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

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)

3 fascinating merging biographies

Best narration for a biography that I’ve had so far. Really a biography of the culture, science, and politics at the end of the nineteenth century.

Best listen in a long time

I read this book last year and was looking for a second title to get in a recent 2 for 1 sale so opted for this as I was planning to read it again anyway. Some books are enhanced by the audio, this is one of them and Paul Michael’s narration was a big part of it. This book is engrossing in print form, as an audible narrative, the story is kicked up several notches. Our national history is no doubt different than it would have been had James A. Garfield lived. This book shows us how good and strong a man he was while giving a good overview of the political environment of the time as well as medical and technological advancements of the era that Dr Bliss did not choose to believe or properly utilize.

Outstanding!

How did I not know this history? Intriguing convergence of lives to tell of the life and character of one of the nation's most remarkable presidents. Right up there with Lincoln. Who knew? I do now.

Inspiring sand heartbreaking

One of the people in history I would have like to have met. A great unsung man

Fantastic

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A great story. Never want it to end. Very well written, well-researched. One of the best books that I have ever purchased from Audible.

Not what I Expected

I'm not sure what I expected when I selected this book. I'm not huge history fan, but I tried listening to my first audio book (fiction) and thought audio books were not for me. I selected another book, that wasn't fiction, and I'm glad I did!!! This book kept my attention from the start. It made me realize how very little we're taught of history. Until now, the only thing I really new about President Garfield was he had been assassinated. What a shame!! His story, along with the other's in this book, was captivating!!

Great history

Fantastic book that ties many historical characters flawlessly into one culminating event. Highly recommend to anyone who’s looking to learn more about not only President Garfield but other prominent figures of the time

Great!

I felt as if I were listening to a great novel. That’s how compelling and well written it was. The narrator did a great job of making it interesting with the various voices and accents he used. I felt as if I were a part of the story drawn into it by the writing and the presentation. Motivates me to do more research on the men and women involved

fantastic

the section for Garfield period till the end is worth the whole book. if you want details this is wonderful..If you want...just the facts...no details about decay, medical knowledge you may not enjoy as much. I so appreciate the details.

A gripping take...

even you already know how it ends. A compassionate portrait of everyone involved even Guiteau. We are left wondering what kind of president JG would have been given the type of man he was.