A Message to Garcia - Class Notes #1

Excellence was what drove Rowan into the jungle and to Garcia. On the other hand, lack of it was what made by Elbert Hubbard inspire people to reach excellence.

Vital information:

A Message to Garcia was published as an inspirational essay in 1899. Due to its popularity, the essay was reprinted in the form of a pamphlet and a 42-page book. The book was so popular, as it had sold more than 40 million copies. It got translated into 37 languages, making it an international interest. It was twice made into a movie (in 1916 and 1936), and in the second one, Rowan had found a love interest.

Backstory:

The essay was set based on the events of the Spanish-American War. Garcia was a revolutionary, Cuban general, and Rowan an army officer at West Point, class of 1881. At the time, President McKinley was in charge.

McKinley was the 25th president, and ruled from 1897 to 1901 (he was killed in the middle of his second term by an anarchist who disagreed with the way he ruled the country. The tallest mountain in North America was renamed after President McKinley, and then changed back to its original name, Penali, after 2015.

Odd vocabulary in the essay:

Perihelion - point when a planet is closest to the sun, therefore reaching its brightest state.

Slipshod - lackadaisical.

Imbecility - incapability, stupidity.

Stenographer - person who writes everything word for word for a job.

Missive - a letter, especially a long or official one.