BOOK - "FIVE PRESIDENTS" by CLINT HILL and LISA McCUBBIN (Nonfiction)

WHAT A BOOK!! And I LOVE the cover. CLINT HILL is probably in his 30's or 40's in this photo. What a fascinating career he had in the SECRET SERVICE, working for all 5 of these Presidents.

I joined a NON-FICTION BOOK CLUB because I normally didn't read non-fiction and wanted to be exposed to some things I wouldn't normally gravitate towards. Several years ago my Sorority Alumni Book Club read "MRS. KENNEDY AND ME", also co-authored by CLINT HILL and LISA McCUBBIN and we all LOVED IT!  

If you don't know CLINT HILL by name, you would certainly know him as the man who climbed onto the back of the limousine that PRESIDENT and MRS. KENNEDY were riding in when PRESIDENT KENNEDY was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

CLINT HILL gives you a detailed accounting of the steady pressure he was under as a SECRET SERVICE AGENT - to protect the life of the President, Vice President and/or The First Lady. He was constantly planning for the next "outing" - was always on the lookout for strange movements or people who looked out of place or threatening and the stress finally took it's toll in his 40's. As co-authors, he and LISA McCUBBIN beautifully describe his life's work, his daily routine (that wasn't really "routine" at all) and the pressures he faced as a dedicated employee and protector.

Besides learning about CLINT HILL'S life, I also really enjoyed learning more about each of the 5 Presidents from his "insider perspective". Several things fascinated me about these 5 Presidents - including what they each had in common: 

1. During EVERY Presidency, there was SOCIAL and/or POLITICAL UNREST.
2. Every PRESIDENT had an enormous EGO - a NEED for adoration.
3. Many PRESIDENTS spent more time at his "ALTERNATE WHITE HOUSE" than at the actual White House in Washington, DC.
4. They all seem to love GOLF.

SOCIAL/POLITICAL UNREST

THE 1950's - EISENHOWER

Pg 52

"The fear of nuclear war was ever present, hovering like fog in every American's mind, and Eisenhower realized that maintaining our military strength was imperative to sustaining freedom in pursuit of world peace."

THE 1960's - KENNEDY

Pg 85

"Many American's believed war with the Soviet Union was inevitable. Additionally, racial tensions were mounting - especially throughout the South - as the civil rights movement was coming to the forefront."

Pg 129

"Nowhere was the tension greater than in Birmingham, Alabama, where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. had organized a series of marches."

THE 1960's - JOHNSON

Pg 230

"Everywhere you turned there was violence and killing."

Pg 282

"In less than twenty-four hours our nation's capital had turned into a war zone, and similar scenes were playing out in Chicago, Boston, Memphis, Nashville, and Detroit. So many military personnel were brought to D.C. that we were housing some of them in the hallways of the Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House."

Pg 289

"It felt like our country was unraveling at the seams."

Pg 293

"It felt like hatred and violence had taken the helm, thrusting our civilized society into a downward spiral."

THE 1960's - NIXON

Pg 325

"When Richard M. Nixon took office, America was a nation divided, with turbulence in our cities, ongoing protests against the Vietnam War, and still reeling from the assassinations of two more of our leaders."

THE 1970's - FORD

Pg 417

"One thing for sure: Ford's honeymoon period had come to an end, and from that point on, he would be the target of outrage and protests - an additional challenge for the agents on his protective detail."

EGO

Pg 29

EISENHOWER - "In response to the tremendous outpouring of affection, President Eisenhower rose up out of his seat and stood so the people could see him better, his arms outstretched, waving with his hat in his hand."

Pg 145

KENNEDY - "President and Mrs. Kennedy waved to the enthusiastic crowd, and when a group behind the fence line beckoned them to come closer, sure enough, President Kennedy strode toward them with Mrs. Kennedy following behind."

Pg 239

JOHNSON - "He stood on the running board reaching out to shake hands, grinning and shaking his head with glee at the response, and then, suddenly, he hauled himself up to the roof of the car and sat on the roof so the people could see him better."

Pg 332

NIXON - ".... his actions showed me that this president - like all the others I'd seen thus far - had an ego that needed to be stroked so badly that the man was willing to take calculated risks - risks that might cost him his life."

Pg 431

"The five presidents I had the privilege to serve could not have been more different....Yet there was one thing they all had in common: an enormous ego."

"ALTERNATE WHITE HOUSE"

Pg 91

KENNEDY - "The home at 1095 North Ocean Boulevard in Palm Beach that would be known as the Winter White House was actually owned by the president's father, Ambassador Joseph Kennedy. ......just another place for the family to gather: their warm-weather getaway."

Pg 105

KENNEDY - "Just as Ambassador Kennedy's residence in Palm Beach became the Winter White House, the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, became the Summer White House."

Pg 219

JOHNSON - "Each president deals with the stress of the office in his own way. Lyndon Johnson found relaxation at the LBJ Ranch, and in 1965 alone he spent more than 110 days there - nearly a third of the year."

NOTABLES

Pg 1

"Eisenhower initiated America's interstate highway system, which created an abundance of jobs as roads and bridges were constructed across the country."

Pg 40

EISENHOWER - "For me, it was a fascinating learning experience to see how heads of state and governments worked together for the betterment of all their people. I was pleased to see the respect each had for one another, knowing they all had different philosophies, but also realizing that if these men did not work together toward a common goal, the result could be the end of humanity as we knew it."

Pg 336

"Raised a Quaker, Nixon was deeply religious....."

Pg 342

"This was the crux of the message he was going to give to the leaders of the countries he visited on this trip: We, the United States, will support you, but you must fight your own battles in protecting your homeland. No more Vietnams. This would become the basis of the "Nixon Doctrine"."

Pg 413

CLINT HILL - "Secret Service agents are supposed to be tough - and we were - but when your mother dies, even the strongest of men need someone to lean on."

Pg 414

".....on August 9, Vice President Gerald Ford would then be sworn in - the first person to become President of the United States not through the process of election but rather as an appointee."

And I have to say that I now realize that the world and the United States has always been in turmoil - there has always been conflict - there has always been fear of the actions from other countries - there have always been BIG challenges - and we are fortunate that men and women take risks to keep the rest of us safe from harm.

One last quote about the NEWS - 

THE 1960's

Pg 276

"Certainly, it is more dramatic to show policeman and rioters locked in combat than to show men trying to cooperate with one another. The face of hatred and of bigotry comes through much more clearly - no matter what its color. The face of tolerance, I seem to find, is rarely newsworthy."

JOAN

WOLF SANCTUARY VISIT

Who knew that there is a WOLF SANCTUARY in LITITZ, PA within an hour of my house?! 

Well, I did and actually had it on my "60 THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN MY 60's" list. In January some friends and I visited the SANCTUARY and I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the photos I took of the WOLVES - although their website has a much more beautiful selection of WOLF photos, I have to admit. 

What a great experience for children AND adults. On 80 acres, for the past 30 years, one family has provided shelter and care for the WOLVES and has created an educational destination for the community and afar. There is no government or corporate financial support - they exist merely on donations from people like us.

This first group of WOLVES have been together for many years and from what we were told, they won't let any new wolves join their pack.

Isn't this one a handsome WOLF? Looks like you could "cuddle" him, but I would caution you to drop that thought.......

It was COLD, drizzly and a bit sloppy and slippery the day we visited. To see all of the wolves, we had to climb a pretty steep hill. With a bad knee and hip, it was challenging and tiring for me, BUT I made it to the top and most importantly back down to the bottom without a fall!! Ok, I was holding onto the fence as I creeped down the hill........

This one, one of the Volunteer favorites, is ready for something to eat!  Notice him scratching at the fencing to get the Volunteer's attention.

Tickets are nominally priced and private tours are the norm. The day we went, unexpectedly there were too many people there for any private tours, but the volunteers, who stood in front of each den, were enthusiastic and offered wonderful information about each of the wolves - about their habits, their history and their individual personalities. Each volunteer is PASSIONATE about the care of these WOLVES and knows every one of them by name.

I highly recommend a day here if you love animals, the outdoors and learning new things. It's also a beautiful drive out in the COUNTRYSIDE of LANCASTER COUNTY.

JOAN
PS On our way out, I noticed this OLD gasoline pump that must have been from "back-in-the-day" - 32 CENTS PER GALLON?!!

BOOK REVIEW - THE LIFE WE BURY by ALLEN ESKENS (NO SPOILERS)

It's not often that I read TWO BOOKS IN A ROW that I'd rate a 5 out of 5...... 

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book - "THE LIFE WE BURY" by ALLEN ESKENS (you can follow him on FACEBOOK too). 

From the first page, I was hooked and literally couldn't put it down. Only 300 pages - I finished it in 2 days. Easy-to-read and follow, FULL of SUSPENSE, and INTRIGUE - HEARTWARMING and FRIGHTFUL with many twists and turns. This author can write!

All of the characters are believable and well developed. I finished the book wanting nothing more - it was "JUST RIGHT"..........

Excited that it won THE EDGAR AWARD (2015), which in case you aren't aware, is for BEST WRITTEN MYSTERY. Very well deserved. Here are the other awards it's received:

• Anthony Award Nominee for Best First Novel (2015)
• Minnesota Book Award Nominee for Genre Fiction (2015)
• Thriller Award Nominee (2015)
• Barry Award Winner (2015)

My Book Club is going to really enjoy the discussion next month.  Naturally I don't want to spoil the story for you so I will only share a few excerpts to give you a flavor for the author's writing style (magnificent!):

Pg 7 (actually the first page of the story)

"Oddly enough my high-school guidance counselor never mentioned the word "college" in any of our meetings. Maybe she could smell the funk of hopelessness that clung to my second-hand clothing. Maybe she had heard that I started working at a dive bar called the Piedmont Club the day after I turned eighteen. Or - and this is where I'd place my bet - maybe she knew who my mother was and figured that no one can change the sound of an echo."

Pg 10

"My mother and my brother lived two hours south of the Twin Cities, but even a brief visit to my mom's place could be like a walk through a thistle patch."

Pg 38

"I have to get to class," she said, skirting past me, her shoulder brushing lightly against my arm as she went by. Then she paused at the door, or at least I think she paused. Maybe she was reconsidering my invitation. Maybe she was toying with me. Or, maybe - probably - my imagination was playing a trick on me and she didn't pause at all.

Pg 201

"Confession..." I said the word quietly to myself as a thought began forming, a dark and reckless thought, a thought that would follow me home and poke at me with the persistence of a petulant child."

TRUST ME - you WON'T be disappointed if you pick up this AWARD-WINNING BOOK and treat yourself to several hours of wonderful WRITING and STORY-TELLING.

JOAN

BOOK REVIEW - "THE LAST PAINTING OF SARA DE VOS" (NO SPOILERS)

This book is WONDERFUL - I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it!!

INTRIGUE, MYSTERY, ROMANCE, DECEIT, ART, FORGERY - and the story itself is MASTERFULLY CRAFTED.

I hope you can mentally visualize paintings by the DUTCH MASTERS, but if not, it helps to use GOOGLE to look up ones mentioned in the book. I did that for many that I was not familiar with.

Set in the mid-1600's, late 1950's and the year 2000, the story jumps back and forth, but it isn't confusing at all. The book was so good that I didn't want it to end. I immediately re-read it chronologically, which gave me a different perspective - but I preferred the way the author wrote it.  Of course!!

Naturally I don't want to spoil the story for anyone, so I'll stop here but I WILL share a few excerpts that "grabbed me".........

Pg 139

"Betting on a flower's future blooming always seemed to him like betting on the motion of clouds."

Pg 183

"As a patent attorney I follow the history of inventions. The guy who filed the first zipper patent in the nineteenth century called it the Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure. For obvious reasons that name never caught on..."

Pg 205

"She was sixteen and being courted by the local boys. My husband was forever finding ribbons tied to the fence-post as a sign of some secret love promise."

Pg 212

"How remarkable, she thinks, the way paintings trap light and time. Father Barry used to call it starlight, the passage of pigments on canvas across the centuries."

Pg 219

"An open mouth was a sign of sexual availability in Dutch culture at the time. A signifier of sorts."

Pg 234

"Wasn't the promise of immense wealth a cryogenic cloister in which to grow old? Couldn't decades of eating the best foods, taking the best vacations, and sleeping in the finest beds prevent the slumping of the frame and the spackling of the skin? All these years, she has kept him in his forties."

Pg 262

"You carry grudges and regrets for decades, tend them like gravesite vigils, then even after you lay them down they linger on the periphery, waiting to ambush you all over again."

ENJOY!!

JOAN