Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford

I absolutely loved reading this American hero's account of his selfless fascinating service to our country!! I could not put it down!!!

This is a fascinating insider view to many of the events in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. First person stories are always interesting but this one was especially intriguing since I never knew much about that Secret Service agent who rushed to the presidential limo as the fist shot rang out in Dallas on that fateful day in 1963. I didn't know his name, now I know his compelling story. Clint Hill takes us through his protection of five different presidents. It was fascinating to see the personality differences in how each president approached the presidency and dealt with their own security. I enjoyed how he provided a limited, behind the scenes perspective of many of the national and world events ranging from the Cuban Missile Crisis, to Vietnam to Watergate. It was also very interesting to hear how the Secret Service works. Hill detailed how he got the job, was promoted and even when he was seemingly demoted to the Kiddie Protection and later protecting the First Lady. The content of the book was very informative without being exploitative. But what I appreciated most was how he detailed it. I have read many biographies and more than a few that write a book to inflate their importance as an attempt to secure their legacy. This story does the opposite. Hill reflects the purpose of the Secret Service when he takes the humble approach, highlighting the service he and his colleagues provided. While we do hear it from his perspective, in many ways the book isn't about him but the role he played in that national story. The book reflects the mindset and attitude of the protective detail of the world's most powerful leader. He writes of the joys, privileges and challenges but not from a "I'm important" but "this is what it was like. We don't hear, read or see that perspective or dedication much anymore. So to hear from someone who sacrifices their private life to protect a public official who they may or may not like or agree with is refreshing, intriguing and informative. For me, the most intriguing theme was how he struggled to deal with losing a president on their watch. Even though he was on the First Lady's protection, he felt personally responsible for JFK's death. That is difficult to comprehend in this self-serving world. He always felt he should have done more. Reading between the lines and what was omitted from the story that happened after he left the service, that one incident haunts today, decades later. I appreciate that he didn't drag us through all his misery. His sense of duty to his country but also to his readers is clear. It now makes sense why he didn't write a book much sooner, trying to capitalize on the tragedy. In the world of scandal and tabloids, I'm sure Clint Hill could have shared many other stories that would have shown a different side of those presidents. I appreciate that he took this approach. This book is not only a great peek behind the scenes but a great lesson in service. We can all learn something from Clint Hill and the Secret Service.

Clint Hill, probably the most recognized Secret Service agent in history, writes of his sixteen-year career covering presidents from Eisenhower to Ford. It's a book of mostly light fare, much of which is spent relating presidential foreign trips and how the secret service attended to the details necessary in making a president's trip safe. Apart from the often remembered day in Dallas, which Hill has written about previously, he spends several entertaining chapters describing how life was like with Lyndon Johnson. These chapters were lots of fun to read as LBJ kept the agents hopping with last-minute decisions to "go places". A good bit of the book is taken up with historical context rather than Hill's own personal involvement in protecting the president, so the narrative gets a little diversionary at times. But I was amazed to read about how long the SS-100-X, the limousine in which JFK was riding when assassinated, was still in use. And it wasn't until Nixon's tenure that limousines finally got bulletproof glass! There are some questions that are never answered. Was it really alcohol abuse that shortened his years with the Secret Service?He doesn't tell much about this. And what ever happened to his wife, Gwen? She fades away somewhere near the end of the book. "Five Presidents" is an easy read, told my a man who was a witness to dozens of major historical events. It's worth that read to learn about his career and the men he served.

I enjoyed the book immensely. It kept my attention because it was so detailed and gave a view close up. Only thing that was curious was the details about some of the female proclivities of especially Johnson and Kennedy that were not disclosed in the narrative but certainly well rumored and maybe even documented in other places. Other than that, which could have been left out because he was guarding Jacqueline and not that close to JFK, but who knows. Took me back to many periods of history which were familiar and some not so much and gave me a view into what it took to protect the President and the effect it had on those who did that. His insight into JFK's assignation was grueling since he was so up close and personal, but that detail was needed to truly tell the horror of it all. I highly recommend this book which was recommended to me by a friend for anyone who wants to understand the innerworkings of the Office, and how the Secret Service works. Well done.

Entertaining, educational and very well written. It's also a great Book Club book. The inside story of their personalities is very interesting.

If you want a detailed, intelligent, eloquent tale of presidential history read Clint Hill's "Five Presidents" which covers his 17 years in the Secret Service protecting occupants of the White House. From the days of Eisenhower, when security was far more casual than it would be after the assassination of JFK, to the Ford administration Mr Hill tells the stories which illuminate the lives of each leader in a thoughtful way. He allows us to see the human side, but keeps the anecdotes to the humorous/insightful, devoid of the trashy/speculative material so many "insiders" go to in order to boost sales. This is Clint Hill's story and it is peopled with all the names we have heard in the headlines, but on a human scale. He explains the passion Eisenhower had for golf but does not make it an attack on him. We learn about Lyndon Johnson from someone who walked right beside him daily. Of course there are more stories about Hill's years with Jacqueline Kennedy, a favored time of his career. And one is certain that Mrs Kennedy would approve the way he describes working with her and the president. Lisa McCubbin is the co-author of this book and it is clear that she has magnificently set the tone and voice with which it is written. Selecting the stories to tell and shaping the narration has resulted in a grand book, which will resonate with all interested in a life of service to his country. Bravo to both authors.

I've read Clint Hill's other books and must say, we are fortunate that he decided to tell the story of his life and the important role he played in our history. He got to see firsthand, some really major events in our country by working directly with the presidents who served for 17 years , starting with Eisenhower through Ford . He tells his story honestly, and with precise detail, yet makes the story of human interest by adding some emotion to the story also : the humor and the heartbreak . I really enjoyed this book , as you get a first-hand look at what life as a secret service agent would be like , with the stress yet the rewards of the job. Mr. Hill writes a very classy book, by not trashing anyone , so it's not a tell-all type of book, it's just an honest assessment of each president , the job he did, and his personality . It seems to me that it would have been hard to adjust to some of these guys, but Mr Hill was always professional in the telling of his story . After finishing [book:Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir|13230263] , it sounded as if he hadn't ever really dealt with the day Kennedy was killed . He'd never went to talk to anyone about it , to get emotional help in dealing with it . I don't think anyone on the planet could fault the secret service agents that day. They did the best they could , but no man has the ability to prevent an event like that in an atmosphere like that. The odds are against them too heavily. At the end of this book, it seems as though he has finally come to some peace and resolution with this part of his life . A very well written memoir , highly recommended if you love presidential history .

As the first of three books by Clint Hill (the other two being "Mrs. Kennedy and Me" - 2012 and "Five Days in November" - 2013), all of which I have either read or plan to read, I know that I am reading them out of order. However, I wanted to read this book ("Five Presidents") first so that I could gain a better perspective of his overall career as a Secret Service agent before delving deeper into his [relatively brief] time with the Kennedys. This book is an easy read and I was able to finish it in just a couple of weeks of reading only a chapter or two at a time. Hill and his co-author Lisa McCubbin possess a narrative style of writing that helps readers stay interested and curious to find out what happened next and how "supporting characters" behaved, reacted, and responded. The anecdotes and stories that Hill chose to include in his memoir gives readers a good idea of what it was like to work in the White House and serve as a Secret Service agent for such powerful and interesting people. My only comment which could be perceived as negative (not my intention) is that with each subsequent chapter and/or section following the description of his time with the Kennedys and the tragic events of 11/22/63, he seems to refer back to those times/events with unnecessary frequency. Such as when describing his time serving as a member of Lyndon Johnson's detail...at the beginning of the chapter he might be telling a story about visiting the LBJ Ranch but then somewhat randomly starts recalling the events of 1963. As perhaps one of the more notable Secret Service agents in the history of the organization, Hill was made famous by his actions in Dallas. Being not only an eyewitness but also an active participant during such a tragic event obviously affected Hill greatly; and his honesty in describing how he coped with such emotional turmoil following that event should be lauded and admired. That said, Hill's description of the events on 11/22/63 should not be taken lightly, wherever he happens to include them within the narrative, because this book is still a very good read and provides a great historical account of our nation's Presidents, their families and administrations.