I was looking for a biography/history supplement for Mr. D who will be covering the late 1800s next term, remembered I had Destiny of the Republic in my Audible library, and started listening. It was absolutely fascinating, if also rather horrifying, and ranks right up there with The Boys in the Boat as one of the best historical narratives I’ve read. It was also a good follow-up to McCullough’s The Pioneers, which D and I read last fall, as Garfield was the son of Ohio pioneers, albeit in a different part of the state.
Although Garfield’s life and the events surrounding his assassination are the focus of this book, Millard also gives us vivid portraits of several other key characters including power-hungry Roscoe Conkling, political-pawn-turned-respected-president Chester Arthur, the driven scientist and inventor Alexander Graham Bell, and of course the naïve and habitually dishonest villain Charles Guiteau. Garfield’s political and personal courage are inspiring. I was especially moved by the way he and his wife dealt with a moral failure that threatened their marriage, and by how calmly he faced his long and painful ordeal and eventual death. I also loved how Millard wrapped up the various stories-within-the-story in the epilogue.
There wasn’t much to criticize about this book, but a couple of things might be helpful for those with teens listening in/reading to know. There was a little TMI about a cult leader’s sexual practices in chapter 4 – you could skip ahead a minute when you come to the part about how he suggested trying to prevent pregnancies if listening with teens, or skip it if reading aloud, but it may not be a problem depending on your teen and comfort level. Also a few of the statements or quotes in the book, like the one from Bell questioning the effectiveness of prayer to bring healing or the questioning of God’s providence by Garfield’s daughter, were jarring but honest reflections of their struggles and not necessarily something to skip, but perhaps discuss with your teens.
The narrator, Paul Michael, did a wonderful job giving the various characters their own voices – even a Scottish brogue to Bell! Highly recommended!
