Author Topic: Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard - March Book Club Online (Read 56417 times)

BooksAdmin · « **on:** January 16, 2012, 11:17:24 AM »

OUR MARCH DISCUSSION

Destiny of the Republic
Candice Millard

DOES THE NAME JAMES A. GARFIELD SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU?

HOW ABOUT PRESIDENT GARFIELD?

A man and a president almost forgotten, Candice Millard has done a magnificent job in restoring him to modern, popular history in this book and what a good book! What an excellent writer! Try to find a review that does not praise Millard's work.

A New York Times Notable Book of 2011 - "One of the many pleasures of Candice Millard’s new book, Destiny of the Republic, is that she brings poor Garfield to life—and a remarkable life it was…..Fascinating… Outstanding….Millard has written us a penetrating human tragedy.” - - The New York Times Book Review

"A passionate abolitionist, Garfield was not only hailed a hero in the Civil War, but was a fierce champion of the rights of freed slaves. At the same time, he was a supremely gifted scholar who had become a university president at just 26 years of age, and, while in Congress, wrote an original proof of the Pythagorean Theorem.

With each diary entry and letter I read, each research trip I took, Garfield came more clearly and vividly to life. It was not until I visited the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington, D.C., however, that I began to understand the extent of the suffering that Garfield, and the nation with him" - Candice Millard
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Discussion Leaders: Ella & Harold

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #1 on:** January 16, 2012, 07:41:18 PM »

The book is sitting on my desk, I haven't started reading it yet, but did look at the pictures inside, doesn't everybody? It looks so tempting, so fascinating and I will start it soon. If you have read Millard's RIVER OF DOUBT, about Teddy Roosevelt, you know how the author writes and keeps us interested in the subject.

PLEASE JOIN IN OUR DISCUSSION. POST A MESSAGE!

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #2 on:** January 17, 2012, 02:50:46 PM »

Ella and I have been looking for a good non-fiction title for discussion here. As it so often happens it was Ella who first mentioned this title as a biography of our 20th president, James Garfield. How I thought did a simple biography of a rather obscure president who I knew as the unfortunate victim of an assassin before the completion of his first term, rate a title as comprehensive as "Destiny of the Republic?" I just didn't see the short abbreviated term having that much grasp on our history?

Well yesterday I acquire the digital book on the I-pad and read the first 150 pages quickly realizing that this book is much more than a simple biography of an unfortunate President. It is in fact the story of the Republic at that particular time emerging as it was from the agony of a devastating civil war. In the Presidential Election year of 1880, eleven of its States were voting for the first time in two decades. The story of the book is therefore much more than the biography of a single President. It is the story of the Republic re constituting itself with a major city rebuilt after a devastating fire, a new Industrial base with a coast to coast intercontinental railroad system, nationwide wired telegraphy, and an emerging voice telephone system. Also on the other side there were emerging new unconventional cults and confused individuals one of whom was to play out a role cutting short Jame Garfield's first term within 6 months of its inauguration .

You are all Invited to join this discussion that will begin March 1st and complete by the end of March. Just post here indicating your interest. We will require 5 or 6 or hopefully many more active participants.

The book is available at most libraries, in paperback print, or digital for the I-Pad, Nook, and Amazon readers. ALL ARE WELCOME!

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3 on:** January 17, 2012, 07:07:48 PM »

Hi you two. I'll be getting ready for my spring course on the 50s, 60s, 70s, but i'm going to try to join you. I also know very little about Garfield other than he was assassinated. I will be glad to learn new things about him and the period.

Jean

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #4 on:** January 17, 2012, 07:35:33 PM »

I hope you can join us, JEAN. Thanks for the post, you might be interested in the New York Times Book Review and the picture of the dying president:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/books/review/destiny-of-the-republic-by-candice-millard-book-review.html?pagewanted=all

JoanK · « **Reply #5 on:** January 17, 2012, 11:12:40 PM »

I'll order a sample and try to join. Let you know definately later.

kidsal · « **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2012, 04:01:54 AM »

Am reading it now for my February local book discussion group. Will join in this discussion.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #7 on:** January 18, 2012, 10:53:26 AM »

I hope you will join JOANK.

KIDSAL, Good. I'm very interested in what your book group does with the book. Let me know, I might choose it for our local book group!

JoanK · « **Reply #8 on:** January 18, 2012, 06:15:52 PM »

I've read the sample, and I'm hooked! I'll be there (Lord willing and the creek don't rise).

Interesting coincidence: the book starts in the Philadelphia Centennial exposition. Last night, there was a program on "Custer's last Stand" which I hadn't intended to watch. But when i saw that it occurred at the same time as the book, I turned it on, and they were talking about how Custer had gone to the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, and it fired his determination to become a hero. Having never heard of that Exposition before yesterday, let's see how many references to it I bump into before the discussion starts.

maryz · « **Reply #9 on:** January 19, 2012, 10:02:35 AM »

This one sounds interesting. Don't know that I'll comment, but I know I'll enjoy listening to the discussion.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #10 on:** January 19, 2012, 10:58:17 AM »

Happy to learn you are onboard JOANK and MARY I'M SURE YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO RESIST THIS DISCUSSION! ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE BOOK?

maryz · « **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2012, 11:01:24 AM »

I'll get a sample for my kindle.

Frybabe · « **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2012, 07:48:39 PM »

I doubt I will have the time to participate. The book does sound interesting, so I will probably check in now and again to read the mail.

While looking for something else this evening, I found out that this book is an Edgar Award nominee in the Best Fact Crime category. Awards to be announced in the middle of March (forget the exact date).

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2012, 08:15:14 PM »

Yes, the book follows the life of Garfield's assassin - I hesitate to type this as I don't have the book in front of me but Garfield's death occurred approximately 14 years after Lincoln's assassination. The country must have been so shocked by the two of them, by it all, as we were by both Kennedys and MLK' murders; and it was barely pulling out of the chaos of the Civil War. Garfield served in the war and wanted to complete his term but Lincoln asked him to return to Congress as he needed his friends, allies, there.

I may have this wrong, it's from memory, and I shall be called for it if in error.

FRYBABE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE ANYONE FOLLOW ALONG WITH US AND IF YOU WANT TO POST A COMMENT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO!

Eagle415t · « **Reply #14 on:** January 19, 2012, 11:37:21 PM »

I am new here. This book enticed me to join. Look forward to the discussion.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #15 on:** January 20, 2012, 09:34:06 AM »

OH, WONDERFUL, EAGLE!!

WE ARE SO HAPPY TO WELCOME A NEW PERSON, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST LET US KNOW AND WE WILL TRY TO ANSWER THEM. NONE OF US ARE EXPERTS, JUST LOVE TO READ BOOKS AND SHARE THEM WITH OTHERS!!!

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #16 on:** January 20, 2012, 09:37:38 AM »

EAGLE, when we get closer to March, we will post a schedule for discussion, for example, how many chapters or pages the first week, second week, etc. And we will put a few questions in the heading which may or may not be answered, it's just to help the discussion along.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #17 on:** January 20, 2012, 09:46:56 AM »

What does this picture of Garfield dying remind you of?

maryz · « **Reply #18 on:** January 20, 2012, 02:36:30 PM »

Thomas Eakins painting, The Gross Clinic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gross_Clinic

JoanK · « **Reply #19 on:** January 20, 2012, 02:53:17 PM »

WELCOME, EAGLE! I like your name. Do you like eagles?

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #20 on:** January 20, 2012, 05:53:21 PM »

Hello everyone and welcome to all of you who have posted their interest participating in the discussion. I am sure you will find the book an interesting read. I am now about 3/5 th through it. My progress has been slowed since I am highlighting and noting important points for quick access as the discussion progresses. I am even getting use to using the i-Pad's virtual keyboard. Also I digressed to study some of the political history facts from other sources. I look forward to an interesting March discussion.

There is room for many more. Just add your post here indicating your interest.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #21 on:** January 20, 2012, 07:16:47 PM »

MARY, you are in the right period, but think assassination and you will have it. Another clue - president! There, now you know it!

maryz · « **Reply #22 on:** January 20, 2012, 09:32:18 PM »

Lincoln, of course, but the two paintings are similar.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #23 on:** January 20, 2012, 09:42:30 PM »

Wanting to get the sense of the period, i checked the decade in wikipedia and found it quite interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1880s

Scroll down to "technology" to get a running timeline of the development of electrical products, it's as though inventors were just going crazy rolling out new concepts. It sounds so exciting when i read it all compiled like that. We're never really aware of new ideas and inventions when they are happening, in the moment - we have to wait for an "Apple" announcement to know what's been happening.

I think this is going to be fun!

Jean

harry10 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 21, 2012, 07:23:49 AM »

I just stumbled on this reading on-line group, and would love to participate. A friend read about the book in the New York Times and gave it to me for Christmas. I've started it, and it is wonderful, for so many reasons. An interesting note about the centennial in 1876 is the efforts made by promoters to "lure" southerners to attend. I too watched the Custer program. I thought it was very compelling, as that whole saga is.

Harry10

dbroomsc · « **Reply #25 on:** January 21, 2012, 07:46:07 AM »

Don't know whether I'll be able to contribute much to the discussion, but I have purchased the book--well ordered it from Amazon which should help me follow along. Other than he was assassinated, I know very little about James Garfield, but I did read somewhere that he was the last president to be born in a log cabin and that he was ambidextrous.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #26 on:** January 21, 2012, 08:51:11 AM »

WELCOME HARRY, we are happy you found us, but don't read too far ahead or you will forget it all by March. We have a few weeks yet and I can tell from your comment that you are a careful reader. We can all discuss the centennial together then.

And DEAN, A HEARTY WELCOME TO YOU! None of us knew much about James Garfield, a forgotten president. But the book and our discussion will bring him alive again in March. We look forward to your participation in MARCH.

MARCH! Will it be a wintry month where you live? I live in Ohio and we are getting a very bad taste of it right now with low temperatures and enough snow to freeze on the roads.

JoanK · « **Reply #27 on:** January 21, 2012, 03:20:49 PM »

WELCOME, HARRY and DEAN. I always think of the 1880s as a time of growth and prosperity, but don't know where I got that impression. Definitely, from reading about Mark twain, a time of invention. he was obsessed with inventions (one of the first to use a typewriter) and bankrupted himself supporting inventors.

Certainly the invention of the typewriter marked the beginning of the entry of women into the labor force in large numbers. Employers had tried before (especially during the Civil War) to use women to replace male clerks in offices, but met with too much resistance. However, the introduction of the typewriter, allowed them to introduce a new occupation (the women who filled it were also called "typewriters") and fill the jobs with women. Since they were new jobs, there were no existing workers to protest. Newe technology often serves this purpose: enabling the introduction of a new labor force.

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #28 on:** January 23, 2012, 10:32:42 AM »

Welcome Eagle,Dean and Harry. I look forward to reading your comments on this interesting book.

Regarding the 1776 Philadelphia Expedition this was the official United States Centennial celebration. One of the displays not mentioned in our book was a brain tanned buffalo skin tepee- an Indian hunting camp layout including Indian women cutting up meat, meat drying on racks (complete with flys and camp dogs). It was an interesting plaines Indian hunting camp made by Aparado Indians in Colorado. I remember seeing this display indoors at the Smithsonian on my frequent. D.C. visits during the 1980's and 90's. The last time I was in D.C. (about 2001) this exhibit was gone. Hopefully it was just being renovated and is back on display.

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #29 on:** January 24, 2012, 09:59:11 AM »

And something else that is missing today and will be missed in the future - letters, hand-written letters! Most of us remember getting them, I'm sure. Part of our heritage will be gone forever, no doubt, because of technology. Who is going to save emails?

Here is a letter from President Garfield to his wife:

http://www.americanpresidents.org/letters/20.asp

marjifay · « **Reply #30 on:** January 25, 2012, 02:29:01 PM »

Well you've peaked my interest. I put Destiny on hold at my library. Hope I'll be able to get to it by the latter part of February. Have 20 books sitting here waiting to be read.

Marj

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #31 on:** January 26, 2012, 10:54:52 AM »

Happy to have you, MARJ. I think we will have a good group to discuss President Garfield. I'm looking forward to it!

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #32 on:** January 27, 2012, 12:01:43 PM »

Thank you for your planned participation MARJ. I think we all will remember this discussion for a long time, and March will be quite a month for all of us.

ANNIE · « **Reply #33 on:** January 28, 2012, 01:36:57 PM »

Count me in for Destiny, Ella. I have reserved it at our library and of course, it came in early so I will have to reserve it again when we are closer in time to our discussion.

At the moment, I am reading and learning about "The End of Country" by Seamus McGraw. Personal story about FRACKING in Pennsylvana! I am halfway through.

JoanK · « **Reply #34 on:** January 28, 2012, 01:41:11 PM »

What is FRACKING?

Frybabe · « **Reply #35 on:** January 28, 2012, 02:57:55 PM »

Adoannie, is the book pretty even-handed, or is it clearly biased to one side or the other?

JoanK, fracking stands for hydraulic fracturing. It is a method of extracting natural gas and oil by pumping in high-pressure fluids, which is mostly water, into the ground in order to fracture the surrounding rock. After the rock is fractured, the water is pumped out again. I am not sure, but I assume that the oil or gas seeps into the wells following the fractures in the rock.

Here is the EPA site on hydraulic fracturing. http://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracture/ The EPA also has tons of info on groundwater, the Clean Water Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act. The Safe Drinking Water Act has a program called the Underground Injection Control program which sets various requirements to minimize risks to groundwater that is classified as potable.

JoanK · « **Reply #36 on:** January 28, 2012, 05:01:55 PM »

Thanks. I had no idea.

serenesheila · « **Reply #37 on:** January 28, 2012, 08:17:01 PM »

Thanks, Ella, and Harold for agreeing to lead this discussion. Please add my name to the list of participants. I have been missing our discussions of non fiction books. You both are great leaders.

Sheila

JoanK · « **Reply #38 on:** January 29, 2012, 06:16:03 PM »

I'll second that!

Ella Gibbons · « **Reply #39 on:** January 30, 2012, 10:43:52 AM »

WONDERFUL ANN AND SHEILA.

Thanks so much for posting and joining in; what a grand group!

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Author Topic: Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard - March Book Club Online (Read 56417 times)