REVIEWS+

Rawhide Down

The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan
by Del Quentin Wilber
Rawhide Down: The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan. Holt. Mar. 2011. c.320p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780805093469. $27. CRIME
COPY ISBN
On March 30, 1981, the country was rocked by the shooting of newly inaugurated President Ronald Reagan after a speech at the Washington Hilton. Washington Post reporter Wilber takes us through that terrifying day. He not only covers Reagan's schedule but introduces all the players, including Secret Service agent Jerry Parr, whose quick thinking saved the President's life twice over; Press Secretary James Brady, an official in the wrong place at the wrong time; Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy and police officer Thomas Delahanty, shot in the line of duty; and, of course, John Hinckley Jr., the quiet, polite would-be assassin with no motive but a desire to impress a woman. The doctors and nurses who labored over this most important of patients are also given their due, as are the advisers who worked to keep the country running during the ordeal.
VERDICT There is nothing political about this book; it is purely a human-interest story and shows how Reagan's courage and grace under pressure endeared him to the American public, who forgave much that came later. For crime and American history fans alike.
Reviewed by Deirdre Bray Root, Middletown P.L., OH , Mar 15, 2011
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?