ack ▁Ob ama ' s ▁term ▁the ▁thre ats ▁on ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁president ▁have ▁increased ▁by ▁ 4 0 0 % ▁compared ▁to ▁his ▁prede cess or . ▁Also , ▁Ob ama ▁has ▁not ▁given ▁up ▁sm oking ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁agents ▁interview ed ▁to ▁the ▁book ▁– ▁contrary ▁to ▁what ▁the ▁public ▁has ▁believed ▁after ▁Ob ama ▁said ▁not ▁to ▁be ▁sm oking ▁in ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁his ▁term . ▁The ▁book ▁also ▁makes ▁numerous ▁other ▁previously ▁un public ized ▁alleg ations ▁about ▁the ▁personal ▁life ▁of ▁many ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁United ▁States ▁pres idents ▁and ▁their ▁families , ▁as ▁related ▁by ▁their ▁personal ▁security ▁personnel . ▁ ▁The ▁book ▁was ▁described ▁by ▁USA ▁Today ▁as ▁a ▁" f asc in ating ▁expos é ▁... ▁high - energy ▁read ▁... ▁am using , ▁sau cy , ▁often ▁disturb ing ▁an ec d otes ▁about ▁the ▁VI P s ▁the ▁Secret ▁Service ▁has ▁protected ▁and ▁still ▁protect s ▁... ▁[ account s ▁come ] ▁directly ▁from ▁current ▁and ▁retired ▁agents ▁( most ▁identified ▁by ▁name , ▁to ▁K ess ler ' s ▁credit ) ▁... ▁Bal ancing ▁the ▁s ord id ▁tales ▁are ▁the ▁kind er ▁stories ▁of ▁president ial ▁human ity ▁... ▁[ K ess ler ▁is ▁a ] ▁respect ed ▁journalist ▁and ▁former ▁Washington ▁Post ▁rep orter ▁... ▁an ▁insight ful ▁and ▁entertain ing ▁story ." [ 1 4 ] ▁News week ▁said ▁of ▁the ▁book , ▁" K ess ler ’ s