As we end this year, the “Sound of Ideas” is bringing you some of our favorite conversations from 2023 that we think deserve another listen.
Political pundits often lament the polarization and division that exists among Americans and argue these are unprecedented times. But a new biography of our 20th president, James A. Garfield, a Northeast Ohio native, reminds us that our national division is nothing new.
The book, "President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier," chronicles a man whose name is familiar, though the details of his life are not.
The book's author, C.W. Goodyear, paints a vivid picture of a man who was born into poverty in a log cabin in what is now Moreland Hills, and rose to prominence during the Civil War. Garfield spent decades in Congress and was shot less than six months into his first presidential term. His assassination came as Garfield tried to unify Washington and the nation during a very divided time.
On Tuesday’s “Sound of Ideas,” Ideastream Coordinating Producer Drew Maziasz talked with C.W. Goodyear about the book and what history can tell us about the political division of these modern times.
Later in the hour, few U.S. presidents have been written about more than Abraham Lincoln, the nation’s 16th president.
NPR Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep has written a new book about Lincoln and has found a way to break new ground by tying Lincoln's tenure in a divided time to today's political landscape.
In "Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded In a Divided America," Inskeep aims to paint the picture of a politically savvy president. Inskeep’s book looks at how interactions with vehement political opponents shaped Lincoln’s skills as a politician.
The book is divided into 16 chapters, all focusing on people in Lincoln's life. They include well-known 19th century figures like General George McClellan, William Seward and Frederick Douglass. And it includes profiles of the lesser known figures who made an impact on Lincoln -- like his barber, William Florville, Native American leader Lean Bear, and conspiracy theorist Duff Green.
Inskeep talked with the “Sound of Ideas” about his book back in October.
Guests:
-C.W. Goodyear, Author, “President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier”
-Steve Inskeep, Host, Morning Edition, Author, “Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded In a Divided America”
