In the Secret Service: The True Story of the Man Who Saved President Reagan's Life

by Jerry Parr, Carolyn Parr

Meet Jerry Parr. In 1981, he was the agent standing next to Ronald Reagan when John Hinckley, Jr., stepped out of the crowd, intent on killing the president. In the Secret Service is an adrenaline-filled ride through the life of the agent who saved Ronald Reagan’s life. Jerry spent much of his life as a silent eyewitness to history, with a gun at his fingertips. What motivates a man who is ready at a moment’s notice to step into the path of a bullet? In In the Secret Service, you’ll also follow Jerry’s inner journey. That journey led him from the halls of the powerful to the streets of the poor in Washington, D.C., to the mountain passes of war-torn El Salvador to help orphans.

You won’t want to miss this insider’s perspective on the Secret Service and a look into the heart of a man who was―and is―ready to sacrifice himself for another. At times heart-pounding, at times heartrending, this richly textured memoir of a Secret Service Agent will first move you to the edge of your seat, then to the depths of your soul.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Memoir

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 20, 2013

About the author

Jerry Parr served as a Special Agent in the United States Secret Service from 1962-1985. During his tenure he protected four Vice Presidents and was Special Agent in Charge (Head of White House Detail) for Presidents Carter and Reagan. After retiring from the Secret Service, Mr. Parr earned a Master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University. He was ordained as a minister by the Church of the Saviour in Washington, DC in 1989. Mr. Parr remains involved in a number of professional organizations and community service activities including the Association of Former Agents of the U.S. Secret Service (Past President) and the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. Mr. Parr is a former co-pastor and current Retreat Leader and Spiritual Director for Festival Church in Washington, DC. Jerry and his wife Carolyn, currently live in Washington D.C.

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic memoir of Secret Service agent Jerry Parr (written in partnership with his wife Carolyn) that came with a postscript I did not expect when I picked the book up off the New Releases shelf at the library. I've read several books about the Secret Service and have enjoyed most of them and this one was no exception. Jerry Parr served on the protective details of several Presidents and Vice Presidents, as well as foreign dignataries. The book isn't just about the attempt on Ronald Reagan's life and Parr's heroics in saving his life. He covers quite a bit of his illustrious career and I enjoyed the inside look at some of these great (and not so great) leaders, including stories I had never read about before. But after Parr retired from the Secret Service he and wife began serving the homeless, AIDS victims, orphans in El Salvador and the story of their faith and their life of service was truly touching. I don't think it's a spoiler to quote one of the final lines of the book, "Deep in my soul, I'm certain of this: it's all about love." We think of the unsmiling, dark-suited, tough guys willing to take a bullet for the President of the U.S. and underneath was this kind-hearted man willing to care for those that nobody else would. What a wonderful story!

[Tim Chavel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jerry Parr a retired Secret Service Agent wrote this book about Ronald Reagan's assassination attempt. He is the agent credited with saving the President's life. I am a huge Ronald Reagan fan and try to read as many books about him as possible. Most of the facts about Reagan is repeated in other books, however, the book could also be a bio of the author. It tells how Jerry Parr grew up starting with his childhood and goes on to tell how he got a job with the Secret Service. It gives a detailed account how he ended up that day protecting Reagan. One thing I read in this book that was a new fact was That Jerry's wife worked in a building right across the street where Reagan was shot. This is an amazing story about the amazing President and I enjoyed reading yet another description of the events surrounding the terrible. day.

If you are a Secret Service fan or a fan of President Reagan, then you will enjoy this book!

[Marika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely fantastic! The flow, the story, and the writing style were all great. And most of all it was incredibly intriguing to learn about the lives of the Secret Service, to have an inside scoop into some presidents and vice presidents, and to learn about the Reagan assassination attempt. I was also very touched and impressed with the second part of the book, after Jerry’s retirement. I will definitely be re-reading this in the future, and already have someone in mind to buy it as a birthday present.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. I enjoyed the inside look of what it's like to be a secret service agent. I looked how he didn't let a rough home life turn him into an angry abusive person. The last few chapters about how he and his wife turned to ministry were interesting as well. He kept the book clean which was nice.

[Denise Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved almost everything about this book. I was hooked in early and it kept my attention throughout. The inner workings of the Secret Service were a mystery to me and it was fascinating to read about the schedules and shifts, the training and the promotions. But what really keeps you reading is the personal interactions and stories with the politicians and other dignitaries.

The stories make you laugh at times, make you cry (especially a Jimmy Carter story) and even though you know the outcome, you are still on the edge of your seat.

My only negative is that the part up until his retirement was so interesting and compelling, that the post-service chapters were more lost.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book! Jerry Parr was the Secret Service Agent who was standing next to Ronald Reagan when he was shot in 1981 and it was his actions that contributed to the saving of Reagan’s life. But this book is so much more than that! Parr had been in the Secret Service for over 18 years at that time, protecting vice-presidents, foreign dignitaries, as well as presidents. The hours were long and the time away from family hard. But this was a job Mr. Parr excelled at and enjoyed. One interesting tidbit was learning that as a child Jerry had gone to the movies with his father and seen the movie “Code of the Secret Service” staring Ronald Reagan. Well written and interesting book!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such an interesting read! It really is a behind the scenes of the Secret Service. Even though I really don't enjoy politics I found myself generally intrigued with this book. Jerry & Carolyn Parr are such an inspiration. Don't give up. I really liked the interactions with the Presidents. Jerry is a true humble American hero!

I received this book from Goodreads First Reads

[Ethan Horn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good description of a secret service members life and experiences. The amount of knowledge reviewed and gained was amazing! I hope to read more historical non-fiction in the near future.

[Jodi Galland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found In the Secret Service to be an interesting story of the life of one Secret Service agent. Jerry Parr and his wife Carolyn tell his account of his days in the Secret Service, including the attempt on President Reagan's life. The bulk of the book is on topic, sandwiched between Jerry's childhood in Miami and a mission trip to El Salvador.

What does it take to become a Secret Service agent? Is it really all excitement? What do those guys *do* all day? Mr. Parr's book will answer a lot of questions like this. I had no idea the Secret Service also watched over foreign dignitaries, nor what it took to secure a location ahead of a presidential visit.

Over the years, Jerry protected presidents, vice-presidents, kings, and more. Though I didn't find the narration compelling, necessarily, there were moments that evoked real feelings. Several times, his dry delivery caused me to laugh out loud! Several times, I had to share things with my husband that either was funny or a little shocking.

As I mentioned, most of the book was on topic. The last 50 pages or so were about Jerry and Carolyn's later church life, their ministries and missions. While it was somewhat interesting and I could see the connection as Jerry's story circled around to "rendezvous with death," God's provision, and a few other topics from earlier in the book; I didn't really feel the same emotional connection to the second part of the book. It felt very hurried and without the depth that the Secret Service section had.

There is a photo collection in the middle of the book that I found helpful. The narrative is also followed by a timeline and an index. I love timelines and indices in books. They make me happy.

If you are intrigued by the Secret Service, Reagan, auto-biographies of everydaysortofhero type guys, I recommend it.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

[Edward Arrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember when President Reagan was shot, although the details had faded a lot before reading this book. In fact, much of the story shared herein by Jerry Parr from his days as a Secret Service Agent were events that I remember at least to some degree. Unlike the assassination of President Kennedy, I cannot tell you where I was when I heard of each of the major events, but certain details will come to mind when they are mentioned. This inside story from an agent who was much closer to the events than I could ever be held my attention as I read and remembered seeing them on TV, or reading the reports in the newspapers. Since the internet was still in the future, radio and TV were typically the first sources followed by newspaper reports the next day. Many of the names in the book were familiar. One thing that was interesting in a weird way was reading who the various presidential candidates and their running mates were. Most of us remember the presidents and possibly the vice presidents but may find it difficult to recall the names of all their opponents. But the best part for me was reading about the missions work done by the Parrs after he retired from the Secret Service. I cannot recall ever hearing about his Christian faith or his work to help the less fortunate. Some of his greatest contributions to his fellow men were simply ignored. I am grateful that he shared about them in his book.

[Jeff Ferry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent walkthrough the life and career of Jerry Parr, the secret service agent who saved Ronald Reagan. It's a 4 star book for the first 80 percent of the book. However, the book drags hard at the end when Parr is discussing his church work after retiring.

[Darren Sapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A bit Forrest Gump mixed with Wikipedia factoids. I was hoping for much more on secret service training and greater detail on the Reagan assassination attempt. Yet, his faith story is truly compelling.

[Donna Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and informative

As someone who remembers these events it was interesting to relive them through the eyes of Jerry Parr. I learned more about the Secret Service, government and foreign affairs.

[bruce davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting perspective about protecting vip's. if you remember reagan being shot it is very interesting.

[tyRonE hArDing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting insight to the secret service.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredible guy… both during his time in the secret service, and afterward doing mission work!

[David McClendon, Sr · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Inside the Secret Service with Jerry Parr is an informative book in two parts. In the first part of the book, Parr tells about how he got to the Secret Service. He tells us about his life growing up and his time in the Air Force.

In the first part, Parr treats his readers to some inside views of the different presidents, vice presidents, and others he helped protect. He also gives us a pretty good idea of what life is like as a secret service agent.

Parr tells his readers about the differences in how protectees interacted with their agents and their families. We learn who tried to make holidays and special occasions away from home and family a little more bearable and which protectees seemed to be oblivious to the situation.

Parr tells us about his interactions with protectees such as Yasser Arafat and Anwar Sadat. We are given some insight into what it was like to protect Jimmy Carter who did not want to disappoint the people who wanted to see him and would often put himself in harm’s way.

Parr also describes in detail the day Regan was shot. He tells of previous encounters with the would-be assassin, John Hinckley, Jr. He gives readers details about what happened inside the limo and what decisions were made and why.

We hear that Parr’s wife Carolyn was working across the street from where the assassination attempt took place. Readers learn what she went through as she and her coworkers tried to ascertain what happened to her husband Jerry.

Nowhere in this book does it appear to this poor redneck that Parr is trying to toot his own horn or embellish. If anything, he seems to downplay his role in the entire incident.

The second part of the book gives us insight into Parr’s life after the Secret Service. It tells of his ministry and his walk with God. Don’t get me wrong, the adventure is not over when he retires from the service. In fact, Parr has an adventure that is on the action adventure level of the Secret Service without the backup of SWAT teams, police, and dozens of other agents.

Parr tells us how a tiny woman takes on a heavily armed detachment of armed men in a third world country, and wins.

This book is worlds different from Standing Next to History by Joseph Petro. Petro gives his readers a fascinating account of his life in the secret service. Petro took over the Presidential Protection Detail (PPD) sometime after Jerry Parr left it.
The two books, In the Secret Service and Standing Next to History, complement one another without much duplication of information. One of these books was written by the father of a little girl whose “Daddy works at the airport.” Find out which one.

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[patrick Lorelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very interesting about all of the different duties that the Secret Service are in charge of besides the counterfeiting which I knew about. They now have many more duties and some have come from that tragic day when President Kennedy was assassinated. Mr. Parr starts off with how he got into the Service and the duties that he started out doing at the very beginning. Hired maybe a year before President Kennedy death he was in store for a first hand at the rapid growth of the Secret Service. Also for much critique by the public, congress and the new man they were protecting Johnson. Changes were made some good like an increase in personal, more training hours etc. some were not so go and over time discarded. Because of this time he is promoted a little faster than normal but you still have to your job and his given an assignment of guarding foreign dignitaries’ when they come to this country and then he would also at times travel with the President depending on the country. There were some funny and interesting stories in this part. Sometimes he would be pulled for a campaign detail and then after Nixon left office he was on protection detail for President Ford and for President Carter just for a little while. By the time President Reagan was in office he was now a supervisor and he was one of the agents in charge. He would go over schedules and make every agent was up to date training wise and if an event was happening they would run scenarios multiple times days before the event. The day President Reagan was shot they had just ran through another scenario a few days before of if there was a shooting and going to the very same hospital they went. When the shooting happened he got his body around the President and pushed him the car. After they were in the they noticed he was having trouble breathing and that he was bleeding, he ordered the driver to go to the hospital where from there he got with hospital staff and then they made sure that know you was not authorized came into the er. He did mention that one of the doctors was from the service and he was able to find the wound in the lung. He did not find out about the other people being shot until a few hours later. This was a good book at a life of a Secret Service Agent and what they go through on a day to day basis. I got this book from net galley.

[Louise Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fascinating as it gives you an inside look at protecting our presidents as Jerry Parr, a Secret Service agent for many years, tells of his experiences. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a secret service man? Do you get to meet famous people? Do you have vacations with your family? If you go on vacation with the president or vice president, is it fun or work? Do you work on holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving? Why did Jerry Parr sometimes feel like a walking zombie? Sometimes he only got four hours of sleep a night. When one sheriff insisted on running the county his way when it came to closing down the highway, what mistake did he make that caused a major road problem? When Vice President Humphrey failed to thank the service agents when he got back to Washington D.C., what did he do that made them feel thanked? This book shows a different side of politics. The agents really liked the Spiro Agnews who were appreciative of their service and even came to the Parr’s party so no agent had to miss it. When serving with the Foreign Dignitary Protective Division as one of four experienced agents charged with the safety of visiting heads of state when they were in the US, Mr. Parr was even asked by the Japanese whether he remembered Pearl Harbor and would he be able to protect the Japanese Emperor Hirohito. In another high profile case with a 1000 hostile demonstrators at the Waldorf and 300 media types waiting in the VIP entrance, the agents managed to walk Arafat into the service section and up to his room. After serving on the vice-president and Foreign Dignitary Protective Divisions, Jerry Parr was moved to president detail where there was much more anxiety, threats, agents, press attention, perks, and micromanagement. There is much more in this book that’s fascinating that you won’t want to miss.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Secret Service: The True Story of the Man Who Saved President Reagan's Life by Jerry Parr is a thrilling memoir about the life of a Christian man in the Secret Service. The book description reads:

"Meet Jerry Parr. In 1981, he was the agent standing next to Ronald Reagan when John Hinckley, Jr., stepped out of the crowd, intent on killing the president. In the Secret Service is an adrenaline-filled ride through the life of the agent who saved Ronald Reagan’s life. Jerry spent much of his life as a silent eyewitness to history, with a gun at his fingertips. What motivates a man who is ready at a moment’s notice to step into the path of a bullet? In In the Secret Service, you’ll also follow Jerry’s inner journey. That journey led him from the halls of the powerful to the streets of the poor in Washington, D.C., to the mountain passes of war-torn El Salvador to help orphans.

You won’t want to miss this insider’s perspective on the Secret Service and a look into the heart of a man who was—and is—ready to sacrifice himself for another. At times heart-pounding, at times heartrending, this richly textured memoir of a Secret Service Agent will first move you to the edge of your seat, then to the depths of your soul."

I happen to love memoirs, and this is a thrilling page turner that you won't want to put down. Parr takes us through his years of service and, of course, saving President Reagan from assassination. The story is richly woven and has much depth. Parr's Christianity has directed his life and makes for not just exciting stories, but spiritual truths. You'll read this book for the stories, but come away from it with much more than that. I highly recommend this book to any Christian.

[Katherine Wacker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost everyone knows of the assassination attempt of Ronald Reagan, but few know of the man who saved the President’s life. In the Secret Service by Jerry Parr is the story of the man who went from arresting counterfeiters to the head of the Presidential protective detail. Parr takes the reader from his childhood through his missionary journey to Central America, but the majority of the book details his career in law enforcement. It is a behind-the-scenes at life in the Secret Service as it protects the famous and the infamous.
This book was fascinating because it gives an intimate look into the lives of the most powerful people in the world from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. Learning of personalities from LBJ to Yassar Arafat was a historical thrill ride of its own, but knowing what measures are taken to protect these luminaries was amazing in itself. Being allowed to see so much of the country’s history through the eyes of one on the front lines was amazing. Riots, elections, assassination attempts, and everything in between make this account well worth the time. And it is not without warmth. Parr’s personal relationships within the Secret Service and with his family also made the book effective. It is a fast read, and I would recommend it for anyone interested in history or law enforcement. I appreciate In the Secret Service immensely, but am even more grateful to Mr. Parr for saving President Ronald Reagan’s life.

[Michelle Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Service agent Jerry Parr tells his story of how he became an agent, going through the attempted assassination on President Regan to life after the Secret Service. He goes through explaining how God gifted him with certain abilities that he believes brought him through the different phases of his life and made him so good at being an agent.

This book is an autobiography of a great man. His life is very interesting. I have to admit it took me a while to read through it because I stopped to absorb what was being said. And often to share tidbits from the book and look into the history he was talking about.

I learned a lot about faith, service, and courage as I read. I also enjoyed the American History review and insight that wasn’t openly shared. This book is a very interesting telling of Jerry’s life. If you ever wondered about the presidents and vice presidents lives from the sixties through the eighties, or what being a secret service agent might be like, this is a book for you.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. Other reviews can be read at http://TMWoodsBooks.com/blog . Also follow me on Twitter @TMWoodsBook, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/TMWoodsBooks .

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Secret Service did not seem like a book for me. It was on Tyndale’s 2014 Summer Reading Program list and the local library had the audio book. So, I went ahead and checked it out. I was quite pleased with the book. Jerry Parr has led an intriguing life. He tells of his childhood, marriage, and his profession before becoming a secret service agent. He tells of life serving as an agent with Presidents, Vice Presidents, as well as, other world leaders he had to protect. It was interesting to learn about these people. Especially, when Jerry tells about protecting President Ronald Reagan. President Reagan truly sounded like an extraordinary, unselfish, caring and giving man. Such an inspiration hearing of fight to survive from being shot. His will, faith, and attitude through it all was amazing. He even continued his humor throughout the ordeal.
I was intrigued with Jerry’s life after being a secret service agent. He and his wife, Carolyn, are uplifting, faithful, and admirable people. We could all learn so much from those two. Their messages are so powerful.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was uplifting, interesting, and thought provoking. Great book!
Highly recommended.
5 stars.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book on a whim at a library sale because I tend like "insider" stories, fiction or non-fiction. I very nearly gave it 5 stars.

Jerry Parr started out with a rocky childhood followed by a four-year hitch in the Air Force and more than ome years as a lineman for electric companies. During his career, he protected presidents from Kennedy to Reagan, vice presidents Humphrey, Agnew and Ford, and a variety of foreign leaders.

The kernel of the book is the very insider account of exactly how Reagan was guarded by the Secret Service during his administration and details of the assassination attempt.

The end of the book is about Jerry Parr's life after working for the Secret Service. It was surprisingly different from his previous work. Parr became a pastor after leaving the Secret Service and was very active in his church where he was a co-pastor, retreat leader and spiritual director. He was also a hands-on member of the Board of Directors at Joseph's House, an organization for men with AIDS. His "just the facts ma'am" writing style keeps the last part of the book from getting sappy.

[Lyndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started this book, I thought it was going to be more about President Reagan getting shot and this secret service agent saving his life. So I was surprised that this book went back to when Kennedy was assassinated and what it takes to be a secret servant agent. But if I would have been thinking clearly, if it started with Reagan, it would have made a really short book. And I did learn a lot about what it takes to be an agent. And I guess I had thought that that was all they did, take care of keeping the president alive. Not that they also have dignitaries, the presidents family, vice press and his family, check forgery, and all kinds of other stuff I had no clue that they were in charge of. Pretty good book, glad for the pictures that were included. This was on Tyndale House summer reading program but I didn't get it done in time to register it for the program.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A factual, largely nonemotive book

This book is an autobiography that doesn't cover all of the author's life. It is not a quick intro and then straight into the account of saving President Reagan. And it is written in a mostly straightforward, matter of fact way. The chronology was easy to follow overall, which is sometimes not the case with autobiographies. I enjoyed the book - the insider's perspective of the Secret Service (at least as it was then) was interesting and different from other books I've read. The book is not particularly engaging, however, and I could have put it down without a burning desire to pick it up again to see what happened next. That's why I say this is an "average" book, but average doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile. Even though the conclusion felt unfinished, this book is still worth reading.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Secret Service is a suspenseful novel about Jerry Parr, who saved Ronald Reagan’s life while he was president. I found the author to be funny and very dedicated to put his life on the line for another time after time. I learned more about the Secret Service than I thought I would have and the author’s adventures kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. I really liked all the historical details that the author used to describe his service and I found the story about the orphans, in particular, to be heart-warming. Jerry Parr seems to be a man of courage as well as humble. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Secret Service as well as those who like politics.

[Pedro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jerry Parr offers us an awesome memoir that we could describe as American history from Kennedy to Reagan through the eyes of the Secret Service. Serve the office of the POTUS and no matter who holds that office and "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" are his motto through the book.

He leads us through a time travel: the missile crisis in Cuba, Kennedy assassination, L. Johnson and the Vietnam years, racial wars, Nixon era, the Watergate, the Ford administration, the worst president in US history: Carter, and the man who destroyed the soviet empire: Reagan (no he didn't say the last two things, I did).

[Chelsey Langland · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is interesting enough. Parr seems like a nice guy. I was struck, though, by the second half of the book. Parr and his wife end up doing a lot of good, hard work through their church outreach. This included a year spent working in a facility that housed AIDS patients. Parr spoke so lovingly of serving these men. Yet he also spoke so highly of Reagan, who had to be forced kicking and screaming to even say the word "AIDS". It was a bit jarring. Anyway, this mostly made me want to re-watch "In the Line of Fire", because how good is John Malkovich in that movie?

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty interesting. I had trouble following the events in the first few chapters since he kept going back and forth between his childhood and a later period of his life. The second part of the book talked more about the author's spiritual journey. I liked reading about all the missions he and his wife were involved in.