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Summary: Biography by American Military Historian Adds Perspective!
Review: Geoffrey Perret's previous work, "A Country Made By War," which is a general military history of the United States, gives him the background to put the military career of Grant in perspective. He worked closely with the editor of Grant's papers to acquire the background to write this biography. His short chapters don't go into great details on individual battles, but capture well the development of Grant's personality, generalship, and presidency. J.F.C. Fuller's "Grant and Lee" and "The Generalship of Ulysses S. Grant" go into greater detail in analyzing the military strategy, strengths and weaknesses, of Grant's command both in the Western and Eastern theaters. But Perret's book is well worth reading. He captures the spirit of Grant well.
Rating: 
Summary: Incompetent Treatment
Review: Having studied Ulysses S. Grant since High School I think I know him pretty well. This author does not know Grant. He makes too many mistakes to be taken seriously by people who know about Grant as a military man and as a soldier. I got so sick of the errors I actually tossed the book aside in disgust several times. But I did finally finish it. There's nothing new in this book that already hasn't appeared in abler studies by Bruce Catton and William McFeely. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, it is unreliable and the research here just isn't new, interesting or even accurate!
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Summary: Simply awful
Review: I don't know how to describe this book to adequately convey my utter shock at its amateurish research and tortured, verbose prose. I have a feeling Random House just threw this book proposal into Mr. Perret's lap (an egregious sin, to be sure) and then accepted this lamentable attempt to illuminate U.S. Grant. In this book we learn that U.S. Grant was a saint. He should be rechristened "Ulysses the Almighty One." While it is true that Grant's reputation has received reeling blows from historians, some of these body blows are justified. Grant was not a sterling President, he was jealous and carping of his underlings in the civil war, he did Thomas and Meade terrible injustices, he did suffer through the angst of a childhood at the hands of a warped, indifferent and possible insane mother and a pompous old braggadacio for a father. Does Perret write with any depth, sincerity or scholarship about Grant's parents? Not a chance. Do we learn how these warped parents shaped (or mis-shaped) Grant as an adult? Don't hold your breath, dear readers. Does Perret write with sincerity or scholarship about Mrs. Grant, the plain Jane wife of Grant, who was the only person in his whole life (aside from his kids) that captured his heart and who he relaxed around? Don't bet the house on that either. Do you feel inclined to explore Perret's sources for quotations? Forget it. There is no bibliography and no notatations. The index is spotty, weak and incomplete, the editing seems like it was done by a 12 year old on school holiday. The prose is laughably sophomoric at times, torturous at its best, boring at its worst. There are 14 errors in the describing Grant s appointments to the Supreme Court. Four of those he names as being Grant appointees were not even born at the time they were supposedly serving on the bench. The only people who woulld benefit from reading this are those who have a vague, peripheral interest in the civil war or who refuse to see any spots on their hero, Grant. Those four of five individuals would probably embrace this messy assemblage of semi-facts as a Bible. For the remainder of this world, its best to keep a very wide berth from Mr. Perret's book.
Rating: 
Summary: Tales of Great Ulysses
Review: I greatly enjoyed this one volume account of Grant's life, though I found the flippant prose to a little unsettling for a work of history. Author Perret is genearlly sympathetic to his subject (even Grant's presidency, which he concludes was no worse than numerous others from the nineteenth century). In a few spots, I found Perret's generalizations to be a bit too general. Nevertheless, the writing is lively and highly readable. For that I would recommend this book to anyone with a general interest in American History, especially the Civil War period. Grant remains a somewhat misunderstood figure. This book at least helps to provide his memory with some clarity.
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Summary: Unfair to Ulysses says Julia Dent
Review: I had my friend read this book aloud to me and I was chagrined at how little the author knew about Ulysses. There were mnany factual gaffes and he gets the General's marriage all wrong. It was most vexing for me to read this tripe.
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Summary: Terrible
Review: I had to chuckle at a line another reviewer wrote, "I found none of the errors other people have alluded ot." Well, I guess not, if you are not a particular scholar of Grant. You have to really know your subject in order to count the errors. I counted them and came up with 112. I know other people I have seen on the Internet count up to 200. I have seen Mr. Perret in person at the Smithsonian and it was quite obvious he did not understand Grant. The book is not poorly written, that isn't the primary issue. The issue is the mistakes and the lack of research. If it doesn't bother you that the author cannot even identiy people in Grant's cabinet or his own children correctly, then read this book. If it does not bother you that he spends exactly 9 pages describing the most fascinating period in General Grant's life (his race with death), then buy this book. If you want TRUE history, it ain't here!
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Summary: Look elsewhere
Review: I have finished Mr. Perret's biography of U.S. Grant and have come away disappointed. I had read previous reviews which were mixed at best, but the book never convinced me that the author had a solid understanding of the civil war. There are portions that are very well written and the book holds your interest. But... it seems Mr. Perret does not understand the machinations of our political and judicial system, because he makes so many misstatements. A competent editor could have cleaned up these mistakes. As for Grant, the thing that makes him so interesting is that he was a very imperfect guy. He had no halo. He had a problem with drinking early on, he had difficulty with all human relationships excepting his wife and kids and he had no idea what he was doing as President. None of this is discussed by the author. If you believe this book, Grant never made a poor military decision, was a a greater President than FDR and was a genius in everything he attempted. This is wrong and shatters any credibility in the book. Grant is fasincating for the reasons the author ignores: he beat alcoholism with the help of his wife, he made mistakes in the civil war but he learned from them. I recommend Bruce Cattons' old books on Grant. This is one of the most disappointing civil war books I have ever read. The real Grant lies in the hands of someone who has yet to come along who will someday, for all of sakes, write the definitive biography, free of errors. This book is not definitive and not recommended.
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Summary: Excellent and engrossing
Review: I have had an interest in Grant for many years and have consumed many books on the subject, but unlike several other reviewers who also make this claim, I heartily enjoyed Perret's book. Yes, I agree that Catton's works were superior, but that does not detract from this book. Certainly it is possible to disagree with the author's conclusions regarding Grant's psychology (I am suspicious of psychoanalyzing history in almost every form)yet find the book's important points acceptable. In its judiciousness and understanding of Grant's military abilities it is vastly superior to McFeely's treatment. It is not quite as adoring as Catton's work and in some places, such as the discussion of the general's drinking, that is a good thing. It surpasses more cursory treatments which have received attention lately (e.g. Buell's "Warrior Generals") which in many cases serve only to add to misunderstanding by taking quotations and anecdotes out of context. I found none of the factual errors alluded to by other reviewers. All in all, an excellent and very readable book.
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Summary: A Must Biography
Review: I have read over 100 civil war books...and several biographies...I feel this is a must book to read...It is a clear, fresh, and well done... Mr. Perret...did it right. All of us who have read the Great McFeely's (Pulitzer Prize winner "GRANT") now can be enlightened to another point of view...That is how history is written. Because each book has completely different views does not make this book any the less important..Mc Feely knocked down Grant. Perret brings Grant back up. That's what make us more than brainwashed humans. I suggest that the true reader read both books and then form their own opinion...THANK YOU MR. PERRET
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Summary: Too many mistakes
Review: I have read the previous reviews and never have I seen such a wide spectrum of opinions, with no "average" reviews. Either the reader loves Perret's book or they hate it. Count me among the latter group, and I am pretty easy to please. Civil War history and biography has been my specialty for 20 years. There probably are worse biographies of Grant, but not any that have achieved good sales and some media attention like this book. My main gripe is the pacing of the book, which is choppy and inconsistent. There are errors on nearly every page, folks, sorry to burst your bubble. Those other reviewers who boast they can't find any are really just displaying the fact they are novice Grantophiles. Every chapter has many mistakes. Some are trivial but many are pretty major. Where is the editor when you need him? Perret obviously didn't summon him. I wanted to like this book and I read it with an open mind. I have finished it and can judiciously give it one star. It was that bad. I can't in good conscience recommend a book that has so many factual mistakes in it.
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