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. James Abram Garfield was one of the most extraordinary men ever elected president.

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.

I simply can’t imagine anyone not being captivated by this story so expertly told by Millard. I came away from this book with great admiration for Garfield as a politician, educator, orator, man of letters, and, most importantly, a man of honor, as well as a desire to learn more about this period.

The narrative artfully weaves the story of James Garfield’s reluctant rise to the presidency (he wasn’t even a candidate prior to being selected as the nominee at the dead-locked Republican Convention of 1880) the assassin Charles Guiteau’s life of delusion culminating in the belief that it was God’s mission for him to save the country from Garfield the doctors, who in trying to save Garfield’s life, ultimately killed him with archaic medical practices and Alexander Graham Bell’s race to perfect an invention that he believed would save Garfield. history and in so doing, has written a book that will appeal not only to the history buff, but also to the political junkie, the scientist and just anyone who appreciates a riveting tale well-told.

Millard writes of a most fascinating chapter of U.S.

Book review destiny of the republic