I felt bad for not finishing this book on my first try, so I pulled it out and finally finished it. The book had potential....the story of an "advance man" for political figures on the road. The planning and problems experienced by the author. There's some good stuff in here, the "behind the scenes" look at what goes into a Presidential trip was interesting. Some of the unusual things that happened were very interesting. BUT....I found myself with the feeling that the author just thought too much about his importance in the big scheme of things. For example, when Reagan visited Spain to mark the end of the Franco era and the beginnings of closer ties between the US and Spain, I really don't think that the success of the entire visit hinged on whether or not the author got Nancy Reagan a suitable washcloth for her face. Yet, it seems the author honestly believes it so. Ditto when the Russians separated Bush from his entourage and Secret Service protection during a visit to Putin's dacha. I don't think that the author's worrying about how it would look was anywhere near the panic the Secret Service faced.
The author's writing style left a lot to be desired also. Most stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Except for when the author tells it. He seems to repeatedly start in the middle or end, then explain the beginning, or some variation on this theme. It was confusing and very hard to follow.
Sorry for the negative review, but I have to call them as I see them.

My thanks to Lyon’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of “ My Presidential Life” for an honest review.

I thought this was an interesting read and it gave me an insight into American politics .
I like reading British political books so it was a chance to compare the two.
I wasn’t a fan of the style of writing but still managed to enjoy it

3.5 stars. Attempt #2 at reading across the political spectrum went much better than the last one. Swift has had a super interesting career, although he doesn't do it any favors with his writing style. He tends to spoil the end of a story before he starts, or stop in the middle. I learned a lot from this book and mostly enjoyed it, and I share his dislike of Nancy Reagan.

This is such a great look into the into world of presidential life. I look forward to sharing many more thoughts and personal anecdotes regarding this book. I apologize due to an unexpected family emergency I’m a bit behind but slowly catching up. Extremely appreciative fir the opportunity.