What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedGarfield
Allan Peskin · Book · 1978
If you loved Garfield, start with Death by Lightning (Mike Makowsky, 2025) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 1 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Garfield across media.
If you loved Garfield, you will appreciate how these narratives transform complex historical figures into deeply human studies of power.
Films on the same thread
Lincoln
Steven Spielberg · Film · 2012
Explores: American Civil War, Presidential Leadership, Abolitionism.
Like Garfield, this film focuses on the grueling mechanics of presidential leadership during a fractured era, showcasing the immense moral weight required to steer a nation through political turmoil.
Gandhi
Richard Attenborough · Film · 1982
Explores: Nonviolent Resistance, Colonialism, Civil Disobedience.
Much like the scholarly examination of Garfield, this epic portrays the transformation of an individual into a historical force, highlighting the personal sacrifice inherent in high-stakes political movements.
Patton
Franklin J. Schaffner · Film · 1970
Explores: Leadership, Insubordination, The Cost of War.
This portrait of a complex military leader mirrors the interest in Garfield's own Civil War service, exploring how professional ambition and personal ego shape a career in public service.
Oppenheimer
Film · 2023
Explores: Moral ambiguity, Scientific ethics, Cold War paranoia.
Fans of the rigorous research in Garfield will appreciate this deep dive into the historical record, which balances scientific achievement with the heavy political consequences of a singular legacy.
Series on the same thread
Death by Lightning
Mike Makowsky · Series · 2025
Explores: Presidential History, Assassination, Political Intrigue.
This series serves as a direct companion to Garfield, expanding on the same presidential rise and tragedy by dramatizing the political intrigue surrounding his life and eventual assassination.
Podcasts on the same thread
1865
Airship / Audible · Podcast · 2025
If the political governance aspects of Garfield captured your attention, you will value this immersive look at the power vacuums and administrative transitions that defined 19th-century American leadership.
Acquired
Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal · Podcast · 2026
Explores: entrepreneurial growth, market disruption, strategic decision-making.
Just as Garfield provides a definitive look at a political career, this podcast applies the same analytical rigor to corporate history, dissecting the strategic decisions behind monumental institutional growth.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Garfield by Allan Peskin a comprehensive biography?
Yes, Garfield is considered the definitive biography of the 20th president, James A. Garfield. It provides an exhaustively researched account of his life, covering his military career, his time in Congress, and his presidency with thorough evaluation and detail.
Has Garfield received any literary recognition?
Garfield has earned several prestigious honors for its historical research and writing. The book is a winner of the Ohio Academy of History Award and the Ohioana Book Award in History, and it was also named a Choice Outstanding Academic Book of the Year.
What aspects of the president's life does Garfield cover?
Garfield focuses on the major phases of James A. Garfield's public life. The biography provides a detailed examination of his military service, his congressional years, and his tenure as the President of the United States.
Who is the author of the biography Garfield?
The biography titled Garfield was written by Allan Peskin. Published in 1978, the work is recognized as a skillfully written and extensively researched account of the life and political career of James A. Garfield.