Assassin's America (2018)

Assassins’ America by Jessica Gunderson and Joe Tougas (2018) – Four American Presidents have been assassinated.  Each story has details that are often overlooked.

For younger readers, this will be a solid intro to one of the most disruptive political acts possible.  Assassinating the head of state is intended to disrupt the functioning of the nation.  Whether the motivation is political or personal, the goal is to bring down the government of the moment.  Yet it has never happened in the history of the United States of America.

This book is aimed at the Teen/YA audience.  This is not an in-depth look at any of the four stories, but rather an introductory opening to the concepts behind the acts.  Each of the four Presidents, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy, died for different reasons on the surface.  The twists in each of the stories get some attention, enough to whet the appetite to explore a little deeper.

If there’s a weakness here it may be the remnants of the national sainthood placed on President Kennedy following his death.  In the years since then, we have discovered that JFK had feet of clay.  His death, like the deaths of his predecessors, is tragic enough without attempting to make them anyone other than who they were.

If you’ve got a younger reader who is starting to get into history and politics, this would be a great addition to their reading.  It’s not a bad read for adult readers, either.

Why You Will Like It – A good basic history that’s a quick, easy read.

Rating – *** Worth A Look

“Assassins’ America” hits bookshelves March 1, 2018.
This review was based on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) through NetGalley and is consistent with our stated Review Policy.