Customer Reviews

Grant

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is the only biography of Grant I've read, so my rating is not based on any comparison of it with other books. On its own terms it succeeds quite well. Grant's entire life including his Civil War years and his presidency are linked together through the thread of his character and personality. The book offers a fascinating revisionist critique of the his presidency. Grant fought for the rights of African Americans and Native Americans at a time when the country showed little interest in them. Grant had both the courts and public opinion against him, yet his courageous efforts proved him to be far ahead of his time. After Grant left office, African Americans would be denied civil and voting rights for about 90 years. The scandals of administration were bad, but they conceal the greatness of the man and what he achieved. Historians have generally ranked Grant last or near last in rankings of presidents. But especially when you compare Grant to Johnson, for whom Grant served as General-in-Chief for the period in between the Civil War and his election as president, the ranking is ludicrous, as is obvious from Smith's book. Johnson was a disastrous president, yet the former is always ranked higher than Grant! Some of the reviews seem to have missed this point. The biography is not meant to be the comprehensive word on Grant's drinking or his family life. It is an immensely readable general biography, with an implicit argument underpinning the narrative that Grant was much better than he has been betrayed by historians. And that is what makes it a remarkable book.

This biography of Ulysses S. Grant is a fine book indeed and I highly recommed it for a number of reasons. First, it is an enjoyable and easy book to read. For most of the biography, Jean Edward Smith was able to forge a story that was both appealing and novel-like in its ability to engage. I was surprised by this, as I have found that one of the most difficult tasks for any writer is to describe adequately a battle scene. This is a trap where many writers succumb, but Smith was able to deftly balance giving the reader quantities of facts while at the same time keeping the reader interested. I believe "Grant" could have easily been two or three times longer, giving greater detail about any number of aspects of the Civil War, Reconstruction, or the vagaries of the Grant Administration. But it is my opinion that to do so would have been to sacrifice one of the most engaging and masterful aspects of this biography, which is the novel like quality of the work.

Second, felt that the subject matter was presented in a refreshing and exciting way, assessing Grants life and achievements with a different lens. I remember long ago reading the McFeely biography and coming away wondering how Grant could have possibly become a general, a president, or much of anything. The Grant of this earlier biography was practically a nonentity, depressed, alcoholic, bad at just about everything except killing great quantities of Confederates. Smith has painted a portrait of a much greater man. I believe this book would have won the Pulitzer Prize had it been written before McFeely's (which did win the Pulitzer). But I think two Grant Pulitzers would have been unlikely.

If anything, "Grant" may tend to gush a little too much about its subject. Smith lets Grant off the hook a number of times, especially with regard to his White House years. Grant exhibited spectacularly bad judgment on a number of issues, not the least of which was his penchant for accepting gifts from wealthy con men. On the other hand, it was Grant who almost single handedly won the Civil War. I guess he's entitled to a little extra slack for that one.

Jean Edward Smith has written, in my opinion, the best biography set within the Civil War era. Grant's life reads as a lucid novel as we travel through the peaks and valleys of his life. His life was truly amazing!
- Before the Civil War Grant actually chopped firewood in order to make enough money to help feed his family (can you ever imagine a current president actually doing such labor in order to make a living?)
- He was a master warrior who didn't like to hunt, or the sight of blood.
- He may have been the unluckiest man alive when it came to business enterproses.

Like many Americans I had been subjected to the propoganda of the Southern apologists and never realized how great Grant really was. He knew what he had to do to win, realized it would be hard, but once he set his course he finished the job.

JES inspired me to visit the battlefield at Shiloh on a warm Saturday afternoon. History was really brought to life as I looked around and envisioned all of the soldiers fighting and dying on American soil. Grant never seemed so alive.

JES also shows how Grant was underappreciated president who tried to keep Lincoln's dreams alive. While Grant was an excellent reader of men on the battlefield this skill did not follow him into politics or business. As a result, Grant's admistration was rocked by scandal - costing him dearly in the eyes of historians.

JES biography on Grant was a treasure to read. I used to wonder how Grant was able to land on the $50 bill... now I wonder why he is only on ONE bill.

Jean E. Smith's biography delivers a long overdue, refreshing and considerable recast of Ulysses Grant, especially the post-War years. While sustaining his reputation as an accomplished military leader, Smith's Grant emerges as a politician and stateman of considerable acumen and accomplishment. Rather than present Grant as a successful soldier and failed politician, Smith emphasizes the continuity in Grant's life. The common thread is an indomitable strength of character. Throughout you meet a man of quiet, resolute determination and honesty.

The early chapters focus on Grant's experience at West Point, in the Mexican War, military outposts, and in his many varied and often failed commercial ventures. Throughout these early ups and downs, what emerges is the picture of a man of absolute integrity and humility... a man unwilling to solicit position or accept patronage, unfailing in his payment of peronsal or financial debt, and unflinching in his duty.

Not unexpectedly half the book addresses Grant's military service; most of the accounts are familiar. Smith, however, goes to considerable length to discuss Grant's relationships with subordinate and opposition leaders (e.g., Simon Bolivar Buckner, Sherman, Longstreet, Thomas). The author points to the Federal movements at Vicksburg (1863) and James River (1865) as among Grant's most inspired, while bringing perspective to the momentum gained and lives lost during the campaign of 1864 (e.g., Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor). Sometimes labeled a butcher, Grant's casualty ratio was consistently less than Robert E. Lee's and, unlike preceding Eastern commanders, Grant refused to pay for the same ground twice, choosing to defeat the Confederate Army rather than focus on "geographical trophies."

While the sterotype of the Grant White House is one of corruption, graft and patronage, the book reveals Grant's efforts to avoid or alleviate all. After supporting Lincoln's intent for the South during a true failure -- the Andrew Johnson years (1865-1968) -- Grant makes notable contributions as President. Against a backdrop of residual post-war division, Grant supports the civil rights of freedmen in Reconstruction and of Native Americans in the West. Despite legislative resistance he outlined model civil service reform to prevent rampant patronage. Internationally Grant and his outstanding Secretary of State, Hamilton Fish, oversaw successful treaties governing future relations in the Carribean and enduring peace with England, Through timely, adept and honest maneuvering Grant vetoed the 1874 "inflation bill" and oversaw passage of the Resumption Act establishing sound monetary policy and placing the country on a strong economic footing. Destruction of the Whiskey Ring affirmed fair taxation and removed corrupt officials of both parties. Grant also addressed and sustained separation of church and state.

The book is easily read and balanced in its treatment. Smith discusses the motivations of Grant's occasional "benders," and allows that the General was often too trusting of his friends, many of whom hoped to profit by their association with the great man. Thoughout, however, Grant's honor, motivations and intentions emerge unstained. Jean Smith's book is well researched (ample footnotes, a 38 page bibliography, and 78 pages of citations and endnotes), the only complaint being that many are from eminent but secondary resources. I whole heartedly recommend "Grant" to the general reader, Civil War historian, and politically curious. As I did, you will come away impressed with a Ulysses Grant few have troubled to know well.

No book since Catton has been both so right-headed about Grant and so well-written. It is gratifying to see the reviews here from other readers who appreciate Grant's greatness -- and none, so far, from Grant disparagers. But I am puzzled by the criticism of this book on the grounds that it is inferior to Catton. Surely there is room for both, and this book does have strengths Catton lacked -- remember Catton's cavalier dismissal of Grant's presidency and political skills? Did Catton address all the sources of anti-Grant propaganda as well as Smith does? This is truly a marvelous AND necessary book, and it should warm the hearts of those who want the historical underestimation of Grant to be corrected.

With due respect to Candace Scott (see review above) for whom I have much esteem, I found Smith's book to be the best full biography of Grant that I have read. Smith's book tries to fit in the entire scope of Grant's life, providing almost as much space to his national political role after the war as to his miltary role during the war. There are a great many superior books on Grant's role in the civil war and better books on his last days, but few that deal with his presidency as well as this and few cover his entire life in one volume that is as easy to read.

I have just finished this book and I find it in many ways the best of the 250-odd books in my Civil War library. With over 100 pages of references, it is exhaustively researched but at no time approaches dry academic writing. It is highly readable, concise, and informative. As a biography, it provides many revelations on Grant the man, soldier, and President. Not constrained by past prejudices or misconceptions, the book puts this great American in a highly favorable light, something long overdue. On page after page, the true character of Grant comes into sharp focus. As a Civil War book, it presents Grant within the context of his campaigns and the War in general. A reader not at all familiar with the Civil War can learn much about it while following the course of Grant's military career. His essential role in Union victory becomes clear, along with his relationships with other commanders, including Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas, Halleck, Porter, and even his adversaries. The section on the Grant presidency objectively describes Grant's strength of character, wisdom, and personal manner while not failing to mention his occasional mistakes. This well-documented work should elevate U S Grant in the minds of all who read it.

If you are wondering if you should read this book or not, I hope my comments can help you make a wise decision. So often you find books that rate Grant as a great General, but a weak President. As someone who has read 3 other books on this man, I must say that I found this book quite refreshing and enlightening. Grant was President at a time that the nation was torn between those who wanted vengeance on the South, and those who wanted reconstruction and re-integration of the nation. Those who wanted to re-enslave blacks, and those who wanted to provide rights for the "freedmen." Those who wanted to annihilate Indians, and only Grant that wanted to honor commitments made by the US government to Indians.

Grant was President at a time that the country was economically weakened by the Civil war, its infrastructure heavily damaged, and the differences between the rival liberals (Republicans back then) and conservatives (Democrats!) were so wide that the country was literally at a standstill. So perhaps, it was a saving grace for President Lincoln that he did not live to have his Presidency tarnished by trying to govern a nation so badly divided. The author makes a strong point as to how Grant modeled his philosophy in governing the nation after Abraham Lincoln.

In a sense, now from a 21st Century perspective we can see Grant's rise to power actualized Lincoln's post war objectives. In fact, it is easy to see that in a divided nation, no one could have done any better than Grant (maybe not even Lincoln). One thing that this book on Grant does that no other book has done in my opinion is to show that Grant believed then, what his nation did not realize for another 80 years with respect to freed slaves, natives, and treatment of the South. His treatment of freed slaves, Native Americans, and former Confederates would have won him a Nobel Prize for peace had he been President only 50 years later than his time.

My criticism of the book is that it comes to an abrupt end after covering Grant's Presidency. I believe one of the most beautiful chapters of the life of Ulysses S. Grant was his 2 years of traveling around the world, from Europe to China, & Japan. I only wish that these rich pages of his life were not condensed into a few brief pages in passing. Otherwise, I believe this book has done more justice to Grant than any other book. The irony in my comments comes from the fact that this book which has most honored the General who unquestionably defeated the South, is written by a Southerner that at times had wished the Confederates had won their war of national division (independence).

Not since Bruce Catton has anyone come close to putting all the pieces together of this heroic, enigmatic life. Over 1500 sources were consulted by Smith to give us a version of Grant without the psychobabble. Especially valuable for Grant's Mexican War experience and its influence on his command style. The footnotes here are as wonderful as in Gibbon. Get this book if you have any interest in the Civil War and Reconstruction.

This is an excellent and complete history of the life of Ulysses S. Grant. It is certainly complete form the viewpoint of Civil War activities of the general, relying on all known sources -- from Grant's letters to his military orders to analyses by others from the war.

Particularly good is the analysis of Grant's presidential administration, treating his role in quashing the Ku Klux Klan; his policy toward American Indians; his role in the attempts by Jay Gould to corner the gold market. This book is strongly recommended for understanding the Reconstruction period politics; also for Grant's role in disarming the 1876 constitutional crisis over the election -- one very similar to the crisis the country faced in the 2000 presidential election.

The only important topic not treated well is the aspect of the Civil War that William Tecumseh Sherman represented: war on civilian support for the rebellion.

In addition, Smith's writing style is crisp and lively; full of anecdotes. The author's side-by-side contrasting two views of Grant expressed by the Adams' brothers is a classic. And Smith's own appreciation of Grant's writing style caused me to seek out the general's Memoirs after reading this book.