James A Garfield Chapter Summaries

When you think of our past presidents, James A. Garfield probably isn’t the first person to pop into your mind. This book is an excellent read for people who don’t know much about Garfield because the author has researched her topic thoroughly and does a great job blending the facts about his life into a very interesting story. Not only does she tell about the political events and the lives of Garfield and Guitaeu; she also tells about the scientific developments of the late 19th century. Millard’s writing style and use of imagery makes the reader feel like they are witnesses to the key events in the book.
The book highlights the life of James A. Garfield. Garfield didn’t have it easy; he was born into extreme poverty, but rose quickly over the layers of society. He had a love for learning and once said “education is salvation,” education changed his
Millard does a fantastic job at switching between the thoughts and lives of Guitaeu and Garfield before and after the shooting. Guitaeu was the opposite of Garfield and in this story; he plays the part of the villain. According to the encyclopedia Guitaeu had written a speech in hopes that Garfield would use it in a debate with Hancock, but in reality, Garfield never even read it. Garfield won the debate and Guitaeu believed it was because of his speech. Guitaeu then became a bother to Blaine, the Secretary of State, and Blaine pushed him away; Guitaeu was bitter with resentment. As a result of Guitaeu’s insane agenda and resentment, he shot Garfield. Garfield should have survived, recovered, and lived a long life, but that didn’t happen because of medical malpractice. In this book it seems as if Millard felt more contempt toward the doctors than she felt toward Guitaeu. It’s almost like she was somewhat sympathetic toward Guitaeau, compared to how everyone else felt about