Grant

The life of Ulysses S. Grant has usually been misinterpreted. He is much too often mocked as a recurrent loser, a foolish businessman who enjoys binge drinking, the victorious but cruel Union commander of the American Civil War, or a gullible and unfortunate president whose administration came to represent the worst excesses of the Gilded Age. These clichés fall far short of fully encapsulating his essence and the scope of his enormous achievements. At the pinnacle of his profession, Chernow was a biographer and has created a masterpiece of a picture of Grant, the first to provide a comprehensive comprehension of the man whose fortunes changed so quickly and often.

Grant had been in disarray before to the Civil War. His commercial endeavours had been dreadful, and even though he had served honourably in the Mexican War, he ended up quitting the army in disgrace due to repeated allegations of intoxication. However, during the Civil War, Grant started to live up to his extraordinary potential. He rose through the ranks of the Union army, triumphed in the Vicksburg campaign and the Battle of Shiloh, and eventually defeated the fabled Confederate general Robert E. Lee in a series of incredibly brutal battles in Virginia. Along the way, Grant won over President Lincoln's confidence and established himself as the war effort's strategic genius. His military prowess earned him a two-term president, but his administration was marred by scandals implicating his closest advisers. Grant, however, continued to be mostly impervious to criticism. More significantly, however, he never wavered in his pursuit of black Americans' freedom and justice, striving to dismantle the Ku Klux Klan and winning Frederick Douglass' respect as "the vigilant, firm, impartial, and wise protector of my race." He was once again brought low by a reliable ally after becoming president—this time by a handsome young con artist on Wall Street—but he salvaged his reputation by collaborating with Mark Twain to write his memoirs, which are regarded as a genre classic.

Chernow, who is renowned for his clarity, scope, and attention to detail, unravels the connections between these seemingly unrelated tales, offering fresh insight into the man whom Walt Whitman called "nothing heroic... yet the greatest hero." His in-depth account of Grant's battle with alcoholism throughout his life fundamentally alters our perception of the man. The best biographer in America, he skillfully captures the essence of one of the country's most exceptional but little-known presidents. Grant is a great blend of meticulous investigation and creative genius that serves as the definitive biography. It makes sense of every aspect of Grant's life and explains how this common Midwesterner could be both so ordinary and so amazing.