Wolfe supplies a moving portrait of his dying father, as well as a rich meditation on American history and ambitions. Discussion of the title characters-Presidents James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Benjamin Harrison, and Rutherford B. Hayes-provides Wolfe an opportunity to assess the mood and promise of the nation and to reflect on the obstacles toward untapped American potential. Garfield, Arthur, Harrison, and Hayes, the four Republican presidents...