Destiny of the Republic
A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
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4.4 • 917 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The extraordinary account of James Garfield's rise from poverty to the American presidency, and the dramatic history of his assassination and legacy, from the bestselling author of The River of Doubt.
"Crisp, concise and revealing history.... A fresh narrative that plumbs some of the most dramatic days in U.S. presidential history." —The Washington Post
James Abram Garfield was one of the most extraordinary men ever elected president. Born into abject poverty, he rose to become a wunderkind scholar, a Civil War hero, a renowned congressman, and a reluctant presidential candidate who took on the nation's corrupt political establishment.
But four months after Garfield's inauguration in 1881, he was shot in the back by a deranged office-seeker named Charles Guiteau. Garfield survived the attack, but become the object of bitter, behind-the-scenes struggles for power—over his administration, over the nation's future, and, hauntingly, over his medical care.
Meticulously researched, epic in scope, and pulsating with an intimate human focus and high-velocity narrative drive, The Destiny of the Republic brings alive a forgotten chapter of U.S. history.
Look for Candice Millard’s latest book, River of the Gods.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This rendering of an oft-told tale brings to life a moment in the nation's history when access to the president was easy, politics bitter, and medical knowledge slight. James A. Garfield, little recalled today, gained the Republican nomination for president in 1880 as a dark-horse candidate and won. Then, breaking free of the sulfurous factional politics of his party, he governed honorably, if briefly, until shot by an aggrieved office seeker. Under Millard's (The River of Doubt) pen, Garfield's deranged assassin, his incompetent doctors (who, for example, ignored antisepsis, leading to a blood infection), and the bitter politics of the Republican Party come sparklingly alive through deft characterizations. Even Alexander Graham Bell, who hoped that one of his inventions might save the president's life, plays a role. Millard also lays the groundwork for a case that, had Garfield lived, he would have proved an effective and respected chief executive. Today, he would surely have survived, probably little harmed by the bullet that lodged in him, but unimpeded infection took his life. His death didn't greatly harm the nation, and Millard's story doesn't add much to previous understanding, but it's hard to imagine its being better told. Illus.
Customer Reviews
Excellent read
An amazingly detailed account of the intersecting lives of James Garfield, his assassin Charles Guiteau, and Alexander Graham Bell. It is a thoroughly researched and marvelously written novel that anyone who loves the United States and her intricate history is sure to appreciate.
Good Book
An informative, enlightening accounting of the life and death of James Garfield, an American president who I knew very little about. What a heroic and tragic figure he was and Millard tells the tale in a easy to understand and enjoyable way. A good book for history buffs...EAF
Destiny of the republic
What a wonderful book. Candace Millard has a way of making these historical figures come to life. The narrative voice was that of a historical fiction novel without the fiction. Can't wait to read her other book and feel about the Roosevelt family like I do the Garfields.