The President Has Been Shot! (Puffin Nonfiction) - Softcover

Liberally studded with anecdotes and morsels of little-known trivia, Jones's (The Believers) detailed accounts of assassination attempts on American presidents benefit from her insightful, accessible presentation. Going far beyond the facts as chronicled in standard history texts, the author delves into the lives and minds of the various assailants, probing their often warped reasoning and motives, revealing as well their devious plans and their fates after their arrests. For example, before he fatally shot James Garfield, Charles Guiteau checked out District of Columbia jail facilities just in case he landed there for awhile; he expected that Chester Arthur, Garfield's v-p, would be grateful for the promotion and would "rescue" him. Jones includes copious quotes from the victims and their families, including Garfield's courteous comment when his doctor, trying not to alarm his patient, said the chief executive's injury wasn't serious ("I thank you, Doctor, but I am a dead man"); and Jacqueline Kennedy's response to a suggestion that she change out of her clothes, stained with her late husband's blood ("Let them see what they've done"). Period drawings and photos, some of them highly dramatic, add to this volume's considerable appeal. Ages 8-13.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Grade 7-9?Jones presents the often-tragic history of attacks on 10 U.S. presidents, 4 of which have been fatal. She describes each incident in a clear narrative style and in considerable detail, explaining the motivations of the assailant, the particulars of the attack, and the immediate and far-reaching effects of it. Some of the theories that have arisen about the Lincoln and Kennedy assassinations are put forth but no conclusions are drawn as to which ones are more accurate. The well-written text informs readers without resorting to sensationalism. The layout is attractive, with large margins and numerous black-and-white illustrations and photos. Edmund Lindop's Assassinations That Shook America (Watts, 1992) includes other political figures such as Huey Long and Martin Luther King, Jr., providing less detail about the attacks themselves and devoting more time to their consequences and the changes that followed them. Jones's book is sure to draw general readers as well as report writers.?Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.