Finished!

This may not be the best post with which to make my comeback to the blogosphere, but, here goes :)

In November last year I finally wrapped up a project I've been working on for over a decade; reading a biography of each of the dead U.S. Presidents. It was a fascinating journey that I am very glad I stuck with. To be honest, I wasn't sure I'd get through James Madison; one of the more brilliantly boring people about whom I've read.

Others, like Andrew Jackson and Richard Nixon more than made up for Madison's ability to bore. Not saying they were great Presidents, or even good people - but they were definitely a lot of fun to read!

Along the way I was also privileged to hang out with some wonderful writers; David McCullough (John Adams & Truman), Robert Dallek (Richard Nixon), Edmund Morris (Teddy R, Reagan), Stephen Ambrose (Ike), and so many more.

What's always fun in undertaking a project like this one is the gems you stumble upon. One of the brightest for me turns out to be James Garfield. Originally I read Allan Peskin's bio of Garfield. My interest in the U.S's gilded age was piqued, my disdain for machine politics given feet and legs. But, more than the politics, what thrilled me about this book was the subject himself. If I was making a list of U.S. Presidents who truly had character and are worth emulating as human beings, it would be quite short and James Garfield would be near the top. The joy he had for life, his genuine kindness to people, his humility, his willingness to stand up for African Americans and with the rebuilding South are all admirable. But, the fact that he remained who he was throughout the 2 month excruciating trial that ended his life is...well...inspirational (seems weak, but it's all I can think of).

It's amazing the contrast between Garfield and JFK, whose term was also famously cut short. Neither accomplished much as President, and JFK is obviously the more remembered and popular of the two today. But as human beings...well, let's just say there is far more to learn from James Garfield :)

As I moved on from Garfield, I was a bit disheartened. Arthur, Harrison and Cleveland - while good imperialists in their own right - were nearly as dull as Madison when taken as a whole. About halfway through my plod through Harrison's life, my friend Ben gifted me with Kenneth Ackerman's Garfield bio. I am always glad for a new book, but wanted to finish the project in order, so this one went in the 'to read' pile to wait its turn. Then, in late fall 2011 my father in law loaned me Candice Millard's account of Garfield's shooting.

Since the Millard book was a loan, I started there and am very glad I did. She is a great storyteller and weaves Garfield, Alexander Graham Bell, the medical establishment & Garfield's assassin, Charles Guiteau, together with incredible fluidity. I'm not a book reviewer, so I will stop there, but I must say that Millard made me want to move on quickly to Ackerman and learn more about Garfield.

I took on this project with 3 main aims: 1) to learn something about each of the men (hopefully someday we can say 'people') who've held the office of President of the United States, 2) to learn something from each of these men; everyone has something to teach us, like them or not, and 3) to enjoy some good stories and writers. Sometimes one of these aims was more accessible than others, but I think I accomplished what I set out to do.

What's next?