Candice Millard, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President, New York: Random House, 2011.

While working on my master’s degree, one of my professors told me that when it came time to write my dissertation, find a book I love and write my dissertation like that book.

I decided not to continue on to a Ph.D. program following my master’s so I could pursue my legal career. But in the event that I ever do go back for my doctorate, I have found the book I love and would want to serve as my model. The entire time I was reading Destiny of the Republic on my Kindle, I kept thinking two things: 1) “This is such a good book!” and 2) “I wish I had written this book!”

Generally, I tend to be overly generous in my assessment of books, but I promise you that the praise I have for this book is not hyperbolic in the least bit.

You can read the rest of this review here.