Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for President Garfield:
More than just an assassination.
Quick synopsis:
A full biography of President Garfield.
Fact for Non-History People:
By age 26, Garfield was married and a college president.
Fact for History Nerds:
Garfield never lost an election in his life.
My Take on President Garfield:
To be honest, I wondered just how much I would enjoy C.W. Goodyear’s President Garfield. I thoroughly enjoyed Candice Millard’s Destiny of the Republic and felt that might have given me all I needed to know about a president whose administration was regrettably short. Like Roscoe Conkling, I underestimated the man (and his biographer).
Goodyear puts together a detailed, well-researched, and immersive biography. I find many authors can write in-depth about a topic, but it takes true talent to keep it interesting throughout. Make no mistake, this is a long book and clocks in just under 500 pages. Sure, it’s not a Ron Chernow doorstop, but it could hold quite a few doors open. Goodyear never lost my interest, and I was invested the entire way. The book covers everything from Garfield’s upbringing, his service in the Civil War, and his extensive political life. Goodyear also keeps the side stories to an absolute minimum. Many books like this will throw so many names at you that it’s impossible to keep them straight. Goodyear is laser focused and it keeps the narrative moving while still being very detailed. Highly recommend for any reader even slightly interested in Garfield.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)
Verdict:
Absolutely exceptional. Buy it here!
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