What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedDeath by Lightning
Mike Makowsky · Series · 2025
If you loved Death by Lightning, start with Destiny of the Republic (Candice Millard, 2011) — a book on the same thread. Below: 3 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Death by Lightning across media.
What hooked you in Death by Lightning is the way political history shifts into a harrowing, intimate portrait of human frailty.
Books on the same thread
Destiny of the Republic
Candice Millard · Book · 2011
Explores: Gilded Age politics, Medical malpractice, Assassination and tragedy.
If Death by Lightning captivated you with its focus on James Garfield, this narrative deepens the experience by detailing the medical malpractice and political corruption that defined his tragic presidency.
Garfield
Allan Peskin · Book · 1978
Explores: Political rise and career, Civil War military leadership, Congressional reform.
For those fascinated by the life of James Garfield in Death by Lightning, this exhaustive biography provides the essential historical context regarding his rise and 19th-century American governance.
And There Was Light
Jon Meacham · Book
Explores: leadership, civil war era, moral integrity.
The moral integrity and leadership struggles found in this portrayal of Abraham Lincoln mirror the gravity and historical weight that define the presidential narrative of Death by Lightning.
Films on the same thread
Nuremberg
James Vanderbilt · Film · 2025
Explores: moral ambiguity, psychological warfare, post-war reconstruction.
This film echoes the high-stakes political intrigue of Death by Lightning, pitting characters against one another in a battle of intellect and ethics during a fragile post-war period.
Oppenheimer
Film · 2023
Shares a thread with Death by Lightning: Political Thriller.
Like Death by Lightning, this film explores the intersection of individual ambition and historical consequence, showing how personal legacies are forged within the pressure of complex political environments.
Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro · Film · 2025
Explores: Man playing God, The dangers of ambition, Creation and responsibility.
The dangers of unchecked ambition central to Death by Lightning are mirrored in this gothic tale, where a creator faces the disastrous consequences of his own monumental scientific experiment.
Sarah's Oil
Cyrus Nowrasteh · Film · 2025
Explores: Systemic racism, Corporate greed, Resilience.
Much like the power struggles in Death by Lightning, this period drama captures the resilience of an individual fighting against systemic greed and the corruption of her era.
Podcasts on the same thread
1865
Airship / Audible · Podcast · 2025
If the aftermath of presidential violence in Death by Lightning compelled you, this podcast provides an immersive look at the political chaos and investigative pursuit following a leader's assassination.
Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén
Spotify Studios · Podcast · 2026
Explores: dark human nature, criminal psychology, public fascination.
This podcast taps into the dark human nature and criminal psychology that frame the assassination plot in Death by Lightning, offering a deeper dive into the mechanics of notoriety.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Death by Lightning based on the life of James Garfield?
Yes, Death by Lightning tells the story of James Garfield, focusing on his rise from obscurity to become the 20th President of the United States and his eventual assassination by Charles Guiteau.
Who is the antagonist featured in Death by Lightning?
The antagonist in Death by Lightning is Charles Guiteau. The narrative centers on his conflict with James Garfield, culminating in the act of assassination that defines the historical events depicted in the television series.
What historical events are covered in Death by Lightning?
Death by Lightning covers the political trajectory of James Garfield as he ascends to the presidency and the subsequent actions of Charles Guiteau, who is responsible for the assassination of the president.
Who created the television series Death by Lightning?
The 2025 television series Death by Lightning was created by Mike Makowsky. The show explores the historical relationship between James Garfield and Charles Guiteau during the period surrounding Garfield's presidency and assassination.