Potus Geeks Book Review: President Garfield-From Radical to Unifier
James Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, held the office for just 200 days, and spent the last 80 of those days in agony, after being shot by a crazed office seeker. He would ultimately die from a combination of his gunshot wounds as well as negligent medical treatment, and is considered to be the second President to be assassinated. In spite of the brief duration of his presidency, Garfield led an amazing, interesting and accomplished life, giving ample material for a good biographer. Those two elements (a fascinating subject and a talented author) combine superbly in C. W. Goodyear's outstanding recent work President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier.
Raised by a widowed mother in the humblest of beginnings, Garfield went on to excel at every endeavor he took on: student, debater, teacher, preacher, soldier, and congressman, causing one to wonder what his uninterrupted presidency might have accomplished. Goodyear describes the events in Garfield's life in meticulous (but not excruciating) detail. The book is sectioned so as to break down the subject's life into four parts: his beginnings ("the Wilderness"), his service as a soldier in the Civil War, his career in Congress, and his brief presidency (including the suffering he endured in the last months of his life. Those unfamiliar with Garfield will be amazed at what an eventful life James Garfield had, while those familiar with it will appreciate that nothing has been left out.
As with any good biography, Goodyear does not limit the story to Garfield alone, but also explains the challenging issues Garfield had to confront throughout his career, as well as the diverse supporting cast in his life. This includes powerful contemporaries such as James G. Blaine (House Speaker and Garfield's Secretary of State), the pompous and vain Senator Roscoe Conkling, leader of the "Stalwart" faction of the Republican Party (the Capulets to Blaine's Montagues), Vice-President Chester Alan Arthur, a sycophantic bag man seemingly out of his depth in his office, and Presidents Andrew Johnson, Ulysses Grant and Rutherford Hayes, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. It also includes the strong women in his life, his mother Eliza and his supportive wife Lucretia ("Crete.")
Goodyear's portrayal of Garfield as a "hail fellow well met," that is as someone who steered a middle course in order to get along with all factions, and his highlighting of Garfield's courage and other positive qualities, should not leave the impression that this is a work of hero worship. The author does not shirk from addressing his subject's character defects as well. These include an extra-marital affair, his disgraceful conduct in negotiations with an indigenous first nation, some shady financial dealings while serving in congress, and inconsitencies in talking a good game when it came to the rights of African-Ameicans, while being quick to compromise those principles for political expediency. Goodyear leaves it to the reader to conclude whether Garfield lacked backbone or if he was simply being pragmatic in concluding that half a loaf is better than none.
It seems insufficient to simply state that Goodyear writes well. The book's prologue reads like an epic novel, conjuring images of the opening scene of a movie classic. The author is master of the English language, telling the story of his subject in captivating prose that doesn't just capture the reader's interest, but ropes and ties it. The book is 488 pages in length, but it is not a laborious read. It is difficult to imagine that a better presidential biography will be written this year and this book deserves consideration as one of the year's best biographies generally. The book is highly recommended for those with an interest in Presidential history, the history of the Reconstruction era, or simply with an interest in American history.
Raised by a widowed mother in the humblest of beginnings, Garfield went on to excel at every endeavor he took on: student, debater, teacher, preacher, soldier, and congressman, causing one to wonder what his uninterrupted presidency might have accomplished. Goodyear describes the events in Garfield's life in meticulous (but not excruciating) detail. The book is sectioned so as to break down the subject's life into four parts: his beginnings ("the Wilderness"), his service as a soldier in the Civil War, his career in Congress, and his brief presidency (including the suffering he endured in the last months of his life. Those unfamiliar with Garfield will be amazed at what an eventful life James Garfield had, while those familiar with it will appreciate that nothing has been left out.
As with any good biography, Goodyear does not limit the story to Garfield alone, but also explains the challenging issues Garfield had to confront throughout his career, as well as the diverse supporting cast in his life. This includes powerful contemporaries such as James G. Blaine (House Speaker and Garfield's Secretary of State), the pompous and vain Senator Roscoe Conkling, leader of the "Stalwart" faction of the Republican Party (the Capulets to Blaine's Montagues), Vice-President Chester Alan Arthur, a sycophantic bag man seemingly out of his depth in his office, and Presidents Andrew Johnson, Ulysses Grant and Rutherford Hayes, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. It also includes the strong women in his life, his mother Eliza and his supportive wife Lucretia ("Crete.")
Goodyear's portrayal of Garfield as a "hail fellow well met," that is as someone who steered a middle course in order to get along with all factions, and his highlighting of Garfield's courage and other positive qualities, should not leave the impression that this is a work of hero worship. The author does not shirk from addressing his subject's character defects as well. These include an extra-marital affair, his disgraceful conduct in negotiations with an indigenous first nation, some shady financial dealings while serving in congress, and inconsitencies in talking a good game when it came to the rights of African-Ameicans, while being quick to compromise those principles for political expediency. Goodyear leaves it to the reader to conclude whether Garfield lacked backbone or if he was simply being pragmatic in concluding that half a loaf is better than none.
It seems insufficient to simply state that Goodyear writes well. The book's prologue reads like an epic novel, conjuring images of the opening scene of a movie classic. The author is master of the English language, telling the story of his subject in captivating prose that doesn't just capture the reader's interest, but ropes and ties it. The book is 488 pages in length, but it is not a laborious read. It is difficult to imagine that a better presidential biography will be written this year and this book deserves consideration as one of the year's best biographies generally. The book is highly recommended for those with an interest in Presidential history, the history of the Reconstruction era, or simply with an interest in American history.