Status
Available
Publication
New York : Penguin Press, 2017.
Description
Biography & Autobiography. History. Military. Nonfiction. HTML: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 Atlantic Pulitzer 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 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. Named one of the best books of the year by Goodreads ? Amazon ? The New York Times ? Newsday ? BookPage ? Barnes and… (more)
Media reviews
For all its scholarly and literary strengths, this book’s greatest service is to remind us of Grant’s significant achievements at the end of the war and after, which have too long been overlooked and are too important today to be left in the dark.
User reviews
LibraryThing member pierthinker
Ron Chernow is the acclaimed biographer of two of the most fabled founding fathers of America - George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, as well as an historian of bankers and their dynasties in the early part of the 20th century. With Grant the author is taking on something else entirely. A
Chernow has produced a magnificent book, destined to be the gold standard, if not the last word, in general histories of this man.
Chernow approaches Grant’s life in a traditional way, starting with his birth, ending with his death and following him in a strictly chronological way in between. He rarely digresses to discuss the context of Grant’s actions, keeping the focus very tightly on what he did, where he went and why. This is a stroke of genius because we get to know Grant very intimately and begin to experience the ups and downs of his life with him and become very sympathetic to his way of thinking and acting.
Grant emerged from a not very spectacular start to become the military architect of the Union victory in the American Civil War where other, at the time, starrier names had failed. He was magnanimous in victory, refusing to punish or humiliate Confederate forces and often personally ensuring that troops were fed, clothed and allowed to return home with dignity. Less well known is his personal commitment to the abolition of slavery, never losing sight of this as the real goal of the war. As the conflict progressed and more and more freed slaves were appearing in Union territory Grant was quick to recruit black soldiers and to employ freed slaves to help with the war effort.
As President, Grant was the key driver of Reconstruction and the integration of freed slaves into American life resulting in many black appointments and electoral victories to political posts across the country. The four million freed slaves became the backbone of the electoral support for Grant’s Republican Party.
After his second term in office Grant spent two years travelling the world, initially on holiday, but increasingly as a semi-official ambassador helping to settle international disputes and spread American soft power.
Grant introduced many innovations into American politics, the Presidency and national governance, all covered by Chernow. In many respects Grant is the key figure in the transition from the Founding Fathers’ view of the role of the President and the modern Presidency we see today.
Chernow’s book is very long, but very readable. His narrative approach, his language, his focus on character and the rollercoaster life that was Grant make this more like a thriller than a dry biography.
Very highly recommended, especially for those who think that dead white presidents are all beyond the pale.
Show More
famous name, to be sure, but one whose achievements are not so well known and who still raises passions for what he did, or was perceived to have done.Chernow has produced a magnificent book, destined to be the gold standard, if not the last word, in general histories of this man.
Chernow approaches Grant’s life in a traditional way, starting with his birth, ending with his death and following him in a strictly chronological way in between. He rarely digresses to discuss the context of Grant’s actions, keeping the focus very tightly on what he did, where he went and why. This is a stroke of genius because we get to know Grant very intimately and begin to experience the ups and downs of his life with him and become very sympathetic to his way of thinking and acting.
Grant emerged from a not very spectacular start to become the military architect of the Union victory in the American Civil War where other, at the time, starrier names had failed. He was magnanimous in victory, refusing to punish or humiliate Confederate forces and often personally ensuring that troops were fed, clothed and allowed to return home with dignity. Less well known is his personal commitment to the abolition of slavery, never losing sight of this as the real goal of the war. As the conflict progressed and more and more freed slaves were appearing in Union territory Grant was quick to recruit black soldiers and to employ freed slaves to help with the war effort.
As President, Grant was the key driver of Reconstruction and the integration of freed slaves into American life resulting in many black appointments and electoral victories to political posts across the country. The four million freed slaves became the backbone of the electoral support for Grant’s Republican Party.
After his second term in office Grant spent two years travelling the world, initially on holiday, but increasingly as a semi-official ambassador helping to settle international disputes and spread American soft power.
Grant introduced many innovations into American politics, the Presidency and national governance, all covered by Chernow. In many respects Grant is the key figure in the transition from the Founding Fathers’ view of the role of the President and the modern Presidency we see today.
Chernow’s book is very long, but very readable. His narrative approach, his language, his focus on character and the rollercoaster life that was Grant make this more like a thriller than a dry biography.
Very highly recommended, especially for those who think that dead white presidents are all beyond the pale.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Stbalbach
Grant is a biographer's dream. An improbable war hero, a beaten underdog who rose against the odds, a likeable person. So it's no surprise there are an embarrassment of Grant biography riches: a Pulitzer Prize winner, another Pulitzer nominee and at least 5 other high quality award-winning
I knew little about Grant and so everything was new. Chernow's descriptions of the Civil War in the West helped solidify that complex theater, as well as the Overland campaign, a single running battle of attrition. I was amazed how close the South came to re-enacting slavery after the war, and how crucial Grant was to stopping it. Also the amount of violence that continued for years afterwards, I'd like to learn more. Grant was certainly the most important person of the era, after Lincoln.
This is a fine book, very readable. Chernow is sympathetic to his subject and reader.
Show More
top-shelf biographies still in print, not to mention Grant's own memoir some consider the best of the Civil War. Given the competition, a way to distinguish from the crowd is to write one longer than the rest, Chernow's specialty. For those who read the earlier biographies, they might wonder what more is found in this 1000 page behemoth. I couldn't really say, this is my first Grant bio, but I don't feel the need to read another soon. I knew little about Grant and so everything was new. Chernow's descriptions of the Civil War in the West helped solidify that complex theater, as well as the Overland campaign, a single running battle of attrition. I was amazed how close the South came to re-enacting slavery after the war, and how crucial Grant was to stopping it. Also the amount of violence that continued for years afterwards, I'd like to learn more. Grant was certainly the most important person of the era, after Lincoln.
This is a fine book, very readable. Chernow is sympathetic to his subject and reader.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mattries37315
The man who was Lincoln’s main military and policy instrument then ultimately his true political heir has been maligned as a martial brute to his supposedly noble opponent at the tale end of the American Civil War. Grant by Ron Chernow chronicles the life of one of—if not—the greatest general
As with many biographers, Chernow goes into generations of Grant’s family history—including alcoholism—as well as the personalities of his parents Jesse and Hannah who each shaped Grant for both good and ill. Much the biography covers Grant’s service in the Civil War and his Presidency, yet in the little over 100 pages that Chernow covers Grant’s life from his youth through West Point and career in the military including the Mexican War then his interwar civilian life. Chernow not only used these pages to chronicle the young Grant’s life, but also how the struggle of alcohol and his business naivete that would cause issues throughout the rest of his life. With the start of the Civil War, Chernow goes in-depth into how Grant his first command and then how he slowly progressed up the chain of command while dealing with the rebel soldiers but army politics. Then upon Grant’s ascent into the high councils of Washington, Chernow shows how he reassured Lincoln that he was his man and fully embraced his agenda. It was this adherence to Lincoln’s vision that ultimately led Grant to accept the Republican nomination in 1868 and his policy in the South throughout his presidency. Throughout the pages dedicated to Grant’s time in office while the scandals surrounding those individuals that he naively appointed and supported were covered but Chernow balanced it out with achievements of Grant and many of his outstanding cabinet members did during the eight years. Though devoting a little more space to the later years of Grant’s life than those prior to 1860, Chernow focused on Grant’s battle with cancer as he raced to write his memoirs then his legacy.
Chernow knowing the general view of Grant as an alcoholic that defeated Lee through manpower and resources then presiding over a scandalous presidency took his time to address during the biography via themes throughout. Grant’s battle with alcohol was a constant theme until the latter end of his presidency and post-presidency when it appears the presence of his wife Julia and Grant’s own determination essentially conquered the problem. Throughout the Civil War portion of the text Chernow examines Grant’s tactical and strategic thinking especially when he was facing off with Robert E. Lee in Virginia or more accurately tying down Lee’s army while the rest of Union forces crushed the armies opposing them and the will of rebel civilians. Chernow’s chronicling of the scandals of Grant’s presidency was firmly tied to Grant’s naivete with people and always supporting people who he believed to be his friends, something that made him a huge mark for flim-flam men of the Gilded Age. While Chernow’s biography could be seen as “revisionism” by today’s historical readers, it could also be seen as reversing the ‘Lost Cause revisionism’ that occurred during Grant’s own lifetime.
Grant is a fantastic addition to Ron Chernow’s chronicle of great American lives like George Washington and Alexander Hamilton. Chernow shows that while Grant was flawed like everyone else, his status today is beginning to return to where it was after he militarily reunited the country after being diminished by those who wanted to pretend the American Civil War didn’t happen.
Show More
in American history.As with many biographers, Chernow goes into generations of Grant’s family history—including alcoholism—as well as the personalities of his parents Jesse and Hannah who each shaped Grant for both good and ill. Much the biography covers Grant’s service in the Civil War and his Presidency, yet in the little over 100 pages that Chernow covers Grant’s life from his youth through West Point and career in the military including the Mexican War then his interwar civilian life. Chernow not only used these pages to chronicle the young Grant’s life, but also how the struggle of alcohol and his business naivete that would cause issues throughout the rest of his life. With the start of the Civil War, Chernow goes in-depth into how Grant his first command and then how he slowly progressed up the chain of command while dealing with the rebel soldiers but army politics. Then upon Grant’s ascent into the high councils of Washington, Chernow shows how he reassured Lincoln that he was his man and fully embraced his agenda. It was this adherence to Lincoln’s vision that ultimately led Grant to accept the Republican nomination in 1868 and his policy in the South throughout his presidency. Throughout the pages dedicated to Grant’s time in office while the scandals surrounding those individuals that he naively appointed and supported were covered but Chernow balanced it out with achievements of Grant and many of his outstanding cabinet members did during the eight years. Though devoting a little more space to the later years of Grant’s life than those prior to 1860, Chernow focused on Grant’s battle with cancer as he raced to write his memoirs then his legacy.
Chernow knowing the general view of Grant as an alcoholic that defeated Lee through manpower and resources then presiding over a scandalous presidency took his time to address during the biography via themes throughout. Grant’s battle with alcohol was a constant theme until the latter end of his presidency and post-presidency when it appears the presence of his wife Julia and Grant’s own determination essentially conquered the problem. Throughout the Civil War portion of the text Chernow examines Grant’s tactical and strategic thinking especially when he was facing off with Robert E. Lee in Virginia or more accurately tying down Lee’s army while the rest of Union forces crushed the armies opposing them and the will of rebel civilians. Chernow’s chronicling of the scandals of Grant’s presidency was firmly tied to Grant’s naivete with people and always supporting people who he believed to be his friends, something that made him a huge mark for flim-flam men of the Gilded Age. While Chernow’s biography could be seen as “revisionism” by today’s historical readers, it could also be seen as reversing the ‘Lost Cause revisionism’ that occurred during Grant’s own lifetime.
Grant is a fantastic addition to Ron Chernow’s chronicle of great American lives like George Washington and Alexander Hamilton. Chernow shows that while Grant was flawed like everyone else, his status today is beginning to return to where it was after he militarily reunited the country after being diminished by those who wanted to pretend the American Civil War didn’t happen.
Show Less
LibraryThing member greeniezona
The second book for our Less Stupid Civil War reading group. It was interesting as a follow-up to Battle Cry of Freedom, getting Grant's story before the war, going over the Civil War again, but this time with a focus on Grant's armies, but then, especially what happened after the war -- Grant's
Sometimes I questioned some of Chernow's choices -- he'd go into little asides giving minor biographies of some of the bit players in Grant's life, when I would have preferred more info on those closest to him instead -- or later, when Grant is president, there are mentions of so many Senators and other political players, and I was constantly wondering: Tyler, Polk, Garfield? Had they been presidents already or would be presidents later? Were they actually just relatives of presidents? But these almost familiar appearances were rarely explained.
Overall, though, I appreciated the relatively even-handed way Chernow approached Grant's controversies -- the drinking, the Whiskey Ring corruption, etc. As much as Grant's memoirs have been praised (which I may someday still read), I appreciated the perspective of a third party here.
I'm no Grant scholar, but I expect that's why I liked this book so much -- as a reintroduction to a man whose reputation has changed wildly over the ages -- largely inversely with the Lost Cause theory of the Civil War. It's good to have him back -- faults included -- but with a new understanding of all he did and tried to do to make the promise of America true for all Americans.
Show More
presidency, Reconstruction, violence in the South... Grant's strengths and weaknesses as a president, the corruption of the Gilded Age, the brief promise of full citizenship for freed blacks, and then how quickly that promise was eroded by murder, fraud, and antipathy.Sometimes I questioned some of Chernow's choices -- he'd go into little asides giving minor biographies of some of the bit players in Grant's life, when I would have preferred more info on those closest to him instead -- or later, when Grant is president, there are mentions of so many Senators and other political players, and I was constantly wondering: Tyler, Polk, Garfield? Had they been presidents already or would be presidents later? Were they actually just relatives of presidents? But these almost familiar appearances were rarely explained.
Overall, though, I appreciated the relatively even-handed way Chernow approached Grant's controversies -- the drinking, the Whiskey Ring corruption, etc. As much as Grant's memoirs have been praised (which I may someday still read), I appreciated the perspective of a third party here.
I'm no Grant scholar, but I expect that's why I liked this book so much -- as a reintroduction to a man whose reputation has changed wildly over the ages -- largely inversely with the Lost Cause theory of the Civil War. It's good to have him back -- faults included -- but with a new understanding of all he did and tried to do to make the promise of America true for all Americans.
Show Less
LibraryThing member le.vert.galant
Grant holds an interesting place in American history. While known as the victorious commander of Union for each durable the Civil War, his presidency is remembered as a failure, bedeviled by cronyism and corruption. His memoirs hold their place as a minor masterpiece of American prose.
Less well
This biography attempts to encompass the whole man, but except for the chapters covering his military career, Grant remains an enigma. As President, he often seems to be more driven by his fellow politicians than a shaper of policy, but his terms in office are shown to be more successful than is generally believed.
Less well
Show More
remembered was his role as a champion of civil rights during the Reconstruction. He was also at the forefront of reconciliation between North and South. The post-Civil War era of the United States issue one that has been obscured by the so-called "lost cause" rewriting of history and this aspect of Grant's life gets good attention here.This biography attempts to encompass the whole man, but except for the chapters covering his military career, Grant remains an enigma. As President, he often seems to be more driven by his fellow politicians than a shaper of policy, but his terms in office are shown to be more successful than is generally believed.
Show Less
LibraryThing member japaul22
[Grant] by [[Ron Chernow]]
I did it. I've been reading this for what feels like forever and I finally finished!
Chernow's exhaustive biography of Grant that just came out this year was an amazing reading experience. It's long - 960 pages of text, 1104 total - but surprisingly readable. Chernow works
Throughout the book, Chernow explores Grant's struggle with alcohol and his naivety as far as trusting people with money and positions who he shouldn't have. His relationship with Lincoln is front and center in the book and also with one of his most trusted Generals, Sherman. The Civil War period is fascinating and his shift to being a strong supporter of black rights during the war and especially during Reconstruction was admirable and somewhat outside of his time.
I came away with a deep understanding of Grant as a leader and a man. I found him to be an admirable, intelligent, and courageous person. I had always pictured him as the Civil War hero who was elected to the Presidency sort of by default, based on his military reputation. But I actually think he was the best possible choice for the country as it embarked on Reconstruction. Though it didn't work the way Grant had hoped, his intentions were good and he was up against almost insurmountable odds.
Though it was a huge time commitment, I'm so glad I read this and highly recommend it to anyone interested in American history.
Original publication date: 2017
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length:1104 pages
Rating: 5 stars
Format/Where I acquired the book: library kindle
Why I read this: interested in the topic/like the autho
I did it. I've been reading this for what feels like forever and I finally finished!
Chernow's exhaustive biography of Grant that just came out this year was an amazing reading experience. It's long - 960 pages of text, 1104 total - but surprisingly readable. Chernow works
Show More
systematically through Grant's life: his childhood, days at West Point, experience in the Mexican War, a brief and unsuccessful foray in civilian life, extensive coverage of the Civil War, his 2 terms as President, and his civilian life and travels, and brutal fight with cancer as he wrote his autobiography at his end of life. Throughout the book, Chernow explores Grant's struggle with alcohol and his naivety as far as trusting people with money and positions who he shouldn't have. His relationship with Lincoln is front and center in the book and also with one of his most trusted Generals, Sherman. The Civil War period is fascinating and his shift to being a strong supporter of black rights during the war and especially during Reconstruction was admirable and somewhat outside of his time.
I came away with a deep understanding of Grant as a leader and a man. I found him to be an admirable, intelligent, and courageous person. I had always pictured him as the Civil War hero who was elected to the Presidency sort of by default, based on his military reputation. But I actually think he was the best possible choice for the country as it embarked on Reconstruction. Though it didn't work the way Grant had hoped, his intentions were good and he was up against almost insurmountable odds.
Though it was a huge time commitment, I'm so glad I read this and highly recommend it to anyone interested in American history.
Original publication date: 2017
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length:1104 pages
Rating: 5 stars
Format/Where I acquired the book: library kindle
Why I read this: interested in the topic/like the autho
Show Less
LibraryThing member Jthierer
I appreciate that Chernow was trying to push back on characterizations of Grant as a drunk and a butcher, but at times he goes to far in trying to prove that Grant was not those things that he ignores or downplays incidents that support those characterizations. In doing so, he comes across as more
Show More
of a "fan" than a neutral historian sometimes. That said, I appreciated the level of detail he chose to include. Make no mistake this book is loooong and includes a great deal of detail, but I never thought it got lost in the details the way some other authors do (cough Caro cough). This one made sure each detail supported the narrative through line of Grant's life in a way that the reader understood why it was included. Show Less
LibraryThing member DanTarlin
This book is long, which I guess is how these big popular histories are supposed to be these days, but it's really engrossing too. I think many popular histories would benefit from more brevity, but I guess that's an argument for another day.
Chernow is a Grant defender, and makes a good case that
For starters, he paints Grant as a man who was prone to alcoholism, but who was able to abstain from drink most of the time; I was struck by his understanding of the nature of alcoholism well before there was any science on this. He employed a staff officer during the Civil War whose job was at least partially to keep alcohol away from him. By the post-Civil War era, he had largely conquered it, and would be characterized today as someone fully "in recovery", though without any of the supports a similar person would have today.
His military exploits are grippingly described, and a great case is made for him as a really good general with a strong grasp of strategy that his northern predecessors and contemporaries did not possess. Mainly, he understood that when you have the larger army and the greater resources, the strategy is to attack and stay on the offensive, whereas other generals in the north were too timid and kept allowing the South to resupply and reorganize when they were ripe for the picking.
As for Reconstruction, this is tougher. The book does a great job laying out the challenges of protecting ex-slaves in an unrepentant South, and I realized that this part of US history is really poorly taught in schools (at least to me, and I was a History major in college!). On one hand, Chernow believes that Grant's heart was in the right place and that he had very progressive views on rights for African-Americans. On the other hand, though, he didn't really do enough to keep southern mobs from killing lots of innocent people and dis-enfranchising Black people. At the same time, the north was exhausted and there wasn't much support for continuing to occupy the south. It was a tough situation, but I think one can make the argument that Grant cared more about being magnanimous toward white southerners than about protecting black southerners.
Also interesting, Grant was amazingly naive in his personal/business life, and trusted a long string of charlatans and thieves during his presidency (leading to lots of corruption scandals during his presidency, of which he was apparently unaware until each one broke), and throughout his life- he was repeatedly swindled by confidence men, and never seemed to learn and be less trusting.
Good read, if you've got the time.
Chernow is a Grant defender, and makes a good case that
Show More
many of the criticisms of the man- his alcoholism, his brutal military tactics, his ineffectiveness in stopping the South from initiating Jim Crow, the corruption of his administration- are unfair.For starters, he paints Grant as a man who was prone to alcoholism, but who was able to abstain from drink most of the time; I was struck by his understanding of the nature of alcoholism well before there was any science on this. He employed a staff officer during the Civil War whose job was at least partially to keep alcohol away from him. By the post-Civil War era, he had largely conquered it, and would be characterized today as someone fully "in recovery", though without any of the supports a similar person would have today.
His military exploits are grippingly described, and a great case is made for him as a really good general with a strong grasp of strategy that his northern predecessors and contemporaries did not possess. Mainly, he understood that when you have the larger army and the greater resources, the strategy is to attack and stay on the offensive, whereas other generals in the north were too timid and kept allowing the South to resupply and reorganize when they were ripe for the picking.
As for Reconstruction, this is tougher. The book does a great job laying out the challenges of protecting ex-slaves in an unrepentant South, and I realized that this part of US history is really poorly taught in schools (at least to me, and I was a History major in college!). On one hand, Chernow believes that Grant's heart was in the right place and that he had very progressive views on rights for African-Americans. On the other hand, though, he didn't really do enough to keep southern mobs from killing lots of innocent people and dis-enfranchising Black people. At the same time, the north was exhausted and there wasn't much support for continuing to occupy the south. It was a tough situation, but I think one can make the argument that Grant cared more about being magnanimous toward white southerners than about protecting black southerners.
Also interesting, Grant was amazingly naive in his personal/business life, and trusted a long string of charlatans and thieves during his presidency (leading to lots of corruption scandals during his presidency, of which he was apparently unaware until each one broke), and throughout his life- he was repeatedly swindled by confidence men, and never seemed to learn and be less trusting.
Good read, if you've got the time.
Show Less
LibraryThing member snash
Captured both the brilliance and the flaws of the man and the times.
LibraryThing member ivanfranko
Absorbing reading and a rehabilitation of Grant's reputation. Most heartening was the due acknowledgement given to Grant's commitment to full satisfaction of rights to those freed from slavery. It gives the lie to the carpetbagging/states rights narrative. The viciousness of the terrorism inflicted
I saw an interview with Chernow and he impressed as a clear thinking and intelligent man. This biography bears out that impression.
Show More
on freed slaves and Republican supporters weighs sadly for arguments that the conflict was, at its heart, nothing but a racist one.I saw an interview with Chernow and he impressed as a clear thinking and intelligent man. This biography bears out that impression.
Show Less
LibraryThing member gburlingham
As always, anything by Ron Chernow is a wonderful read for American history junkies. This was too. But of all Chernow's biographies, this appears to me to be the "weakest". The pre-civil war period is covered well and methodically - in Chernow style - but the post civil war period has been more
Show More
thoroughly vetted by other Grant historians. And remember please, that Grant's own memoirs are not to be missed or discounted. Additionally, Grant was an above average wordsmith and wrote these memoirs as he was dying. He had a sterling fidelity to pure, ground truth and Chernow's biography pales in comparison. For the general reader Washington and Hamilton was more ground-breaking. Show Less
LibraryThing member haloedrain
There are lots of interesting tidbits here, but the book is pretty exhaustive so there are lots of other bits that make me wonder why anyone ever wrote about them in the first place for the author to include. The tone of the book is strange, too, excessively defensive and almost fawning at times.
LibraryThing member christinejoseph
Defeated Robert E. Lee. Realized his potential during the Civil War. Military fame and became a 2 term President but his administration was marred by scandal. Worked with Mark Twain on his autobigraphy
LibraryThing member hcubic
Wonderful book.
LibraryThing member breic
After starting this book, barely getting through the introduction, I quickly set it aside. It suffers the flaw of many popular biographies of idolizing the subject. Grant is good, under-appreciated by history, and can do no bad. I came back to the book, and this flaw persists throughout. Chernow is
With that said, I still enjoyed the book tremendously and learned a lot from it. I learned the most from Chernow's description of Grant's presidency, when he was trying to manage Reconstruction, and the period immediately afterward. It was intriguing to ponder the challenges Grant faced, and how things could have gone differently.
Show More
constantly making excuses for Grant, or skipping over negative situations. With that said, I still enjoyed the book tremendously and learned a lot from it. I learned the most from Chernow's description of Grant's presidency, when he was trying to manage Reconstruction, and the period immediately afterward. It was intriguing to ponder the challenges Grant faced, and how things could have gone differently.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Whiskey3pa
A superbly readable book. Despite being nearly one thousand pages, this book reads quickly. An even handed look at Grant's strengths and weaknesses provide a complete picture of the subject. Highly recommended.
LibraryThing member Schmerguls
5585. Grant, by Ron Chernow read 10 Oct 2018) Because I read McFeeley's excellent biography of Grant on 9 Feb 1985 I thought it might not be necessary to read this massive biography, though I had read with much appreciation Chernow's biographies of the House of Morgan (on 14 June 1994), Rockefeller
Show More
(on 22 Nov 1999), Hamilton (on 27 Nov 2004), and Washington (on 6 Jul 2011), when my nephew gave me a copy of this book I decided I should read it and I am very glad I did. It tells very well of Grant's life, beginning on 27 April 1822, of his time at West Point, his surfdy service in the Mexican War, his sruggles in the Army thereafter, his leaving the Army and his undistinguished time as a civilian from 1854 to 1861, his exemplary time and steady advancement during the Civil War, his interesting time during Andrew Johnson's presidency, his two terms as President, his trip around the world in 1877 and 1878, his effort to have a third term as President, and the dramatic events between 1880 and his death at 8:08 A.M. on July 25, 1885. Chernow ighlights Grant's efforts to protect the rights of of the ex-slaves andin that regard Grant was on the right side, even though there was much scandal in his administration due to Grant's over-trusting nature. . So there was much ad during Grant's ime as President but Chernow shows the good position he took in regard to the rights of blacks as the whites of the South ruthlessly retook power and reduced the Negro to subserviency.. The book deserves to be read and overall it is good reading and the picture it presents is highly interesting. Show Less
LibraryThing member nmele
I had read and admired Grant's memoirs but since Grant left a lot out of that work, I enjoyed Chernow's more thorough treatment of the challenges, life and accomplishments of the general who won the Civil War and, as president, tried with all his ability to reunite the nation. Unfortunately, I felt
Show More
that Chernow was so thorough that the book drags a times. For example, how often do we need to go over the truths, lies and exaggerations about Grant's use of alcohol. I was also skeptical that Grant was as progressive as Chernow portrays him, despite his evidently sincere and strenuous efforts to preserve the rights of black Americans during his years in the White House. One surprise was to find the role Grant played after his presidency as a diplomat without portfolio. Show Less
LibraryThing member meacoleman
LOVE this book! Ron Chernow's impeccable and thorough research leads to a lively story about an American hero who is underappreciated and often misunderstood.
LibraryThing member 4bonasa
I only wish is that the author provided more detail of the destruction of the KKK.
LibraryThing member wvlibrarydude
I struggled with this book at times. The author does use quotes and illustrations to make the narrative quite entertaining, but from a historical perspective I have a lot to question when he's inserting his thoughts and opinions about what Grant thinks or feels. I also had difficulty getting
In regards to the audiobook, the narrator Bramhall did an excellent job. Well worth the listen.
Overall I would say this is a good read, especially if you're looking for an interesting story, but I would not use it for historical reference.
Show More
through the war section, after reading better accounts from Shelby Foote and others. I know that Grant's drinking is a major issue, but the overwhelming reporting on every episode of drinking whether it was confirmed or not was quite tedious.In regards to the audiobook, the narrator Bramhall did an excellent job. Well worth the listen.
Overall I would say this is a good read, especially if you're looking for an interesting story, but I would not use it for historical reference.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Gnosis58
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
Show More
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. Show Less
LibraryThing member scottjpearson
This Memorial Day is appropriate to celebrate one of our nation’s forgotten saviors. Although Lincoln is often credited with guiding the nation’s rebirth by preserving the Union, none of this would have happened without Ulysses S. Grant’s leadership. Still, Grant is often denigrated as an
In a bitter reaction to Northern victory, generations of Southern historians have tried to play up Confederate military expertise and put down Grant’s skill. Grant had struggles with alcohol early in his life, yes, but he admiringly avoided alcohol for most of his later life so that he prove more useful. Grant’s victories, such as those at Chattanooga and Vicksburg, required expertise that made him one of the world’s all-time greatest generals. His memoirs, written on his death-bed, only reaffirm this view as Grant’s ingenuity shines through.
I would have liked for Chernow to put in a chapter on Grant’s legacy. How can this successful two-term US President be so forgotten in contemporary culture? That explanatory narrative deserves to see the light of day, and I would have liked to have Chernow write it. Overall, this biography is extremely well-researched, well-argued, and well-executed, but that glaring omission stands as a weakness.
As Chernow and contemporary Walt Whitman acknowledge, America’s greatness can be seen in the ascent of plain but brilliant individuals like Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant to the highest places. These stories must not be forgotten or revised in light of face-saving by future generations. Lincoln and Grant together freed the black slave. They saved the Union and preserved the hope of democracy for the world. Chernow does a good job of making this case and persuading the reader of Grant’s nobility.
Show More
inept drunk and a butcher of soldiers. This view simply was not shared among his contemporaries who viewed his grace in Confederate surrender at Appomattox Courthouse as foundational in national reconciliation. Chernow’s well-written, admiring biography seeks to correct this oversight.In a bitter reaction to Northern victory, generations of Southern historians have tried to play up Confederate military expertise and put down Grant’s skill. Grant had struggles with alcohol early in his life, yes, but he admiringly avoided alcohol for most of his later life so that he prove more useful. Grant’s victories, such as those at Chattanooga and Vicksburg, required expertise that made him one of the world’s all-time greatest generals. His memoirs, written on his death-bed, only reaffirm this view as Grant’s ingenuity shines through.
I would have liked for Chernow to put in a chapter on Grant’s legacy. How can this successful two-term US President be so forgotten in contemporary culture? That explanatory narrative deserves to see the light of day, and I would have liked to have Chernow write it. Overall, this biography is extremely well-researched, well-argued, and well-executed, but that glaring omission stands as a weakness.
As Chernow and contemporary Walt Whitman acknowledge, America’s greatness can be seen in the ascent of plain but brilliant individuals like Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant to the highest places. These stories must not be forgotten or revised in light of face-saving by future generations. Lincoln and Grant together freed the black slave. They saved the Union and preserved the hope of democracy for the world. Chernow does a good job of making this case and persuading the reader of Grant’s nobility.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Delaware-Kevin
I recommend this book.. Working through biographies on Presidents. I think Grant is maligned. While this work points out his faults and frailties, it is a sobering tribute to the human spirit and the need to be involved in good causes, regardless.
LibraryThing member tuckerresearch
Another magisterial narrative biography by Ron Chernow. Like many latter day biographies of Grant, this one takes pains to reassess his generalship and presidency. He was not just a butcher who used the North's superiority in men to grind down the South, but a real strategic thinker. And, his
Show More
presidency was not just a morass of scandal and misconstrued Reconstruction policies. Scandal was rampant in Gilded Age politics. Reconstruction was a noble experiment that Grant endeavored to bring off, but it failed due to racism and intransigence after his administration (though signs of the failure were evident during his administration). Chernow's book is good and fits right in with his great biographies of Hamilton and Washington. Good enough endnotes, well-researched, the images could be better, index, nice maps of the Civil War battles. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — Biography — 2017)
Ohioana Book Award (Finalist — 2018)
Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction (Longlist — Nonfiction — 2018)
Cundill History Prize (Longlist — 2018)
Fletcher Pratt Award (2017)
Booklist Editor's Choice: Adult Books (Biography — 2017)
Boston Globe Best Book (Nonfiction — 2017)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Nonfiction — 2017)
The New York Times Best Books of the Year (Nonfiction — 2017)
Christian Science Monitor Best Book (Nonfiction — 2017)
Notable Books List (Nonfiction — 2018)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2017)
Language
Similar in this library
The bully pulpit : Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the golden age of journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin
The pioneers : the heroic story of the settlers who brought the American ideal west by David G. McCullough
Valiant ambition : George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the fate of the American Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick
A country of vast designs : James K. Polk, the Mexican War, and the conquest of the American continent by Robert W. Merry