In this episode, we dive into Netflix’s Death by Lightning, the gripping new series about President James Garfield’s short presidency, his assassination, and the troubled mind of his killer, Charles Guiteau. Drawing from Candice Millard’s acclaimed book Destiny of the Republic, the show brings to life an era of bare-knuckle politics, deep factionalism, and a presidency undone by one man’s delusions.
Jake, Justin, and Molly unpack the series, the wild political landscape of the 1880s, and the strange cultural crosscurrents that shaped Garfield’s world.
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This episode of Public History with Justin, Jake, and Molly explores:
- Brains in jars
- Patronage politics, federal jobs, and the fight between reformers and Stalwarts
- Charles Guiteau’s spiraling madness
- How Civil War medicine killed James Garfield
- Free love and the Oneida Community
- Nick Offerman playing presidents
Listen to our previous podcast episode
Podcast | From Mauch Chunk to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
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