Destiny of the Republic
A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group · Print & ebook · June 12, 2012
The inspiration for the Netflix series Death by Lightning – now streaming! • NEW YORK TIMES 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.
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- Who it’s for
- A brisk, human-centered history of Garfield’s presidency, assassination, and the struggle over what came next.
- Themes
- Garfield's rise to the presidency, Presidential assassination, Medical care and political power
- Pacing
- Fast
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The inspiration for the Netflix series Death by Lightning – now streaming! • NEW YORK TIMES 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....
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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 became 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.
Power Under Pressure
A brisk, human-centered history of Garfield’s presidency, assassination, and the struggle over what came next.
Come here for
- Presidential history with the tension of a political crisis
- A close look at power, medicine, and legacy
Expect
- A forgotten chapter of U.S. history brought into focus
- High-velocity narrative alongside intimate human detail
Where it sits
| Presidents & World Leaders | 81% |
|---|---|
| 19th-Century America | 56% |
| Political Lives | 38% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Presidents & World Leaders
- 19th-Century America
- Social History
- Authors
- Candice Millard
- Publisher
- Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
- Published
- June 12, 2012
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Garfield's rise to the presidency · Presidential assassination · Medical care and political power
- Reading lane
- Presidents & World Leaders