The Life and Work of James A. Garfield

What it is

This is a memorial edition of a biography of James A. Garfield, the twentieth president of the United States, by John Clark Ridpath, who was also the author of a popular history of the United States. The book's full title describes accounts of Garfield's boyhood, the struggles of his youth, his valor as a soldier, his career as a statesman, his election to the presidency and the tragic story of his death. The printed edition includes portraits of Garfield and of Mrs. James A. Garfield.

Why it matters

The book was written shortly after Garfield's assassination, when many Americans wanted to remember him as a national hero. It is a later study rather than a primary source, so its judgments reflect the author's view of the events. It shows how a writer of the late 1800s framed a president's life as a story of hard work, military service and public duty.

Look closer

• The title promises a story of the struggles of Garfield's youth: which details does Ridpath choose to show that struggle?
• Why might a memorial edition be written in praise, and how would that shape what the author includes?
• What does the book leave out about the people who opposed Garfield or about the political conflicts of his time?