For your Leisure-Five Days in November

I was working at the Pierre Berton Branch a few evening back and came across the newly published audio book titled “Five days in November”. This title, written by the ex-secret service agent Clint Hill grabbed my attention immediately because we just commemorated the 50th anniversary to the day when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

It was midday November 22nd 1963 a day that would change the course of history and bewilder generations to come. In a short few seconds, the 35th President of the United States and leader of the free world was silenced forever some 50 years ago. This book will give you a moment by moment account of this terrible time from the arrival of JFK in Air Force One to Texas to the shooting on Elm Street in Dallas, and finally the funeral. Clint Hill – the brave secret service agent who we all seen jump on the Limo of the fallen President just seconds after the fatal shooting to protect the 1st Lady and shield the passengers from further danger – has broken his silence with this tell all book.

A story that has taken Clint Hill fifty years to tell, this is a work of personal and historical scope. Besides the unbearable grief of a nation and the monumental consequences of the event, the death of JFK was a personal blow to a man sworn to protect the first family, and who knew, from the moment the shots rang out in Dallas, that nothing would ever be the same.

It is rare indeed for such a dramatic and important historical event to be described fifty years later in such exquisite detail by a witness to the event. The writing is tight, crisp, straightforward and unflinching without an agenda. So many minute details are revealed for the first time such that the reader seems to be carried along on the fateful trip. The emotions that we felt then seem to come back in full force. The story is highly readable even though we know the ending and wish it could be different.

You will read about his struggle to jump on the accelerating vehicle, the frantic drive to Parkland Hospital, the comments made by Jackie Kennedy, his phone conversion with the President’s brother Attorney General Robert Kennedy , and all the behind the scene details of this historic and troubling time.

Clint Hill aided the 1st Lady throughout the entire ordeal and funeral. He is one of very few who bore witness of the assassination, and will give a unique perspective of the events of this tragedy unlike many of the books written to date. He offers his opinion on who the shooter was. The book is very readable and paces along making it difficult to put down. I read a few books about this fateful day, and I believe this one will be my last. I think Clint Hill has told the final story of this sad day, and I’m satisfied to put closure to this event in history. Mr. Hill has finalized it for me. A great book written by an honorable man, and I pray he will find closure and peace as well.