James A. Garfield went to his party's convention to deliver a rousing speech nominating General Sherman. After many votes, someone introduced Garfield's name to the ballet. He watched in shock as they determined to put him forth as their presidential candidate. He expected his life to alter the day he transformed from common citizen to national leader. What he could not foresee, was the tragic end that lay before him.
When Charles Guiteau fired a gun into the president, he believed he was following a divine directive. Moreover, he was sure that Vice President Chester Arthur would rejoice in this triumph and give Guiteau the foreign office position he coveted. His delusions were monumental. His actions unthinkable. He set in motion a further perplexing tale.
The madman's act may not have killed Garfield had it not been for a power-seeking doctor who took over the care of the president. Dr. Bliss probed the wound with a dirty rod, attempting to find the bullet. With Garfield secure in a tiny White House room, Bliss sent away all other doctors, claiming Garfield and his wife begged for his care. Meanwhile, Alexander Graham Bell worked feverishly to invent a machine to locate the bullet inside the body. It was fascinating to hear how this one act altered the political climate, united a country in mourning, and ushered in medical advancements.
Paul Michael is an outstanding narrator in the audio version of the book. The rich tenor of his voice and his excellent accents bring the story to life. His voice sounded familiar, and I thought I had heard him read another audio book at some point. Despite searching through his profuse list of credits, I couldn't pinpoint where I had heard him before. I will definitely seek more books written by Candice Millard and more books read aloud by Paul Michael.
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