Zero Fail
By Carol Leonnig
The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service. Penguin Random House, 2021.
Summary of Zero Fail book by Carol Leonnig
The rarely told tale of the protectors of the US president from assassination attempts, whose success is increasingly under threat as mismanagement and political meddling have taken their toll.
Chapters in Zero Fail book summary
What do you get from this book? The scandals and successes of the US Secret Service through several presidential terms
The earliest mission of the Secret Service was crushing counterfeiters, not protecting presidents
Three presidential assassinations turned the Service into a protection agency, which suffered its only fatality while protecting Harry Truman
Ignored clues and slipping standards, including Secret Service agents drinking on the job, raised risks of an attack on JFK
JFK’s assassination was a catastrophic failure—and a brutal lesson—for the Secret Service
James Joseph Rowley was the level-headed leader of the Service’s renaissance who fought for the funding to expand it
Nixon manipulated the Service to his own ends after railing against it following the shooting of a presidential candidate
A brutal attack on Ronald Reagan killed bystanders and maimed multiple agents—but also demonstrated the Service’s new excellence
Clinton was grimly reminiscent of JFK in his dangerous extramarital meetings, while technological advancement risked leaving the Service underequipped
The Secret Service’s problems went from salacious to serious as 9/11 threw the threats to national security into cold relief
Obama’s presidential term, combined with the rise of social media, caused a huge increase in threats to the president’s life
A prostitution scandal in Colombia upended the Service, while continued failures allowed yet another attack on the White House
Under Trump, the Service was politicized and declined further, and it remains dangerously under-resourced
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
Unlock all 16 chapters of Zero Fail — Get full access to this book summary and thousands more on Lobab.
Zero Fail — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read Zero Fail book
- Politics buffs
- budding secret agents
- spy fiction fans
- conspiracy theorists
- those interested in US law enforcement
About the author of Zero Fail
Carol Leonnig
Carol Leonnig is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist. She has written for The Washington Post and The Observer, and has been featured on NPR, Fox News and MSNBC. Her publications include Zero Fail, A Very Stable Genius, and I Alone Can Fix It.
Books similar to Zero Fail
Related books that explore themes found in Zero Fail
Tim McGraw
Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation. Random House, 2019.
Laura Lee
How the Weather Has Changed History. HarperCollins, 2006.
Greg Grandin
From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America. Metropolitan Books, 2019.
Michael Beschloss
The Epic Story, from 1807 to Modern Times. Crown, 2018.
Claire McGowan
The Murdered Women Ireland Forgot. Little A, 2022.
Anita Anand
A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge, and India's Quest for Independence. Scribner, 2019.
David Grann
The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. Vintage Books, 2017.
Topics related to Zero Fail book
Explore topics that share themes with Zero Fail across Lobab's library
Categories Zero Fail book belongs to
Discover other book summaries in the same categories as Zero Fail
If you liked Zero Fail, you might also enjoy
Books on different topics that Lobab readers often explore alongside Zero Fail
Max Fisher
The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World. Little, Brown and Company, 2022.
Robert Greene
The 48 Laws of Power. Penguin Books, 1998.
Daron Acemoglu
The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Currency, 2012.
Cecilia Kang
Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination. Harper. 2021.
David Goldblatt
A Global History of the Olympics. W.W. Norton & Company, 2016.
Laura Lee
How the Weather Has Changed History. HarperCollins, 2006.
Alexis Coe
A Biography of George Washington. Viking, 2020.
Anita Anand
A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge, and India's Quest for Independence. Scribner, 2019.
Greg Grandin
From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America. Metropolitan Books, 2019.
Adam Higginbotham
The Untold Story of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster. Transworld Digital, 2019.
Can't decide where to start?
With thousands of book summaries across multiple categories and topics, there's always something new to discover. Browse the full library to find your next great read.
Your library
All-you-can-read
Categories
15 categories
Topics
120+ topics
Today's free book summary
Every day, one book summary is completely free to read. Subscribe to unlock the entire library — or just enjoy today's pick on us.
Pour Your Heart Into It
Howard Schultz
Inspiring lessons in entrepreneurship, management, and caring corporate leadership from former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz over the course of his journey to the top of the world of coffee.
Library
All-you-can-read
Formats
Text & audio
Free daily
1 book / day
What Lobab readers are saying
Not sure if Lobab book summaries are for you? Here's what our community thinks.
“Lobab is a standout in the world of book summary apps, offering concise, insightful summaries of a wide range of books. Its user-friendly interface and well-crafted summaries allow users to quickly grasp the essence of complex works, making it an invaluable tool for those looking to learn more in less time. Whether for personal growth or professional development, Lobab is a game changer for anyone wanting to expand their knowledge efficiently. Highly recommended!”
Ramogh
Lobab Reader
“Top quality app with plenty of brilliant summaries!”
Benjamin Roche
Lobab Reader
“I found a really great book app that has made reading even more enjoyable ⭐️📚. It is super easy to use, has a lot of books to choose from, gives personalized recommendations, works well with e-readers, has an active community, and is accessible to everyone. I highly recommend it to all book enthusiasts!”
Nedal Ahmed
Lobab Reader