GRANT

Rating:
Summary: Disappointment all along the front
Review: Pick an area of interest that this book *ought* to cover proficiently and eloquently and JES's GRANT falls on its face. You name it. As Civil War history, the battle descriptions are spotty--the maps are atrocious. Smith tries to keep track of where Grant is at times during a battle but loses his focus at times. I think the lack of scholarship and, from what other reviewers say, lack of expertise in Civil War history, is schlepped over with droll anecdotes better-told by true CW authors like Bruce Catton and William S. McFeely. The almost verbatim lifting of passages from other books should be a call to the publishers this is not exactly the watermark of scholarship. See, for example, the description of Lincoln's death and those present in the White House--down to the velvet curtains, it's lifted from Catton's GRANT TAKES COMMAND.

Almost nothing is said about Grant's generalship and esp. as it contrasts with other Union generals or particularly with Lee. I once read an excellent book on the topic issued by the U.S. Army at Ft. Bragg in Fayetteville, NC., but forgot the title. That one, written by a high-ranking modern person in-the-know is excellent AND readable.

Almost 30 pages are devoted to a single treaty during Grant's presidency while something like the est. of the Justice Dept is mentioned in short passing. There's a wellspring of Grant the man in his MEMOIRS, in Sherman's MEMOIRS, AROUND THE WORLD W/ GENERAL GRANT, etc. other contemporaneous sources that Smith doesn't take advantage of to help us unravel Grant the enigma. The PAPERS of Grant, put out by Illinois Urbana-Ch, alone should be a heavy source to lean on but the JES's bibliography shows just a smattering of a few already-famous documents culled from the Library of Congress--and those that are cited are used pervasively in this book while readers knowledgeable in Grant biography can tell the pool of source material JES might seem impressive but they're really not once you gather them up and group and date them.

Grants' financial troubles are quickly dashed off in this book, esp. post-Presidency. His relationship w/ other generals and actors in the White House are not highlighted to my satisfaction--too much time spent on Rawls' tuberculosis, again a case of the author being distracted for having come to the subject of Grant as a total novice. Disappointed, disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: U.S. Grant: Quiet Hero
Review: Smith compellingly rehabilitates the reputation of our 18th president, appallingly ranked in historians' polls below some of the most incompetent men ever to hold the office. Smith reveals in remarkably lucid prose a plain man you can't help but like. He's quiet almost to the point of credulity (Henry Adams sniffed, Grant "made evolution seem ludicrous", but his wiser brother Charles Francis Adams saw "a very extraordinary man...cool and quiet...a man of the most exquisite judgment.)" Lincoln agreed - after Grant's triumphs at Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg. Chattanooga, he concluded, "this man fights" and made him General in Chief. Grant was an officer of offensive tactical brilliance and "the grit of a bulldog" (Lincoln), at times rightly criticized for losing too many men. He wrote perhaps the most famous dispatch in military history: "No terms except complete and unconditional surrender can be accepted." At Appomattox he chatted with his colleaque Lee, lit his cigar and, "writing rapidly, he brought the [civil] war to a close with less than 200 well-chosen words, reflecting the charity that Lincoln desired and his own innate generosity."

In 1868, Grant pleaded to "let us have peace" and was elected and re-elected by landslides. Smith's meticulous research separates Grant the man from the unfortunate scandals that plagued his administration. His innate generosity led him to place trust in many unworthy of it. But he protected the freedmen, began civil service reform, treated Native Americans with dignity, and saved the nation's credit in the panic of 1873. In his remarkable "Personal Memoirs" he spoke of the War in almost biblical terms: "One side or the other had to yield principles they deemed dearer than life before it could be brought to an end. I commanded the whole of the mighty host engaged on the victorious side...I hope the good feeling inaugurated may continue to the end." Smith has made a singular contribution to presidential scholarship and to the memory of the quiet, likable man who saw his duty and did it. Smith gives us a rip-roaring war saga an incisive portrait of man, president. and legend.

Rating:
Summary: Grant, the General and the President
Review: Smith reexamines the military and political career of Ulysses Grant in this extensively researched biography. His step-by-step approach to Grant's military campaigns showing all the successes and failures of Grant's tactics makes for compelling reading and is an excellent look at Grant's pivotal role in the eventual end of the Civil War. Smith carefully examines Grant's relationships with his officers and Lincoln, giving the reader a true understanding of the political and military ramifications of all Grant's decisions. For this alone the book is well worth a purchase.
Smith is not quite as successful with his take on Grant's presidency. By portraying Grant as constantly well intentioned, but loyal to a fault to his variously inept or corrupt cabinet; Smith tries to show us a man who treasures loyalty above all else, but in essence, Grant is seen as politically naïve or even worse inept. Grant's belief that Reconstruction and American Indian rights were of vital importance is undercut by his refusal to remove men who cannot, or worse will not implement his plans. Smith could have more closely examined Grant's relationship with his wife, Julia; her influence on Grant should not be ignored. Overall the qualities of this biography outweigh any faults and it is easily one of the better biographies of a man who rarely got his just due.

Rating:
Summary: excellent bio on fascinating person
Review: Smith's biography is both readable and informative. It does not have tons of details at times and can repeat at other times. Still it gives great insight into General Grant and the period in which he lived. I enjoyed the section on his role after the Civil War in preventing Andrew Johnson's more outrageous plans and his presidency, which, as it turns out, was not all corruption. Smith may have been more critical at times but overall I highly recommend the book.

Rating:
Summary: A Man of Character
Review: Smith's biography of U.S. Grant will undoubtedly leave any reader with a new appreciation of this Civil War hero and oft-maligned two (and nearly three) term president. Though Grant is universally recognized as one of the greatest of all U.S. military leaders, he has often been depicted as an incompetant chief executive. Smith clearly belives that Grant's reputation as a poor president is undeserved. He presents many clear facts which support this view.

Smith traces Grant's life as a West Point cadet, to an officer serving in the Mexican campaign, to a failed private citizen, to acclaimed Civil War general, and finally to chief executive. He focuses on Grant's consistent personality characteristics throughout each of these phases: his honest forthrightness, his sense of fair play, his unfailing devotion to those who befriended him, and extreme decisiveness of action both on the battlefield of war and of politics.

Smith has thoroughly researched this biography and packed it with many supporting facts. So much so, that he rarely delves into much personal speculation about Grant. He prefers to leave it to the reader to draw conclusions for themselves about the inner workings of Grant's mind. Perhaps this is the best practice for a biographer, though I would have been willing to endure a little informed speculation.

Though there is a seemingly unending supply of Civil War histories which deal with Grant the soldier, there are far fewer books which deal with his Presedential accomplishments. In my view, his life following Appamattox was even more intriguing than his life in the service of the wartime Union Army. Though not originally an ardent supporter of the rights of slaves, as president he pushed through many unpopular pieces of legislation which protected the rights of the freedmen. Though he commanded some of the most ferocious Indian-fighters on the western frontier, he was deeply sensetive to the plight of the American Indian and sought to prevent their slaughter. In the face of great resistence, he sought to maintain order in a fractious south and continue the work of Reconstruction to stave off a second civil war. All of these important historical events and more are well-covered in this volume.

A small criticism of this book is Smith's increasing use of footnotes as the book progresses, particularly in the book's last quarter. Having to constantly break the reading flow to scan blocks of tiny print at the bottom of the page can be distracting.

However, for anyone looking for a thorough and fresh look at the life of one of this country's most interesting historical figures, this book is highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A Qualified Success
Review: Startling detail is the main strength of this book, but is, unfortunately, applied only in patches. The easy writing style makes this rather long book a surprisingly pleasant read. On the minus side, however, is the decidedly unquestioning admiration the author obviously has for his subject, which leads him to skate over matters such as Grant's drinking. Add to this the sketchiness of the material on the general's pre-army life and you have a book which can certainly be recommended, but only with reservations.

Rating:
Summary: A decent enough bio
Review: This bio of Grant is a broad sweep, and despite its faults, this book is still a good encapsulation of his life and career. Grant's Mexican War experiences are detailed, along with insights about the two leading generals, Winfield Scott and Zachary Taylor. The Civil War story is told quite clearly and although the author may be criticized for bringing very little new to the story, it is still a very good introduction for anyone interested in Grant's major role in the war. I have read many Civil War books, but there are passages in this bio that more clearly illuminate Grant's relationship with his one-time superior Henry Halleck, as well as his friend William Tecumseh Sherman. Throughout, Grant is portrayed as a man of action and decision, and of clear purpose.

One hears the word "revisionism" applied to this book and one tends to agree. Grant was a man of his time, and the author tends to overlook his weaknesses and faults. He was a man born to lead armies, and was less successful as a politician, and it seems to be a bit of a stretch to call his scandal-ridden presidency a success. Grant was a great military leader who was best known for his determination to move forward and engage the enemy when all others were timid, and he knew what the war was about before others grasped it. At the same time he made some major misjudgements, Cold Harbor being the most prominent example. Grant tends to get the benefit of the doubt a bit too much in this book, although in fairness a balanced approach is at least attempted.

Overall this is a worthwhile read.

Rating:
Summary: A decent overall look at his life.
Review: This biography does a decent job of looking at the overall life of Grant. Other biographers have focused solely on his military career. And while this biography does a decent job, it is not detailed enough to do real justice to any part of his life, when compared to other biographies. Smiths description of Grants milatary career, doesn't hold up at all compared to Catton's work. The author stops every once in a while to make some snap analyisis of what events mean, but fails to back it up as solidly as a good historian should.

Overall this isn't a bad job as an into into Grants life, it's just been done before by better historians and better writers. Read Grant's autobiography, or Catton's books on Grant.

Rating:
Summary: Top-notch Biography
Review: This biography is but part of a rising tide of new "appreciations" of Grant as Military Leader and , more importantly, as President. the war years are clearly explored-though much of that is familiar to anyone with an interest in the period.

It is the work's sensitivity to the issues of negro suffrage, indian rights, and reconstruction as it occured during the Grant Years where it is unique in its insights and fairness. It is this section of the book that adds appreciably to any reader's estimation of U.S. Grant as a man as well as a reader..

Though over 675 pages in length, this reader read the entire volume in 5 days; A sure testament to Mr. Smith's narrative skills. It is a good read.

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: 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.