Rush: Revolution, Madness, and Benjamin Rush, the Visionary Doctor Who Became a Founding Father

My book for October is Rush: Revolution, Madness, and Benjamin Rush, the Visionary Doctor Who Became a Founding Father by Stephen Fried. Wallen and I talked about the book when I was in Bremerton in June. I read Appetite for American by Fried more than fifteen years ago.

Stephen Fried’s biography explores the monumental and complex life of Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the youngest signers of the Declaration of Independence. The book highlights Rush's tireless work as a revolutionary political thinker, a confidant to early presidents, and a pioneering military surgeon general. Beyond politics, he earned renown as the "American Hippocrates" for fundamentally reforming how American society approached medical care, addiction, and mental illness. The narrative also details his progressive social advocacy, including his fierce opposition to slavery and racial prejudice.

This is an interesting book. Given the amount of talk about bloodletting, the Yellow Fever epidemics and mental health, it is not my favorite book. I have a section in my novella that outlines why dealing with other people's mental health issues is not a subject that I enjoy.

Rush desires credit for getting Adams and Jefferson back together. After a close friendship during the American Revolution, the two men fell out during the partisan political battles of the 1790s. The rift deepened significantly after the bitter presidential election of 1800, leading to a decade of complete silence. Benjamin Rush played a central role in brokering the reconciliation. From 1812 to 1826, Adams and Jefferson exchanged 158 letters discussing history, religion, philosophy, science, and the future of the nation.

At the Army/Navy game in 2019, we visited Benjamin Rush's grave. I will post some pictures in the next couple of days.