![]() ![]() When it comes to American politics, there’s no shortage of colorful characters or factoids that would make you a ringer at Trivial Pursuit, but Millard uses them sparingly and only in ways that supported Garfield’s story. “Destiny of the Republic” does a fine job honoring his legacy, and Candice Millard took great care to not lose the person behind the tragedy by overstuffing the book with anecdotes and ancillary characters.Īs someone that reads a lot of nonfiction, I’ve noticed a fine line between average and great books, but Millard excelled here, weaving her thorough research into a focused narrative that gives the reader enough information without bogging them down with minutia. Garfield, the 20th President of the United States only held office for six months before succumbing to infection predicated by injuries from an assassination attempt in 1881.Įven as a decorated major general for the Union Army and elected official for more than 20 years, his mentions are usually a footnote in Reconstruction Era and Gilded Age history and tend to focus more on his untimely death rather than his character. ![]()
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