tragedy, I'd give it the highest ranking.

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

Eye opening, Riveting, Better than a Clancy novel!

By

American Eagle

Okay folks, if you want an insiders scoop on the events leading up to, and just after, November 22nd, 1963- Read this book. There are times that will surprise you, times that bring you to tears, and times that will shock you.

View this from the eyes of the men who were quite literally there. You will see what happens behind the scenes of a protection detail, the toll it takes on the agents & their families, and from a select few-what is was like to lose a President. As they retell the unfolding events, you almost become a member of their team. You see it through their eyes-from the agents on foot near the Presidential limo and the ones riding in the follow-up car. Every detail is etched in their memories, and now laid out in print for you to read. The accompanying photos, and the JFK quotes at the beginning of each chapter allow you to experience that era, whether you lived in that time or not.

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

The book--THE KENNEDY DETAILI just got done reading the book--THE KENNEDY DETAIL by GERALD BLAINE. I would strongly recommend this book to the forum. It is one of the best books i ever read.

SAM http://jfkhistory.com/forum/

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

If you only read  1 book about JFK... Make it this one. 

 

By 

Rancho relaxo 

Compelling and well written, this book makes the 'conspiracy theorists' look pitiful and deluded. The fact that the 'conspiracy theory' JFK notion is so huge, seems in many peoples mind to imbue it with credibility. Sorry, but fact's have credibility, emotional pandering to widesread paranoia does not. I wanted to know more about JFK and the assasination, and not have to put up with annoying theories that rely on the weakest evidence, I read this book and was glad I did. Furthermore, upon having read it I feel sure that JFK himself would rather the story be told by his most trusted aides rather than some half baked 'author' trying to make a name for himself in history in rather the same way as Oswald himself was. The fact Clint Hill, Mrs Kennedys trusted agent, put his name to this book speaks for itself.

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

A Dignified Tribute to the Agents Who Served the Kennedys 

 

By 

Anthonette L. Mcdaniel "all things history" (Norris, TN USA)

A paean to the Secret Service agents who worked with John and Jacqueline Kennedy (and their children), this book provides a unique perspective on the assassination. For those readers who are seeking yet more salacious tales from Camelot this is not the book. For those readers who seek to read yet more conspiracy theories this also is not the book. However, it does provide excellent context about the workings of the Secret Service circa 1963. One of the most astonishing take away points is how the security around the president has grown exponentially since 1963 and, consequently, how remote the president is from the people who have elected him. That is not the purpose of this book, of course, but it is an inescapable conclusion. It is true that this book does not attempt some sort of remote objectivity about the Kennedys or the assassination but read it if you want to understand the world of the Secret Service. I came away with a renewed respect for their awesome duty.

Quarterly Review

 http://www.quarterly-review.org


News of Jack, part 2

Safeguarding JFK and his family was evidently one of the most daunting tasks ever performed by the American secret service (The Kennedy Detail, Discovery, 20th of November). President Kennedy realised that his popularity depended on close physical contact with the people. During motorcades, accordingly, he would make impromptu stops and immerse himself in the adoring crowd. At such times, he was almost impossible to protect. Indeed, Kennedy himself pointed out how easy it would be to kill him. Well before the events in Dealey Plaza, the requirements of presidential politics and personal security were at loggerheads.

It was surprising to learn that the members of this elite group, “the best of the best” according to their own reckoning, were so badly paid. Yet there were compensations. Required to spend long periods away from their own families, they became part of Kennedy’s extended family and shared in its joys and sorrows. Predominantly men of humble origins from small towns, they had ample opportunity to meet the famous and glamorous people who surrounded the first family. Today, they remain fiercely loyal to their former boss, who despite his exclusive background clearly possessed the common touch. No mention was made of his well-documented peccadilloes.
In programmes like this, it is the incidental items that stay in the mind – Jackie’s blood stained stockings and the struggle to get the President’s cumbersome coffin into Air Force One. One member of JFK’s entourage recalled being asked how bad the President’s injuries were. “It’s as bad as it gets” was all he could manage.

There is a striking similarity between mourning and melancholia, as Freud observed. The men of the Kennedy detail, who experienced both, bear witness.

LJ

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

THE KENNEDY DETAIL,,,,,,,,,,the real story,,,,,facing the dangers, 

By 

EZT 

For purposes of this review, I have selected EZT which was my "back-up" call sign wen I was assigned to the Presidential White House Detail.

Without going into a long detailed explanation of my backgound let me suggest that as a Secret Service Agent I often considered what a great story I could possibly tell considering
all of the experiences I had in some manner or another.  But as time went by and I became involved in other federal law enforcemnt agencies I realized that if you were going to do
such a project  you would need considerable self discipline and ambition. Needless to say, I developed neither.
 
So when Jerry called and told me what he planned to do and asked if I could help it took me about thirty seconds to say ABSOLUTELY!!!!!! And I am glad I did.
 
Having worked with Jerry Blaine and prior thereto with Clint Hill, I personally believe that they have done a tremendous job. This book ........ in my opinion, will probably end up as a
required reading for individuals studying political history in the future. And for what it is worth, I personally could not think of two more honest, intelligent and dedicated persons to
have written some real history,,,,,,,,and if I may ,,,,history moving more rapidly than a speeding locomotive.

Having worked with Clint Hill on the First Lady/Children's detail insuring the welfare of the those family members and subsequently being on the same Presidential protective shift as
Jerry Blaine allowed me to work with two of the most honest, dedicated and unselfish individuals that I have had the pleasure of knowing andI have no doubts that the other Secret
Service Agents which were all part of the same teams would heartily agree with this assessment.

Finally, although I alluded to this before, THE KENNEDY DETAIL is not only an excellent read but will be read by many, many persons in the future.

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

"Keep the ivy league charlatans off the back of the car"

 

By 

 CJA "CJA" (Minneapolis, MN) 

Blaine was a secret service agent assigned to protect Eisenhower and Kennedy; he resigned in 1964 to work for IBM. He did advance work for the Tampa motorcade that took place several days before Dallas, as well as advance work for the Austin stop that never happened. Although he was not present on November 22, 1963, he knows all the agents involved and was able to get everyone to talk many years later. The assassination was understandably traumatic for the agents, a trauma made worse by the absence of counseling or discussion of the trauma.

Through anecdote and then through a detailed accounting of the trips leading up to Dallas, Blaine gives a very good sense of the camaraderie and difficulties experienced by the Kennedy detail. Kennedy emerges from the account as a charismatic man who was loved and respected by his agents and who took time and effort to get to know his agents. The sordid Kennedy who supposedly used his agents to set up or cover up sex parties is not found in this account. Perhaps Blaine refrained from telling a few salacious stories. But more likely, the stories are themselves myths. Kennedy certainly had an active sex life, but clearly the man's focus was on being President, and he was fundamentally decent in dealing with others. It's interesting that we choose to measure "morality" on the basis of the extent to which one leads a conventional monogamous sex life. Kennedy's unconventional sex life was hurtful and was a character flaw. But it does not fully define the man. I'd rather have a guy with the decency and judgment of Kennedy with his finger on the button than monogamous guys like Nixon, Carter, or Bush.

The account is especially forceful in dismissing the elaborate conspiracy theories that defy logic and that take poetic license with the record. The eyewitnesses heard three shots and saw the back of Kennedy's head explode. Oswald had a clear and even easy shot. One agent thought he heard a shot from the grassy knoll, but it is clear that this was simply an echo effect.

The pain of Clint Hill -- Jackie's agent who ran to the vehicle after the first shot only to see Kennedy's head explode before he got there, and who threw Jackie back into the car and then covered both her and the President -- is well told. If only he could have gotten there sooner -- though it's hard to see how he could have acted any differently.

The real problem was the motorcade itself -- in a open top, unarmored vehicle completely exposed to a sniper. The problem was compounded by publishing the route in advance. One simply cannot protect the President under such circumstances.

One device the agents tried to use in such motorcades was to ride behind the President on a running board in the back of the vehicle. This tactic, however, was counterproductive. The whole ideal of the motorcade was to expose the President. Thus, Kennedy told his agents to "keep the ivy league charlatans off the back of the car." A classic bit of Kennedy wit. The agents weren't insulted by the remark and instead knew it was Kennedy's way of making and reinforcing a point.

Blaine points out that in the end even having the men on the back of the car would not have worked. First of all, the car was going through a thinning crowd and was going to speed up to hit an entrance ramp. So, even when agents rode on the running boards, the protocol was to jump off at this point. Also, Oswald's shot was so easy, it would not have made any difference any way.

This is a very moving book that inspires respect for the secret service and for Kennedy himself.

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

By 

Barbara A. Benedict "beagleboy" (Everett, WA)

The Kennedy Detail was about the 1963 Assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 3, 1963 from the point of view of the Secret Service members of that date. The book was excellent and it showed the effect it had on the members of the Secret Service. We only see the Secret Service at the time if the president's appearance. It starts way before that date with surveillance, motorcades, etc. The president's death had a profound effect on the Secret Service members but they had a new president to guard and to help Mrs. Kennedy bring her husband back to Washington. The Secet Service members had to keep going and not deal with what they had seen. Some members had immediate reactions and some went on for years to figure out what they were feeling. This was written by a member of the of the Secret Service who left to take a job at IBM and after he retire he corresponded with other members of the Secret Service. One of the saddest stories is about Clint Hill who jumped on the car to stop Mrs Kennedy from trying to capture the president's brain matter. While being interviewed by Mike Wallace for 60 Minutes, Clint Hill was struggling to deal with those memories but he did and lived out the last years of his life in peace. This was a wonderful book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

great book from a bona fide Kennedy reader

By 

Clementine Dare "Clementine" (Gilbert, Arizona, USA)

I'm one of those people that buy all the Kennedy books and read them. As a consequence I've learned quite a bit about the family and the Kennedy era. This book included many tiny details that were new to me (for example, when Air Force One landed in Love Field, it was after a very brief flight because they wanted to capitalize on the effect of disembarking from Air Force One). I thought Clint Hill came across as deeply honorable. I was touched and impressed to learn that the after all the sacrifice his job entailed his wife met JFK for the first time at the funeral. This book was also very personally written, I like how the author debunks various rumors surrounding the agents and conspiracy ideas. Just an amazing read. I recommend this book to any student of history or anyone with interest in the Kennedy era.

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

An intriguing and inspiring read, impossible to put down.

By 

John Day

The Kennedy Detail is an inspiring and intriguing read, one which lays bare the sacrifices of nearly anonymous men taking on a sisyphean task, and doing so without the slightest hint of self promotion or eventual reward. The book paints a vivid picture of men who constantly navigated the opposing needs of retail politics versus perfect security, using physical strength, endurance, acumen and psychology to constantly balance risks in real time, knowing always that a single moment's lapse could spell disaster.

The story is riveting, matched by an equally heartbreaking understanding that for a half a century these men have lived with the searing guilt and gnawing self-doubt of having lost a president during one of the most critical and volatile time periods in US history. This clearly wasn't an easy book to write.

It is difficult these days for most of us to recognize and truly comprehend the context of the events of November, 1963. Most of us simply weren't there, or weren't yet adults. But Blaine's recounting provides a window into the men, their lives, families and struggles, and the global and local events that shaped their day. It reveals the men of the secret service as the best of the best, not just in physical ability and mental acuity, but also in commitment, integrity, and duty.

It is this last aspect which gives the book its greatest impact - these were men for whom commitment was, and is, the guiding principal in their lives. It seems clear that JFK's commitment to the country was mirrored by the author and all the men whose entire lives were devoted to protecting the president and his family.

While this is a book that may primarily be of interest to those of us who remember using Brylcreem, it's one worth passing along to the younger generation around us. Examples of selfless duty and lifelong integrity are as valuable today as they were then.

The Kennedy Detail Reader's Review

Definitive History. The True Insider Story

By 

R J Gardino

Gerald Blaine has written the definitive insider account of the Secret Service security detail of the Kennedy Administration, and particularly of the specific events of that faithful day in Dallas. Written from the perspectives of those who actually worked the detail, the reader gets the true history of John Kennedy's Secret Service protection. Co-written by Lisa McCubbin, who deserves kudos for making the narrative an easy and enjoyable read, the book validates the finds of Vincent Bugliosi's exhaustive "Reclaiming History" and Gerald Posner's "Case Closed" on the Kennedy assassination.

Yes indeed it was that low life Lee Harvey Oswald, who killed President Kennedy. All the nitpicking, convoluted and speculative arguments surrounding the CIA, the Mafia, the Russians, The Cubans, and LBJ himself will not change the logical conclusion that Oswald was the lone gunman.

What is it about human nature that draws so many to conspiracy theories? It doesn't just involve the Kennedy assassination. Some to this day believe that Edwin Stanton may have played a part in the Lincoln assassination. There are those who push the notion that singer Mario Lanza was done in by the mob. Lanza actually died from complications of phlebitis. Many push the theory that TV's Superman George Reeves was murdered by a jealous former mobster boyfriend of his last lady friend. A study of the facts points to a likely suicide by Reeves. And lets not forget the conspiracy theory that the Kennedys themselves had Marilyn Monroe put to sleep to keep her quiet about her alleged affairs with JFK and RFK. Proof please.

If you took all the JFK conspiracy theories and all their infinitive unending speculations, the number of possible suspects of those involved in the Kennedy assassination would fill a football stadium. Unless you are part of the "Don't confuse me with the facts my mind is made up" crowd buy Gerald Blaine's book and relive history as it was.

Huge fan of book

Dear Mr. Blaine,

I wanted to write you and say how much I enjoyed your book. Having
read through many books on the Kennedy Presidency and legacy, your
book lent a credibility that simply cannot be questioned. Thank you
for encouraging the guys to lend their recollections to what is sure
to become a definitive account of those tragic events.

If you ever make it back through Los Angeles, perhaps for the
paperback, I'll be sure to attend the signing.

I know you guys don't like the term hero. Fair enough. But you had a
heroic job, did heroic things, lived a crazy schedule barely balancing
your family life with your work life that only a hero could pull off;
so you'll forgive me when I say, you sir, are a hero.

Thank you for this book. Thank you for your service.

Fred Shahadi
playwright

Warm best wishes to Jerry Blaine

 
Dear Mr. Blaine:
 
I have just finished reading "The Kennedy Detail," and am moved to write you this note to thank you for taking the time to write it.
 
Over the years, I have been privileged to have gotten to know several SA's with the Secret Service, and am always impressed with their dedication to the job.  It is, at its essence, a very high form of patriotism.  No one I know has gotten wealthy from being in the Service; even those who have risen in the ranks to ATSAIC's, ASAC's and SAIC's.
 
The point that resonated with me from reading your book is the Herculean tasks you and your colleagues had in an era devoid of the technological advances that the Secret Service enjoys today.
 
Please pardon my intrusion on your time with this email, but I wanted you to know that your book was not only enjoyable; it was inspirational as well.  I hope you, Joyce and your family will enjoy happiness and good health for many years to come.
 
Cordially,
Mark
 
Mark S. Alper

A note from White House Photographer Bob Knudson' daughter

Hello Mr. Blaine



I am the daughter of WH photographer Bob Knudsen. I just finished your book. I absolutely loved it. Being that I was the youngest I probably spent the most time during my younger years with my dad. Your book really allowed me to better understand why dad was so quiet about his job and why he was gone all the time. I was born in April 1963.



One of my fondest memories was a 40th year birthday party for my dad at our house in Annandale. One of the USSS Agents came upstairs to console me because I was upset because I couldn't go downstairs with all the adults. I also remember the trips with Nixon when most families accompanied their fathers to Florida and Laguna Beach, California.



I read your book super fast because it was so informative. The style was awesome. I am grateful for all that you did during your service for the country. I am a Special Agent with the embattled ATF. I have been one for 12 years. I have been on a few task forces where I have had the privelege of working with USSS. It is still a great Agency and a joy to work with USSS Agents.





I would love have you sign my book and one for my brother and mother. I know Bob asked for one, but he may have put it off and it would be a great gift for all my siblings and Mom.



Look forward to hearing from you.



Yvonne Knudsen Becker

Fascinating Authors Reviews the Kennedy Detail

Book Review: The Kennedy Detail by Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin

Book Review

by

John H. Manhold

The Kennedy Detail ISBN 9781439192962, Gallery Books Division of Simon & Schuster, Soft Cover, 404 pages by Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin.

For the first time, a member of the Secret Service assigned to guard President Kennedy, provides details “to set the record straight.”

The book begins with a Forward by the author, and another by Clint Hill, the security agent assigned to protect Mrs. Kennedy, who was so prominent in his efforts to protect the president on that fateful day. From this beginning, a reader is introduced to the extensive planning and details required to protect the President of the United States as well as other Members of State and their families. Details are provided of the precautionary measures taken for every trip, every motorcade, every personal appearance, and even during the night hours.

It details how every police report of ‘persons of interest,’ whether actual criminals, known agitators, or just ‘some nut’ is scrutinized and the precautionary measures that are taken, the manner in which motorcade routes are examined and programmed and even the specific automobiles and drivers that are required – all of the host of details one does not realize are necessary to reduce the state of vulnerability of the President of the United States.

Vignettes of the agents’ home life, their wives and children, also are presented in a simple manner that bring clearly to mind the dedication that this group of men must have to provide the efficient force they have become.

Image via Wikipedia

Actual description of the assassination of the President is presented graphically, with all details of the shots fired. The journey to the hospital, activities within the hospital and subsequent handling of the president’s body, also are described in detail, so as to make all theories of conspiracy seem untenable. Descriptions of the funeral and family actions also are faithfully described in all of their heart-wrenching detail.

The authors further have provided a look at the after-assassination life of Clint Hill that provides a description of the horrendous effect an action of this magnitude could have on persons as dedicated as these men.

In summary, as a person who lived through this horrendous period of history, and remembers following each and every detail as presented by the media, I am fascinated to read the descriptions of factors not presented at the time. The Kennedy Detail is a book that everyone should read. It provides essential details about a particularly prominent, albeit traumatic, incident in history in a most readable form.

http://www.fascinatingauthors.com

Rayment's Readings, Rants and Ramblings Reviews The Kennedy Detail

The Kennedy Detail by Gerald Blaine and Lisa McCubbin: Book Review

The Kennedy Detail

by Gerald Blaine and Lisa McCubbin

Simon and Schuster

ISBN: 978-1-43919296-2

Buy from Indigo



Description: THE SECRET SERVICE. An elite team of men who share a single mission: to protect the president of the United States. On November 22, 1963, these men failed—and a country would never be the same. Now, for the first time, a member of JFK's Secret Service detail reveals the inside story of the assassination, the weeks and days that led to it and its heartrending aftermath. This extraordinary book is a moving, intimate portrait of dedication, courage, and loss.



Drawing on the memories of his fellow agents, Jerry Blaine captures the energetic, crowd-loving young president, who banned agents from his car and often plunged into raucous crowds with little warning. He describes the careful planning that went into JFK's Texas swing, the worries and concerns that agents, working long hours with little food or rest, had during the trip. And he describes the intensely private first lady making her first-ever political appearance with her husband, just months after losing a newborn baby.



Here are vivid scenes that could come only from inside the Kennedy detail: JFK's last words to his tearful son when he left Washington for the last time; how a sudden change of weather led to the choice of the open-air convertible limousine that day; Mrs. Kennedy standing blood-soaked outside a Dallas hospital room; the sudden interruption of six-year-old Caroline's long-anticipated sleepover with a friend at home; the exhausted team of agents immediately reacting to the president's death with a shift to LBJ and other key governmental figures; the agents' dismay at Jackie's decision to walk openly from the White House to St. Matthew's Cathedral at the state funeral.



Most of all, this is a look into the lives of men who devoted their entire beings to protecting the presidential family: the stress of the secrecy they kept, the emotional bonds that developed, the terrible impact on agents' psyches and families, and their astonishment at the country's obsession with far-fetched conspiracy theories and finger-pointing. A book fifty years in coming, The Kennedy Detail is a portrait of incredible camaraderie and incredible heartbreak—a true, must-read story of heroism in its most complex and human form.



The Good Stuff

• Compelling and authentic and extremely classy (no tell all gossip book here)
• Touching first hand accounts of the relationship between JFK and his staff and his family
• Good selection of photographs including a lovely candid one of JFK and his kids on Halloween
• The scene between JFK and his son is very touching when you realize this is the last time they will ever see each other. Made me cry -- for once at least I wasn't in a public place when I read it
• Enjoyed the little glimpse into how compassionate and how all to human JFK and his wife were
• The obvious love and respect that the agents had for each other and for their "boss"
• honestly just really interesting to learn about the inner workings of the Secret Service and of the men whose job it is to protect the president - just plain fascinating
• Extremely detailed descriptions of the days before and after the assassination
• The descriptions of the agents grief and their obvious feelings of survivors guilt and shame are very moving
• Touching stories about the relationship between the agents and JFK's kids before and after the assassination
• Why are you still reading my ramblings just go get the book - you know you want to.

The Not so Good Stuff

• Jumps around a little and I got lost a couple of times -- but hey I am a sleep deprived mom, you guys might not notice as much
• Sometimes I was a little frustrated with all the minute details - see above note
• Also, (and you should know one of my history teachers, Mr Centa was a HUGE conspiracy theorist and I had to attend tons of his presentations in high school so this stuff has been ingrained in me - I can't tell you how many times we had to see the Zapruder film) I sort of balked at the obvious plea for us to put our full trust in the findings of the Warren Commission (See the last quote in next section)

Favorite Quotes/Passages



"The publishing of motorcade routes was a constant battle between the Secret Service and the president's political advisers. From the Secret Service standpoint, informing the public about the president's movements in advance was like inviting the fox into the hen-house, while the political folks looked at is as a necessity. From their views, the whole point of the motorcade was for JFK to be seen by as many people as possible."



"Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others - John F. Kennedy"



"Meanwhile, Godfrey was fuming. He couldn't wait to get out of the country. He turned to Rowley and said, "The Italians haven't changed since the last time I was here. The only difference is, now we can't shoot at 'em"

"I would be very pleased if the results of the Warren Commission and its investigation would be accepted as the final word. However, I know that the researchers, writers, and filmmakers who continue to question those findings will never accept those as the truth. The information presented by the majority of these people is theory, not fact. They were not witnesses to the assassination; have little or no knowledge of protective procedures; did not know the dedicated agents on this assignment; and simply were not in our shoes that day in Dallas."



What I Learned

• Fascinating details about the day to day challenges faced by members of the Secret Service
• How few Secret Service were actually in charge of protecting the president and how this has changed since
• Too many interesting historical tidbits to mention -- just go buy the book -- or of course ask your friendly neighborhood Librarian for a copy
• John F. Kennedy was the first Catholic to be elected president -- seriously I couldn't believe it either
• How little these guys actually got paid to put their lives on the line and how horribly boring it could be
• Really would have hated to be married to one of these guys

Who should/shouldn't read

• I'm thinking serious conspiracy theorists will be totally put off by this one -- that's right Fox Mulder and Dr. Jack Hodgins this book is not for you (And cannot forget about you Mr Centa)
• History buffs and those interested in the Secret Service will definitely enjoy
• Definite must have for Kennedy junkies

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