Yes. Netflix’s Death by Lightning dramatizes the real rise of U.S. President James A. Garfield and his assassination by Charles Guiteau. It is a historical drama—not a documentary—and is based on Candice Millard’s nonfiction book Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President.
What is historically real?
Garfield and Guiteau were real people, and the assassination at the center of the series happened. Netflix identifies Garfield as the 20th president of the United States and Guiteau as his assassin. The series announcement describes the story as a drama about Garfield’s rise and assassination, while Netflix’s adaptation overview names Millard’s book as its source.
Millard’s Destiny of the Republic was published in 2011, according to Netflix. The book is a nonfiction account; the series adapts that history for dramatic storytelling.
Does that mean every scene and line is exact?
No. A real historical premise does not establish that every conversation, private encounter, or scene is reproduced word for word. The Library of Congress Manuscript Division has examined whether dialogue attributed to Lucretia Garfield in the series can be sourced, drawing attention to the difference between documented historical events and scripted dialogue. The available account does not provide a scene-by-scene inventory of details that were changed or invented.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsNetflix says one depicted encounter is based on a real meeting: Guiteau gave Garfield a copy of his campaign speech, received a handshake, and left. Netflix also places the shooting at Washington’s Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station. Those specific details are described in Netflix’s own explainer; they do not prove that every scene has the same degree of documentation.
Why is it called Death by Lightning?
The title comes from a sentence attributed to Garfield in Netflix’s official trailer: “Assassination can no more be guarded against than death by lightning; it is best not to worry about either.” The trailer is the source for that attribution; an independent archival transcript of the quote is not established here.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What book is the series based on?
The series is based on Candice Millard’s Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President, a nonfiction book published in 2011. Readers looking for a fuller account of the historical events can turn to Millard’s book, while keeping in mind that the television series is a dramatized adaptation.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Netflix’s series announcement
- Netflix Tudum on the adaptation and source book
- Library of Congress on sourcing dialogue attributed to Lucretia Garfield
- Netflix Tudum’s ending and true-story explainer
- Netflix’s official trailer
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