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Book Review of Killing Reagan: The Violent Assault that Changed a Presidency

Killing Reagan: The Violent Assault that Changed a Presidency
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3414 more book reviews


This is a very difficult book to evaluate. On the one hand, the assault is explained minute-by-minute. On the other, some things seemed missing; Reagan's relationship with Gorbachev was barely mentioned.

I thought the reported promiscuity of Reagan after his first marriage had little to do with the subject of the book. The authors were very disappointed that Hinkley got such a light rapping of the wrist for his crime; they obviously do not believe in the insanity defense. Hearing the authors' evaluation of Hinkley's life after the assassination attempt, it is hard to argue with their scorn.

One of the advantages of reading a biography is that a person's life is shown in one long stream. Thus, the reader can evaluate the accomplishments, troubles, challenges within that person's life. I thought this book spent too much time on his Hollywood years and too little on Reagan's governorship and presidential years. 3.5 stars