Customer Reviews

Lee and Grant (Meridian)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased my first biography by Gene Smith on Woodrow Wilson in 1963 and was suitably impressed to later purchase this book that was published in 1984.

In fact, had anyone but Gene Smith written this one I would not have been interested. Having several biographies of both Grant and Lee on the shelf I would not be too keen on an author attempting to cover these men in one book. But I have to laud Mr. Smith that once again he has written a very readable and interesting biography.

By alternating chapters and concentrating mainly on the Western Theatre in Virgina he has been able to give focus on both these military men. Interestingly enough the humble Grant and the aristocratic Lee both ended up in the same room having a similiar goal in mind: bringing the Union back to peace. I stood in that 'reconstructed' room at the McLean house in Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, a short time back, and after all the years even the replacement room can still hold a certain historical feeling.

This is a very good, basic biography of these two military leaders and adequate view of the Civil War in Virginia.

Semper Fi.

I enjoyed this book very much. The contrast between Grant (who led a hard scrabble life, even resorting to selling firewood by the side of the road to make a living) and Lee (perhaps the greatest man of the South) and Grant's triumph was a great story. You get a great introduction to the Civil War, even though there is a focus on the Virginia campaign because this is a biography of these two men, not an overall history of the Civil War. Highly recommended.

There is not a lot new to be said about Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. They are, undoubtedly, two of the most documented men in History. What is more important, when tackling this subject, is presenting the subject matter in an interesting fashion. In this regard, Gene Smith succeeds.

By alternating chapters, between each of his subjects, the reader follows the lives of two men as they grow and develop. All the while knowing, they are destined to meet in ultimate contest.

Even more than the book's interesting structure, I was impressed with Smith's well formed thoughts. The narrative is never disjointed or piecemeal, and all details are presented in context to the two men's lives, manifesting in a highly readable work.

I laud Mr. Smith for an excellent effort. And I encourage readers, whether new or old to the subject of the Civil War, to read this book.

Gene Smith's Lee And Grant was a well-written documentation of the lives of these Civil War generals. The way the book was set up kept it interesting and almost fun to read. The format was such that consecutive chapters paralleled each man's life. For instance the first chapter pertained to Lee's father and his childhood while the second chapter was about Grant's Father and childhood. One warning I have to potential readers: this is a great book for those interested in the Civil War and these two men. If one doesn't have any interest in the topic, then this book is not for them. There aren't and underlying driving plots or surprises that make the book suspenseful. This is a historical piece highlighting two great men in our country's history. It's a great book for those who want to read specifically about these two men, not for a reader just looking for a book to read.

The idea of comparing these two iconic figures in a single book seems logical. The author, I think, adds some suspense to the reading by swinging back and forth between the stories of these two men at points of common ground.

Seemingly well researched, the author spends a sizeable amount of time to the pre-Civil War lives of Lee and Grant. This is good, because it is the less known parts of their lives. The post war years also get decent treatment. It's a smart move by the author not to overly reharsh the parts of the story we already know.

If I were to criticize the writing, I would focus on only two points. First, the "early years" information seems overly long without explaining much about how those experiences helped to forge their future personalities. Second, the juxtaposition between Lee as the Scion of the Old South and Grant as the Ideal of the New North should have been driven home earlier. I think those changes might have helped turn this "good" dual biography into something special.

My minor criticisms aside, this is a fine addition to the bookshelf of the Civil War buff in your life. Informative, well structured and not exhaustingly long, it's an enjoyable book.

I was enthralled by the unique view that this book afforded. I have read many histories of the Civil War from many perspectives. This is the first time that I was introduced to these two pivotal historical figures from the human side. The juxtaposition of each of them to the other was very helpful to put the time and sequences of the war into perspective and give true scale to all that happened.

10/13/09

Ardsley, PA

I have always enjoyed reading a good story! Gene Smith brings a wonderful twist to a very familiar subject: the epic struggles of Lee and Grant. Over 370 pages and 24 chapters Gene Smith leads the reader back in time and retraces the lives of these two most fascinating Americans. Using alternating chapters we follow the lives of Lee and Grant at short intervals. For those familiar with the Civil War there will not be much new material for you about the war; however, those chapters outside of the 1861 - 1865 period offer many interesting details. There is a wonderful discussion of Henry Lee the father of R.E. Lee and how his human failings shaped the early years of his son. The details of Grant's severe financial distress following his resignation from the US Army are eye-opening. There is no parallel with Lee's storyline, yet you can see how his quiet resolve and dogged determination were already evident.

The longest single chapter of the book is titled "Battle," running 100 pages where the events of the 1864-5 campaign are reviewed. This is an interesting, quick read. There is simply too much to cover in this chapter. At best the reader who is unfamiliar with Grant's leadership of the Army and Lee's incredible defense will get an introduction to the many battles and movements.

I found the section dealing with US Grant's presidency the least satisfying aspect of the book. Between 1868 and 1876 America completed a remarkable transition, yet the story told by Gene Smith of Grant's presidency is the familiar tail of scandal and greed. There was far more to both Grant's Presidency and the period than this. For every Credit Mobilier scandal there was a transcontinental railroad built. Much went right in the era, some of that had to be due to Grant's administration.

I must tell you that I have read this book twice and listened to it once as a book on tape. I like this story. I especially like the introduction and I review it again once I have completed the book. The remarkable thing that I get from this book is the overwhelming sense of pathos coloring the lives of both of these great men. It seems to me that they were born for each other and for the war the country had to fight. I get an overwhelming sense of sadness when I read of Robert E Lee and U S Grant. These were great men. Yet, fate dealt them a pretty mean hand. They handled it with grace, with humility and I believe to the greatest extent possible with charity.

There is verse of a religious song called "Land of Rest" which goes:

"But if the thing I most desire

is not Your way for me,

May faith, when tested in the fire,

Prove its integrity."

I believe that this book shows that neither Lee, not Grant would have ever chosen the path they had to follow; yet, when faced with crisis, they did what they felt they had to do.

I heartily recommend this book.

Cordially,

Joe Rooney

In telling the stories of Lee and Grant, Smith is really writing a neat book on the Civil War. I found this book to be very informative and highly readable. I especially enjoyed the chapter on Chancellorville. This is a pretty basic book. A good starting point for anyone interested in the Civil War or just looking for a good basic overview.

I have been reading about the Civil War for almost 50 years. Despite what most of the other reviews of this biography state, I consider this book the most superficial review of Generals R.E. Lee and U.S. Grant that it has ever been my misfortune to read. However, I do agree with another reviewer that some parts of the book appear to be fictionalized. The book also includes many errors. In fact, the only reason I finished the book was my interest in seeing how many other errors I could pick out.

For example, I seriously doubt that U.S. Grant spent months attempting to take Vicksburg with a northern, overland attack, and several river-borne attacks that were only meant to mislead the Confederates, so that he could finally attack the city by bypassing it and landing further south. I am a great admirer of U.S. Grant, but if he showed up at my house today and told me that the above was true, I would call him a liar. Yet this is exactly what the author suggests Grant did.

Another example, the author claims on one page that a formation of 17,000 Union cavalry was the greatest number of cavalry ever assembled in the *world*. I bet the Mongols would find that amusing.

A third error... The author mentions more than once that 10,000 Union troops died in the attack at Cold Harbor. Meanwhile, every other Civil War historian uses the figure of 7,000. Are they all wrong?

Enough examples, if you want to read good biographies about Lee and Grant then there are a number of them out there, including Grant's own autobiography. A good one-book biography is The Rise of U.S. Grant, and there is an excellent trilogy: Captain Sam Grant, Grant Moves South, and Grant Takes Command

The genealogical material included in this book allows the reader to see that both of these generals were of Scottish extraction, both raised with honor, and both excellent examples of Scottish-American heroes.