Son of the Secret Service A Memoir

Clint McCown grew up among men who cast very long shadows. His father was a war hero who rose to become a command-level special agent in the US Secret Service. As a teenager, McCown worked as a yard boy on the Gettysburg farm of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who imparted lessons in both hunting and battle strategies. With such formidable role models, young McCown felt pressured to prove himself, which led to impulsive and reckless decisions as a teenager, such as jumping the fence into East Germany during the Cold War, right under the nose of a machine-gun tower. Eventually, however, McCown's risky exploits found purpose: he became a journalist, and his investigations into corrupt politicians played a crucial role in thwarting a Mafia takeover of the Alabama state government. This work earned him the Associated Press Award for Documentary Excellence, but not before a failed assassination attempt on his life. Son of the Secret Service: A Memoir is a collection of award-winning essays, three of which received Notable Essay citations in the Best American Essays series.