Book review: Who killed Garfield?

In the latter half of the 19th century, the USA had a remarkably long string of mediocre presidents. (I'm quoting the Simpsons here.) Most Americans would have trouble naming four or three or even one of the presidents between Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, for the very good reason that they were wholly unmemorable.

A couple of them died in office. William Henry Harrison for one. He was one of the generals who bungled the War of 1812 but was later remember -- and elected -- as a hero. He died from pneumonia brought on by standing bareheaded in frightful weather while making the longest inaugural speech in the history of the presidency. Didn't know enough to come in out of the rain!

Then there was James A. Garfield. General Garfield was a hero of the War of the Secession -- "Civil War" to you Yankees -- and was elected following an extremely fractious Republic convention at which he nominated someone else!

Garfield was apparently quite a remarkable man. Born into unimaginable poverty in Ohio [Not Illinois? Ed.], he rose to the heights in the army and then in Congress by dint of his brilliance, studiousness and work ethic. He was a devoted father, a gifted orator, a spellbinding speaker and a passionate advocate for freed slaves.

Just four months after assuming office, President Garfield was shot by one Charles Guiteau, a frustrated office-seeker who may have been deranged. Or not. At his trial, Guiteau admitted to shooting Garfield, but said the President's death, some six weeks after the shooting, was caused by others.

What "others"? Let Walt not be the spiller or spoiler of this plot. Better you should read Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine & the Murder of a President, by Candice Millard. This is truly a first-rate history -- carefully and thoroughly researched and written with immense narrative power. Ms Millard retells one of the great forgotten stories of US history and in so doing gives the lie to the suggestion that American politics -- indeed American life -- was at this time somehow dull and inconsequential.

A must-read for doctors and lawyers, for reasons that will be obvious, Walt gives Destiny of the Republic (Doubleday, 2011) 17 stars.

Note to Ed.: Could you please check and make sure we have the right picture of the late president?