The #1 New York Times bestseller and New York Times Book Review 10 Best Books of 2017“Eminently readable but thick with import . . . Grant hits like a Mack truck of knowledge.” —Ta-Nehisi Coates, The AtlanticPulitzer Prize winner Ron Chernow returns with a sweeping and dramatic portrait of one of our most compelling generals and presidents, Ulysses S. Grant. Ulysses S. Grant’s life has … compelling generals and presidents, Ulysses S. Grant.
Ulysses S. Grant’s life has typically been misunderstood. All too often he is caricatured as a chronic loser and an inept businessman, or as the triumphant but brutal Union general of the Civil War. But these stereotypes don’t come close to capturing him, as Chernow shows in his masterful biography, the first to provide a complete understanding of the general and president whose fortunes rose and fell with dizzying speed and frequency.
Before the Civil War, Grant was flailing. His business ventures had ended dismally, and despite distinguished service in the Mexican War he ended up resigning from the army in disgrace amid recurring accusations of drunkenness. But in war, Grant began to realize his remarkable potential, soaring through the ranks of the Union army, prevailing at the battle of Shiloh and in the Vicksburg campaign, and ultimately defeating the legendary Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Along the way, Grant endeared himself to President Lincoln and became his most trusted general and the strategic genius of the war effort. Grant’s military fame translated into a two-term presidency, but one plagued by corruption scandals involving his closest staff members.
More important, he sought freedom and justice for black Americans, working to crush the Ku Klux Klan and earning the admiration of Frederick Douglass, who called him “the vigilant, firm, impartial, and wise protector of my race.” After his presidency, he was again brought low by a dashing young swindler on Wall Street, only to resuscitate his image by working with Mark Twain to publish his memoirs, which are recognized as a masterpiece of the genre.
With lucidity, breadth, and meticulousness, Chernow finds the threads that bind these disparate stories together, shedding new light on the man whom Walt Whitman described as “nothing heroic… and yet the greatest hero.” Chernow’s probing portrait of Grant’s lifelong struggle with alcoholism transforms our understanding of the man at the deepest level. This is America’s greatest biographer, bringing movingly to life one of our finest but most underappreciated presidents. The definitive biography, Grant is a grand synthesis of painstaking research and literary brilliance that makes sense of all sides of Grant’s life, explaining how this simple Midwesterner could at once be so ordinary and so extraordinary.
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Well written, with much detail. An enjoyable and informative read.
Inspiring achievements.
Very detailed on the life of U.S. Grant, the man, the General and the President. Excellent book.
Lots of info on Grant and I came away with a new appreciation for his generals and presidency. He was a great American.
Like Alexander Hamilton, Grant’s historical reputation was severely damaged by the attacks of his military and political opponents, and Ron Chernow’s excellent biography rescues this great military leader’s status in the historical pantheon. Chernow shows how Grant was undermined by other military officers who said false things about him, and such attacks continued throughout his Presidency. He dispels the myths of Robert E. Lee being a better general, as well as documenting the extraordinary efforts Grant made to squash the Klu Klux Klan and promote racial equality in the south. Most of all he shows how Grant, an ordinary American who was not a product of the Ivy League schools that produced many of his critics, became one of the key heroes in American history, merely from his own hard work.
Ron Chernow is one of the great biographers and does his usual masterful job in this balanced and fair biography of Grant.
I’ve read several biographies of Grant and the Civil War and this is the best one for a complete story of the man’s life and not just the battles.
This book was an eye-opener. Grant has now reached the top of my list as all-time favorite President. Ron Chernow has written a well-researched biography of a great general, a thoughtful president and sincere human being. High praise for both Grant and Chernow!
U.S. Grant is difficult for biographers to tackle: Few people have equal insight into his military and political achievements. Chernow rates five stars for his excellent treatment of President Grant, but is only average with regard to General Grant. Fortunately, that aspect of Grant’s career has been well served by Bruce Catton and others (including Grant himself), so it is a less serious defect than it otherwise would have been.
A much needed careful review of Grant both in the Civil War and as President of the US. I would like to see a movie made if this work. In my opinion, it is the best of Chernow yet.
I thought I knew General Grant. After reading this deftly written biography, I realized the Grant I thought I knew–a cold-hearted killing machine–didn’t exist. The real Grant turned out to be a man with a conscience, and a caring heart. He despised bullies. He loved horses and all animals. He never wanted to be a soldier, even hoped West Point would shut down, so he wouldn’t need to go there. But he turned out to be a brilliant general. After reading this book, in a way I never had before, I glimpsed a key moment in American history. And I felt as if General Grant was a man I’d met, and knew quite well, and admired, and liked. I strongly recommend this book.
Presidential years not as interesting as the war years or post presidential y6
Greatest biography I have ever read!
For someone as modest and reticent as Grant, he never sought fame. Growing up a country boy, he loved horses and was a gifted equestrian. He had no interest in working for his domineering father’s lucrative tannery business. He inherited humility and introspection from his quiet mother. After a fortunate scenario gave Grant the opportunity to attend West Point, he graduated middle of his class without plaudits or lofty expectations. He distinguished his valor in the Mexican American War, but afterward he found himself depressed and tempted with alcohol when the army posted him on the west coast away from his wife Julia and their children.
With his family nearly penniless and without a home before the Civil War, Grant entered the conflict with a low rank. In short order, he showcased his keen ability to asses battles and pursue and crush the enemy. His success continued his rise to commander of the armies in the west where he led stunning victories such as Vicksburg. Lincoln eventually called upon Grant to lead the Army of the Potomac where he pressed and surrounded Lee into surrender.
After the war, Grant’s fame skyrocketed him to consecutive terms in the White House. Although scandals riddled his presidency, Grant’s extraordinary leadership for civil rights never relented in his pledge to Reconstruction and his commitment to protecting Blacks as equal citizens under the law. He dreamed of retiring on funds invested in a bank bearing his name. Without believing the possibility he could be deceived, the men he trusted to handle the investments bankrupted Grant and his family. Sheer determination allowed him to compose his memoirs while he suffered from the excruciating pain of throat cancer. His efforts saved Julia and his family from financial ruin and left a definitive record of his wartime endeavors.
Always trusting of man’s better soul, Grant allowed corrupt individuals to swindle him throughout his life. He most excelled under the extreme pressure of battle or circumstances calling upon him to demonstrate humanity and conscience in the face of crisis. No one stood stronger than Grant to defend Blacks from the attempted genocide carried out by Klansmen and White supremacist groups in the South.
Chernow’s definitive narrative uncovers Grant as a morally upstanding man unparalleled in his commitment to family and country. He always showed grace and perseverance whenever faced with adversity, and he had a deep reservoir of compassion and forgiveness. Knowing he suffered from the devastating influence of alcohol, he fought his entire life to maintain temperance, and sheer determination always elevated him whenever he fell to his lowest point.
Few authors can write with the verve and intrigue the way Chernow does in capturing the greatness of Grant while also transmitting his everyday qualities that always kept him modest and humble. Spanning a thousand pages, Chernow’s scholarship is gripping on every page with his stellar insights and descriptions, riveting drama, and factual fairness which amount to defining Grant as indeed great beyond his military genius and despite of his financial shortcomings.
It’s hard to find a biography that reads like a novel, but Chernow did it again with “Grant”. There are hundreds of interesting tidbits in this biography – like the detail that at his wedding, Grant’s best man was later a Confederate general! I recommend this book highly.
Grant had his flaws, but he was great general and shortened the Civil War through his military leadership. This was well documented by the author.
Very interesting biography of Grant which corrects much of the misinformation about him stemming from the Lost Cause writing of the first century after his life. Long because there was a lot to cover, but kept my interest throughout.
The book really gives us the man Grant, not just the myth of a great general but also a husband, father, son and friend. It gives us Grant in the context of his family of origin and how he suffered numerous failures before becoming Lincoln’s fighting general that wouldn’t give up. I think his early failures set his course for never failing in war. This book is Grant the man, managing even his bouts with alcohol and cancer. He was used and abused by many but his tenacity to get the job done, whether it be a battle or book or a presidency to insure the rights of all citizens, black and white, was truly remarkable.
I could not put this book down. My son gave it to me, and I set it aside for several weeks until I finally really got into it.
I f you are the least interested in American history, politics or government, don’t hesitate.
It is long, but a truly rich and worthwhile experience.
Historian Ron Chernow, author of the much celebrated Alexander Hamilton, triumphs yet again with an account of the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant. Grant was moral and upright but not a particularly ambitious man who nevertheless rose from impoverished businessman to army general and then President for two terms. He fought a life-long battle with alcoholism and although astute in battle, he was naive in his judgment of character. As President, many people surrounding him took advantage of his trusting nature, which led him to make several poor decisions while in office. Still, his support of the newly-freed black slaves was unwavering and admirable.