A byword for initiative and determination, A Message to Garcia recounts a soldier's unquestioning acceptance and fulfillment of his orders. Set in the days of mounting tension between the United States and Spain that would soon culminate in the Spanish-American War, it recounts President William McKinley's wish to communicate with Calixto Garcia, a commander of the Cuban rebels. An able young lieutenant is chosen to deliver the vital dispatch, and his mission becomes an imperishable tale of courage, initiative, and resourcefulness.
Except — there was no message from McKinley, and the brave soldier was actually a bungling spy. But the press of 1899 didn't allow the truth to stand in the way of a compelling story, and author Elbert Hubbard's dramatic fiction satisfied the public appetite for a heroic narrative during the buildup to the war. The inspirational legend remains essential reading for motivational speakers, business executives, and military officers as well as trainers and participants in workshops on leadership. This edition also features other examples of Hubbard's charming brand of homespun American philosophy and can-do spirit, including fourteen additional essays, thirty-two contemplations, and Helpful Hints for Business Helpers, which Hubbard wrote under the name Fra Elbertus.