Killing Reagan: The 2015 book on the 1981 assassination attempt

Scope and approach

The book combines reportage, archival material, interviews and dramatized scenes to reconstruct events leading up to the shooting, the attack itself, and the immediate hospital and political responses. The narrative follows several key figures — the president, First Lady Nancy Reagan, members of the White House staff and the man who fired the shots — and it emphasizes the human and political consequences of the episode. The authors frame the attempt as more than an isolated crime, arguing it had implications for policy, personnel and public perception.

Structure and related works

Killing Reagan is the fifth volume in the series that began with other popular histories. Previous titles in the sequence include:

• Killing Lincoln
• Killing Kennedy
• Killing Jesus
• Killing Patton

Like those books, it is written for a broad readership and seeks to balance narrative momentum with historical facts. It uses contemporary documents and secondary sources, though the tone favors storytelling over academic apparatus such as extensive footnotes.

Publication, reception and controversy

Released in September 2015, Killing Reagan drew considerable public attention and commercial success. Critics and historians offered mixed reviews: some praised its readable account and dramatic reconstructions, while others questioned particular interpretations and factual claims. The book sparked debate about how popular history should handle sources, nuance and the reputations of public figures.

Adaptation and cultural impact

The story was adapted for television when National Geographic announced a film version shortly after publication; the network revealed the project in late 2015 (announcement). Casting news in 2016 named Tim Matheson and Cynthia Nixon to portray Ronald and Nancy Reagan, respectively. The adaptation extended the book's reach to audiences less likely to read the print edition, renewing interest in the events of 1981 and in debates over presidential health and security.

Whether approached as a popular entry point to a well-known episode in modern American history or read with caution about its interpretive claims, Killing Reagan remains an accessible, influential example of narrative history that prompted renewed attention to the attempted assassination and to how such episodes are represented in mass-market history.