So Sorry, President Garfield

I will remember April 2012 as the month where I spent a part of most days totally sad that President Garfield died in 1881. 

Even though I learned in Sarah Vowell's Assassination Vacation about how crazy-person Charles Guiteau cut short Garfield's life via bullet, I did not develop a pain in my gut about the tragedy of his death until I read Candice Millard's Destiny of the Republic.

I became interested when I heard my Mom and brother bragging about the awesome-ness of President Garfield, which I found a somewhat strange trend.   They recommended reading Destiny of the Republic, and once I did I joined them as an outspoken fan, having urgent office hallway and dinner table interjections such as:

• "James Garfield did not have SHOES until he was FOUR! He grew up without money, with a single Mom and then became President!"

• "And he did not even RUN for President!  His party nominated him without his permission.

• American Doctors did not believe in GERMS and this is why he died! 

Candice Millard writes a compelling and suspenseful story of the inspiring and intellectual James Garfield, a man of integrity who rose to power but tragically died 200 days into office.

My mom would want me to add that the author is from Kansas City. There's nothing like a good story, especially one that's true, even if it makes you sad all month.  I miss you, President Garfield!