Grant

I found this a commendable book, but having just read "Team of Rivals" I can see the difference between a good biography an a great one. The first half of the book is the better of the two as it focuses quite deeply on Grant's role in the Civil War. Smith does an excellent job recreating the famous battles and really explaining to the reader the different battle options available and why one course was chosen over another. For those with little military knowledge, this was very helpful.The second half of the book, Grant's post-civil war career and his two terms as President, are not given the same deep attention. Grant seems to have been a noble, if somewhat flawed character, but not much is said about his personal life and not much of an analysis of the struggles he underwent as President is given The author clearly shows that Grant's did some very important things during his tenure and his Presidency has been vastly underrated, but at the same time it is obvious that his Presidency was filled with corruption, (not necessarily connected to him) and this is just brushed over. The impeachment of Andrew Johnson is not given enough attention and more background on reconstruction and the Indian Wars would have enhanced the book considerably, not just an explanation of Grant's role in them. The money issues were too confusing for me as I have little financial background. Smith should have spent the same amount of time explaining this battle as he did the military ones. The book has lots of details but not great depth. Narrative non-fiction is best when it reads like a novel with lots of character, setting, plot, and action. This book is a little too dry for my taste.That said, I really enjoy books that change the way we view things. I'm glad that Smith has redeemed Grant's Presidency as I liked him as a character. I just wish more time had been spent delving into it. This was a good biography, but I think an even greater one may be waiting out there.

A superb book. Grant's influence on the future of the United States was in many ways more profound than Lincoln's. As commanding General he secured victory for the Union when stalemate could have led to division of the country and a far different picture today. What would have been the situation in Europe if a strong USA had not been on hand to pull freedom's chestnuts out of the fire in two World Wars and the Cold War in the next century?Equally important was his resistance, with Lincoln dead in the immediate aftermath of the war, to the efforts of the racist President Andrew Johnson to turn the clock back and deny the freedoms won for the former slaves by much Northern blood.Cannot recommend this book too highly as it charts the political and military events on the North American continent in the 1860s and which has affected World history ever since through the life of one of the principal figures.

On the cover of this book is a tribute which says "By far the best life of Grant ever written...". Well I am unqualified to say but having read it I can well believe it. Before choosing a Grant biography I did some research and was drawn towards this one by Jean Edward Smith. I had already read the FDR biography by Smith and liked it but this is even better. The depth of research is unbelievable and it is used to help take you to the battlefield, feeling the conditions and hearing the dialogue going on. An excellent read about an exceptional man

U.S Grant is an American hero. The general who led the union to victory in the civil war should be as revered today as he was during his lifetime. But unlike a general of a later era(Eisenhower) who also became President, Grants tenure in the White House is regarded by most historians as a failure. This combined with the reputation he gained for drinking has led to a tarnishing of his reputation. This book goes some way to correcting the record. The numerous scandals surrounding the Grant administration are not ignored nor are the failures Grant suffered in other areas of his life. But they are balanced alongside the great successes of Grant as both a soldier and President allowing for a more complete picture of Grants life to emerge.

Excellent, readable and intelligent biography of a great man

Great book, it really expanded my knowledge on the American Civil War and its aftermath, all from the point of a great general .