Wednesday, January 10, 2018

James A. Garfield (20th President of the USA-Serving Less Than One Year)



One of my co-workers has a calendar with pretty photos and inspiring quotations.  For January, it has a picture of a covered bridge in Vermont with this quote by James Garfield, " Equality- the informing soul of Freedom!".    When I saw it, it made me think, I wonder if my young co-worker knows that James Garfield was one of our four United States presidents who was assassinated. (The other three are Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy.)  

I just mentioned in my last post that Candice Millard had written a book called "River of Doubt" about Teddy Roosevelt's  trip down the unchartered river in South America.  Now, I see that Candice Millard has also written a book about James Garfield entitled "Destiny of The Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder Of A President".   Here is the saddest thing to know about him, if not for the medical care at the time, he might have survived being shot.  Apparently, the doctors dug around for the bullet with unwashed hands and the infection is really what killed him.  He was only 49 years of age.  If you would like to know more about him, I encourage you to read about him just here.

Also, Richard and I saw the movie "Darkest Hour" this past weekend.  While we both liked it...ahem, there were some liberties taken with the truth, and I do know that Hollywood does so like to change things but...I hope it will make people want to read more  about Winston Churchill and his leadership in World War II.   I also see that Candace Millard has written THIS book: "Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, A Daring Escape, and The Making of Winston Churchill".  

My goodness, this is turning into an advert for Ms. Millard! It is just funny to me that all these books just happen to be what has been on my mind this week.  Life is funny that way sometimes!

By the way, I was so tired yesterday that I couldn't watch much of the Teddy Roosevelt show that was on TV but I hope to do so tonight.  I hope you all were able to see it and to learn more about Candido Rondon!  In case you can't see the TV show, I have a link about him here.

By the way, my history teachers all loved me! I would always say to them after one of our lessons..."You know, I once read a book about that..."    SOME of my teachers liked me but ALL of my history teachers did!



 Went to a wedding recently, it was in an old building from 1899 and was originally a mill that made twine...apparently THE largest maker of twine in the world! (And who is there to dispute this claim, I wonder.) See, there I go...always questioning, wanting the exact truth of my history!  I don't mean to make light of those who worked so hard in the mills, many of them were children.  There, that will have to be another history lesson post of mine!




29 comments:

  1. I'm looking forward to "The Darkest Hour." Also not surprised to hear it is inaccurate. Everything is these days. Does Gary Oldman's performance as Churchill deserve the rave reviews he's been getting?

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    1. Of course, history has NEVER been portrayed accurately in films, TV and often books. So it's not like this is just a new phenomena.

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    2. Hey Debra!
      You know, for me personally, Gary Oldman was not the best choice for me...I used to watch "EastEnders" so much that his eyes just reminded me of his sister who was a character on that show and I kept hearing her voice, calling for "Fat Elvis"!
      There was just a bit of a "rah rah" kind of feel about it, and one thing that I know, the Brits seem to be a calm, steady bunch of folks. As I say, maybe it is just me. (Of course, Debra, I have to tell you this: I left my jacket and when I went back, two ladies were still in there...and I sang a bit of "Rule Britannia"! Who would do this? ME!)

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  2. I hated history in school. Now my favorite reading materials are biographies and books about the Civil War and Revolutionary War. I guess I grew up.

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    1. I had a short spell reading fiction when I was in high school, other than that, it has always been non-fiction for me!

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  3. You know - you are from England and I seriously believe you study and take history more than we do - I think sometimes we take it for granted. Nice to hear your perspective.

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    1. No, I am not from England, that would be my husband! I am a true Georgia gal, born in Toccoa! I do love history though, always have!

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  4. Hello Kay, history is fascinating, isn't it! Like you, I have always been interested in it. At school, I often did not get enough out of a particular period or subject in our history lessons, and would go to the library to read more on my own. Of course it helped that my Mum worked at the school's library, and I had practically unlimited access to books from the moment I learned to read at 5 years old!

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    1. Sometimes, when I would ask questions in class, a teacher would say that the answer was not in my textbook and give me a pass to the school library! It makes me laugh to think about it, some of the boys would then, raise their hands and say, "Oh, teacher, I have a question too, may I have a pass too?" (Just to be funny, of course, they never got that library pass!)
      Sigh...unlimited access to books, what a lucky girl your were! I craved books so very much, you can bet my son always had access to them!

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  5. I did know about James Garfield and keep meaning to read the book about him - Destiny of the Republic. Need to listen on audio as non-fiction and I don't really get along all that well in print. That twine factory picture and story are interesting. I like history a lot and especially like museums that relate historical 'stuff'. Have you ever been to the Smithsonian in Washington? You'd love it!

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    1. I would dearly love to see the Smithsonian in Washington, DC! I have been to the British Museum in London several times and if possible, I wish I could live there, I love it so!

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  6. I do love history and like reading your bits an pieces of it. I have a friend who saw the Darkest Hour and thought it was wonderful. Nice to see someone is reusing that old mill building. I love old buildings too.

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    1. I DID like the film "Darkest Hour", it's just that there were certain things that I would have done differently. I should have been a film critic! HA!
      And I didn't say, but as you know, many mills like this are now being sold as loft apartments, and this one follows the trend...they must be very nice with the water views!

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  7. Kay, I love history too...but not enough to read it so much any more. I will tell you, once on a trip to Gettysburg, a step on guide(once a teacher) told us more about the Civil War in three hours than I ever remember learning in school. LOL. You will be my "go to history girl" from now on. LOL. I know you know lots of English history also. Blessings to you, xoxo, Susie

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    1. YES! I need to have several blogs... I could be FLOWER GIRL, MUSIC GIRL and HISTORY GIRL! Oh well, guess I will just be GEORGIA GIRL and talk about anything! HA!
      I do love history, I am always surprised that I remember any of it though, there is a lot to remember! :-) xxxx

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  8. Tom read the Hero book and liked it immensely. I've read about Garfield, and about the book but I just don't think I can bear it. Such a sad story.

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    1. Tom and I must like the same kind of books! Thanks for telling me, I know I will like it too.
      I know it is hard for you to read sad stories, I remember you told me that when I talked about "The Children's Blizzard". One of THE saddest stories I have ever read.

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  9. I think certain liberties have to be taken to make some stories more interesting than what the actual reality was/is. Sometimes the end result of certain events/happenings is "world-shatteringly? interesting, but the road getting there can be most boring! If you understand what I mean! :)

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    1. Not only do I know just what you mean but let me tell you this- I have a clear memory of a history lesson being taught from our textbook and looking around seeing my classmates almost bored to tears and raising my hand and saying, "This is TERRIBLY written, you have to read between the lines here and see that these were REAL people and how difficult their lives would have been and what it must have been like for them. WE know what happened, but all of this was yet to be for these people, we have to put ourselves in THEIR shoes, and try to think of what it was like AT THAT TIME. (I remember saying this when we studied the Civil War in the USA.) See why I drove my teachers crazy? HA!

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  10. History was one of my favorite subjects, so i always enjoy your history posts!

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    1. Thank you, Mimi! Sometimes, history sneaks up on me and I have to share it!

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  11. I can't imagine any teacher not loving you, Kay. You absorb so much and would make any teacher look good. It's so sad about President Garfield.

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    1. I had a lot of teachers that didn't like me but happily for me, I promptly forgot them and only remember the good ones who did!
      President Garfield! It is such a shame that he was killed, he really seemed like a great President and one that could have done a lot of good for the country.

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  12. I was fascinated by the PSB Teddy Roosevelt in the Amazon program. There was also a PBS program about Garfield which is very worth watching. It sounds well worth looking up more about Millard!

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    1. Oh, I missed the one about Garfield! You know I would have liked that one too. Sometimes you find an author that makes you feel like they are writing books just for you!

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  13. As a person who loathed history at school I am surprised that I have heard of President Garfield but then school was sixty years ago and I've had some thinking time since then!

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    1. Graham, you loathed your history classes? Wish you had been in school with me, I PROMISE I would have shown you the light! HA!
      If Americans had to take history tests to be citizens, a great many would fail!

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  14. I enjoy your history posts, Kay! I didn't remember that Garfield had been shot. I've just finished two historical books back to back: "The Great Halifax Explosion" by John U. Bacon and "The Curse of the Narrows" by Laura MacDonald. Both books recounted the events of December 6, 1917 in a heartbreaking and harrowing narrative. btw, I'm working backwards, so between this comment and the last I ordered Slocum's book. I'll take it to Hawaii with me on the 2nd. Sending you a big hug!

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    1. Just seeing your comment. I know that you read and loved the Sailing Alone Around The World book! xx

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