Joseph Petro served for 23 years as a special agent in the United States Secret Service; eleven of them with presidents and vice presidents. For four of those years he stood by the side of Ronald Reagan.Following his career as a Navy Lieutenant, during which he patrolled the rivers and canals along the Vietnamese-Cambodian border, he worked his way up through the Secret Service to become one of … become one of the key men in charge of protecting the President. That journey through the Secret Service provides an individual look inside the most discreet law enforcement agency in the world, and a uniquely intimate account of the Reagan presidency.
Engagingly, Joseph Petro tells “first hand” stories of: riding horses with the Reagans; eluding the press and sneaking the President and Mrs. Reagan out of the White House; rehearsing assassination attempts and working, then re-working every detail of the president’s trips around the world; negotiating the president’s protection with the KGB; diverting a 26 car presidential motorcade in downtown Tokyo; protecting Vice-President Dan Quayle at Rajiv Gandhi’s funeral where he was surrounded by Yassir Arafat’s heavily armed bodyguards; taking charge of the single largest protective effort in the history of the Secret Service-Pope John Paul II’s 1987 visit to the United States; and being only one of three witnesses at the private meeting between President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev that ushered in the end of the Cold War.
Joseph Petro provides an original and fascinating perspective of the Secret Service, the inner workings of the White House and a little seen view of world leaders, as a man who stood next to history.
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Good insight into life of a leader in the Secret Service and PPD during several administrations/presidents.
Great read from a top U.S. Secret Service agent who definitely had a front-row view of the American presidency. Special Agents in Charge (SAIC) go literally everywhere with the President of the United States (and Vice President of the United States), and Petro’s stories do not disappoint. As a close friend to many of America’s former vice presidents, it was no doubt interesting to hear Petro’s stories in guarding them. There is quite a bit of information on how the U.S. Secret Service protects our leaders, thus, some of it will be quite enlightening to those who are unfamiliar with their protocol and protection measures.
Very interesting reading about the different Presidents and their families.
Standing Next to History gives an inside peak to the Secret Service. It goes behind closed doors. The papal visit and the chapters on Nelson Rockefeller were particularly interesting. The sheer voluminous scale of the papal visit and the many challenge that poses explains why they don’t happen often. It’s rare to go behind the scenes of a Vice President. I would definitely recommend this book.
Interesting and an easy read. Not any new insights or revelations, but interesting.
I loved this book. I felt like I was standing next to Agent Petro while he was Standing Next to History. Thanks, Joe!
Interesting
inside look at secret service
If you like to be in the thick of politics and hear first hand accounts this is a good book
Inside view of what it takes to protect the President and others in Washington.
Interesting explanation of how the White House Secret Service guards the president. Some dramatic moments and behind-the-scenes narrative about some presidential personalities.
First of all I want to thank the author for his service to our country. Joe not only served in Viet Nam but he also was a Secret Service Agent working directly with Presidents, Vice Presidents, and other dignitaries from other countries. As you read you can tell the author has a lot of class and integrity as he tells his story. He spent much of his time directly serving President and Nancy Reagan. You will appreciate the dedication these men and women have for their jobs.
Very intetesting!
Rather a slanted view of the Reagan administration but interesting tale of the secret service
Enjoyable read with lots of information about one’s role in the Secret Service. Great perspective and honest portrayal of the job and what it entails.
Basically it was an “I love Reagan book”. Oh, and also “I love me some me”.
Couldn’t put it down.
Provides the enormous details involved in providing safety for public persons who must travel widely.
Excellent reading about real people in recent history written by someone who was close to them and whose own life was affected by them. Enjoyable.
This is an excellent book about how the Secret Service protects our Presidents and puts their lives on the line every day for their safety. This man served through several administrations and gives us a good picture of several different Presidents and how they reacted to different circumstances. I enjoyed this book immensely because I felt the facts were true and there was no politics involved, just a good insight into history.