Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
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.
Show more
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President is a well-written and thoroughly researched book that tells the story of the tumultuous presidency of James A. Garfield. Author Candice Millard takes the reader on a journey through Garfield's life, from his humble beginnings as a poor, uneducated boy to his rise to the highest office in the land. Along the way, we see how Garfield's intelligence and determination ...read more
Few non-fiction historical books have stirred my emotions as this one has. It begins back in the 1880's. The Statue of Liberty consists of an arm holding a torch, construction of the Washington Monument has been halted, Alexander Bell has just patented the telephone, the U.S. medical community has not adopted sterilization procedures and calls those that do, "quacks", and the nation and political parties remain highly charged and fractured years ...read more
Candice Millard has written a fine story about Garfield and his assassination, and if that was her only goal, I guess she achieved it. I just wish she had stretched herself further. The facts are here, and we get a glimpse into the deranged mind of the killer, but that's about it. Where is the background information about Garfield's horrendously and fatally stubborn surgeon, the oddly named Doctor Willard Bliss, MD? How did he happen to become no...read more
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.