• Destiny of the Republic

  • A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
  • By: Candice Millard
  • Narrated by: Paul Michael
  • Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (7,401 ratings)

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Destiny of the Republic  By  cover art

Destiny of the Republic

By: Candice Millard
Narrated by: Paul Michael
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Publisher's summary

James A. Garfield may have been the most extraordinary man ever elected president. Born into abject poverty, he rose to become a wunderkind scholar, a Civil War hero, and a renowned and admired reformist congressman. Nominated for president against his will, he engaged in a fierce battle with the corrupt political establishment. But four months after his inauguration, a deranged office seeker tracked Garfield down and shot him in the back.

But the shot didn’t kill Garfield. The drama of what hap­pened subsequently is a powerful story of a nation in tur­moil. The unhinged assassin’s half-delivered strike shattered the fragile national mood of a country so recently fractured by civil war, and left the wounded president as the object of a bitter behind-the-scenes struggle for power—over his administration, over the nation’s future, and, hauntingly, over his medical care. A team of physicians administered shockingly archaic treatments, to disastrous effect. As his con­dition worsened, Garfield received help: Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, worked around the clock to invent a new device capable of finding the bullet.

Meticulously researched, epic in scope, and pulsating with an intimate human focus and high-velocity narrative drive, The Destiny of the Republic will stand alongside The Devil in the White City and The Professor and the Madman as a classic of narrative history.

From the Hardcover edition.

©2011 Candice Millard (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"[Millard demonstrates] the power of expert storytelling to wonderfully animate even the simplest facts....make[s] for compulsive reading. Superb American history." ( Kirkus)
"Splendidly insightful....stands securely at the crossroads of popular and professional history" ( Booklist)
“Sparklingly alive…[Millard] brings to life a moment in the nation’s history when access to the president was easy, politics bitter, and medical knowledge slight. Under Millard’s pen, it’s hard to imagine its being better told.” ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Destiny of the Republic

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A Grateful American

A most amazing time in our history as America. I highly recommend this book. I think we ought to consider turning it into a movie too.
Well written, well narrated, and well enjoyed by me.

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Engaging

Terrific narration and engaging story. In many ways Candice Millard is similar to Eric Larson in how she intertwines stories.

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Interesting era in our history

I feel like this era in our history gets little attention but what a wild time. I loved seeing the confluence of technology, scientific learning and historical events. Well written and well performed.

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Interesting story of president Garfield

Very interesting and well told story of President Garfield. The voice is perfect for this story telling

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Really worthwhile

I was completely surprised by this story. I knew little beforehand of President Garfield but this book left me wishing to have known him personally. It begs the question why good people are allowed to suffer, but in his suffering his character was proven, as was that of those around him. I respect this man immensely and am grateful to the author for telling his story.

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Another great book by Ms. Millard with great narration too!

I enjoyed this one a lot. A tragic but important piece of our history that most people know nothing or very little about. The tie-in to Mr. Bell and Dr. Lister were fantastic.

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"Ignorance is Bliss"

A wonderful yet sad story. It is a shame that Garfield had to die the way he did. By all appearances, he would have been a great President. the villain in this story is D. Edward Bliss, who certainly did everything to ensure that Garfield would die a terribly painful death. Story and narrative are both outstanding.

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One of the best American histories ever!

This is such a compelling story, with fantastic narration. I loved it so much I plan to buy the hard copy and look into the sources.

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  • 06-02-23

A tragedy by my new favorite historian

Millard does an incredible job of digging up stories from history and giving them their due attention. Her ability to weave the storylines of all the characters together and make them come alive 150 years later is an act of literary genius. Also, when it comes to audible, the experience could go either way based on the narrator. The narrator for this book is beyond fantastic. One of my favorites.

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Couldn’t stop listening!

As I work through the Presidents I’ve found some of the lesser known ones to be a challenge in finding a decent and well presented biography. So when I came across this one I gave it a shot and ended up learning a ton about Garfield and that point in American history, on-top of the the reader was 15/10 fantastic! He gave each character a distinct voice that brought them to life. Do yourself a favor and listen to this book.

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