Destiny of the Republic
Books | Biography & Autobiography / Presidents & Heads of State
4.4
(246)
Candice Millard
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.
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More Details:
Author
Candice Millard
Pages
368
Publisher
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published Date
2011-09-20
ISBN
0385535007 9780385535007
Ratings
Google: 4.5
Community ReviewsSee all
"Loved this book! Well written, well researched. An interesting viewpoint on what really killed Garfield. I chose to read this book because it was very highly reviewed and I knew nothing about Garfield, other than the fact that he'd been assassinated early in his presidency. Now I have a far greater appreciation for him and his wife and family, and a better understanding of that period of history. I highly recommend this book."
"What a well written and fascinating book that is also heartbreaking, as we see someone die an unnecessarily gruesome and painful death because of hubris. It's a quick read that really made me interested in James Garfield. He's popped up more and more often as I've started reading presidential biographies from this period in US history, and now I'm very excited to read a biography of this man, who seems to have had the potential to be one of our best presidents."