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Rating: 
Summary: Not a home run
Review: I agree and disagree with the previous reviewers. I think it's an exaggeration to say McFeely writes breathless, perfect prose. He's a great writer but not as fabulous as that. Having said that, the words are the only thing to recommend the book. The photos are non-existent! I don't know what the publishers were thinking. I have seen all the photos in here a million times. The cover photo is the same photo used on many other US Grant books. What is going on?OK, on to Grant's marriage. I take no issue with what is presented. Basically McFeely says the thing which made the Grant marriage work was great sex and he proves how Grant did enjoy this to the hilt. Why not? When you are as rich, as successful and as famous as Grant was in his heyday, I would imagine physical relations would be high on your list. Kissinger said power was the ultimate aphrodisiac. McFeely doesn't criticize Mrs. Grant. He says she is silly, but the other reviewer blowing their fuse about this is the silly thing. He likes Mrs. Grant, he points out she had many strengths, which she did. She was a great wife and helpmate to her hubby. The slave chapter I enjoyed. I enjoyed the chapter on his travels, which I knew nothing about. I agree that the chapter on his marriage is the heart, the soul of the book. I wish I had such a good marriage in my two efforts. Hallelujah to Grant. But the photos here are really, really bad.
Rating: 
Summary: Very interesting writing
Review: I am a fan of William McFeely's other book on Grant. It's the one Grant biography I can read without getting a headache because he writes so nicely and fleshes out the human Grant. This book picks up where the other ones left off. There are chapters on Grant as a traveler, Grant on the slave issue and most of all, Grant as a husband. McFeely always had a special interest in Grant's relationship with his homely wife, Julia. Those two had special chemistry and McFeely makes hay out of that. All in all, a really good book; the photos are below average and not many of them, but Grant as a person comes out of the pages with a vibrant bang.
Rating:
Summary: As a husband, good. Photos bad
Review: I wish they hadn't marketed this as a photo book because there aren't any. At least there aren't many photos of Grant and the ones published are really bad. I was expecting some nice rare ones, but there weren't any. McFeely likes to write about Grant's private life, which is OK with me. Grant was one of these types of men who were uxorious around their wives, she was his best friend, lover, helpmate, a person he could talk to and make love to at the same time. They seemed very much in sync with one another and that's always nice to read a great love story. McFeely is less solid on everything else and I really didn't care much about Grant's travels. I did like the section on Grant's autobiography, which I have read and it's great. So 4/5 stars for this new effort.
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