In the first authoritative biography of James Garfield in over four decades – historian C.W. Goodyear casts an often disregarded figure in a refreshing new light. Although he is most commonly known for being a president who was assassinated weeks after taking office, Garfield was one of the most accomplished American statesmen of the 19th century. The last president to be born in a log cabin, Garfield quietly shaped the rise—and fall—of Reconstruction. In fact, his peacemaking attempts to heal rifts in the postwar Republican Party resulted in his murder. In this biography, Goodyear draws on diaries, archival research, and more to show a progressive statesman working to keep America intact throughout a contentious time. Kirkus Reviews calls the book a “masterful portrait of a man of great intellect, patience, and ability who should not be overlooked by history.” Sponsored by the Friends of Richard Byrd Library. This event is part of Fall for the Book.