Rating: 
Summary: Smith is fine at giving us the big picture . . .
Review: . . . yet sometimes the details remain elusive. I have a feeling that readers heavily steeped in Civil War action will not be as charitable to this biography as others, because in places the narrative seems to come off the rails in a noticeable way. Perhaps our expectations are too high, for we have been waiting for a masterful view of Grant's actions, policies and inner thoughts during the years of the War. Oddly enough, in my opinion, Grant's inner life during the previous Mexican War is something that Smith has more of a handle on, and this section is written quite well. If only all of the book had been like this!
However, Smith recoups with a thorough account of Grant's presidency and writing career, if you can call it that, and yet what else is one to call a spate of writing that produced the magnificent PERSONAL MEMOIRS? We revere Grant for his bravery not only on the field of battle but in the shadows of private life, in adversity he showed his truest colors. Thanks to Jean Edward Smith, we now have a convincing overview of a roundly emulable man.
Rating: 
Summary: U.S. Grant: Revisited and Redefined
Review: GRANT, by Jean Edward Smith, is an excellent treatment of an American President and general whose reputation has been sadly soiled by historians over the years. The author's style is very easy to read and hold's the reader's interest well. The work is heavily footnoted with primary and secondary sources. Most Americans, think of Ulysses S. Grant (if they think of him at all) as a good general who battered Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia into submission, then went on to become a mediocre President leading an inept and corrupt administration. The author lays to rest these common misconceptions, showing Grant to be a dynamic wartime general and an honest, if naïve, President dedicated to civil rights, fairness, and a sound economic policy. Jean Edward Smith lays out his case for rethinking Grant's life from the very beginning, painting a portrait of a hard-luck man who never gave up his integrity and who learned the value of perseverance the hard way when every venture he touched turned into a money loser in the 1850s. As the Civil War engulfed the nation in 1861, Grant, a former Army Captain, tried to offer his services to the Illinois militia and almost did not get a commission in the ranks of the volunteers. Grant rose steadily through the ranks because he fought, confidently taking the war to the South and never shrinking from danger. As the Civil War came to an end at Appomattox, General Grant dealt generously with the defeated Rebels. Radical Republicans and some of the press decried his leniency, preferring instead to see the Confederate leaders tried for treason and hung. This spirit of forgiveness was a constant in Grant's life and would serve greatly in binding up the nation's wounds, especially in the aftermath of President Lincoln's assassination. If leading armies in combat seemed easy for Grant, then his adroit maneuvering between Washington's competing interests during the tumultuous years of Andrew Johnson were astounding. During Johnson's term in office, Grant was General-in-Chief. In this role, he commanded the Army during the initial phases of Reconstruction - a task that Johnson was determined to short circuit, making peace with the Southern white elite by sacrificing the newly freed slaves on the alter of political expediency. Grant would have none of this and he labored mightily to prevent the South from sliding back as if the Civil War was never fought. As President, Grant tried to move Reconstruction forward again. Black Americans voted at percentages higher in the elections of 1870 and 1872 than they would for the next 80 years. Eventually, Southern white resistance and Northern apathy would force Grant to accept what he could, with a coalition of Democrats and liberal Republicans determined to paper over white repression and violence on blacks in the South. If Grant's bravely standing up for the rights of the freedmen in the South seems surprising to an American reader in the early 21st Century, then his polities towards the American Indians were even more so. Grant, the ultimate man of war, sought to make peace with the American Indians. His peace policies initially worked. He even named a former Army subordinate and full-blooded American Indian to be the head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Grant pushed through reforms at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, seeking to reduce the corruption that prevented relief from getting to the reservations by appointing Christian missionary organizations to replace political appointees. In both his policies regarding the civil rights of African Americans in the South and the treatment of American Indians, Grant displayed political courage and steadfastness. It's sad we do not hear more of this side of Grant the President today.
Rating:
Summary: U.S. Grant: Revisited and Redefined
Review: GRANT, by Jean Edward Smith, is an excellent treatment of an American President and general whose reputation has been sadly soiled by historians over the years. The author's style is very easy to read and hold's the reader's interest well. The work is heavily footnoted with primary and secondary sources. Most Americans, think of Ulysses S. Grant (if they think of him at all) as a good general who battered Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia into submission, then went on to become a mediocre President leading an inept and corrupt administration. The author lays to rest these common misconceptions, showing Grant to be a dynamic wartime general and an honest, if naïve, President dedicated to civil rights, fairness, and a sound economic policy. Jean Edward Smith lays out his case for rethinking Grant's life from the very beginning, painting a portrait of a hard-luck man who never gave up his integrity and who learned the value of perseverance the hard way when every venture he touched turned into a money loser in the 1850s. As the Civil War engulfed the nation in 1861, Grant, a former Army Captain, tried to offer his services to the Illinois militia and almost did not get a commission in the ranks of the volunteers. Grant rose steadily through the ranks because he fought, confidently taking the war to the South and never shrinking from danger. As the Civil War came to an end at Appomattox, General Grant dealt generously with the defeated Rebels. Radical Republicans and some of the press decried his leniency, preferring instead to see the Confederate leaders tried for treason and hung. This spirit of forgiveness was a constant in Grant's life and would serve greatly in binding up the nation's wounds, especially in the aftermath of President Lincoln's assassination. If leading armies in combat seemed easy for Grant, then his adroit maneuvering between Washington's competing interests during the tumultuous years of Andrew Johnson were astounding. During Johnson's term in office, Grant was General-in-Chief. In this role, he commanded the Army during the initial phases of Reconstruction - a task that Johnson was determined to short circuit, making peace with the Southern white elite by sacrificing the newly freed slaves on the alter of political expediency. Grant would have none of this and he labored mightily to prevent the South from sliding back as if the Civil War was never fought. As President, Grant tried to move Reconstruction forward again. Black Americans voted at percentages higher in the elections of 1870 and 1872 than they would for the next 80 years. Eventually, Southern white resistance and Northern apathy would force Grant to accept what he could, with a coalition of Democrats and liberal Republicans determined to paper over white repression and violence on blacks in the South. If Grant's bravely standing up for the rights of the freedmen in the South seems surprising to an American reader in the early 21st Century, then his polities towards the American Indians were even more so. Grant, the ultimate man of war, sought to make peace with the American Indians. His peace policies initially worked. He even named a former Army subordinate and full-blooded American Indian to be the head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Grant pushed through reforms at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, seeking to reduce the corruption that prevented relief from getting to the reservations by appointing Christian missionary organizations to replace political appointees. In both his policies regarding the civil rights of African Americans in the South and the treatment of American Indians, Grant displayed political courage and steadfastness. It's sad we do not hear more of this side of Grant the President today.
Rating: 
Summary: Good not great
Review: I read this book in my ongoing project of reading a biography on every President. I found this to be a good, but not great biography. Of course, a lot of that could do with the fact that Grant's Presidency is not recognized as that outstanding. I enjoyed the description of Grant's military exploits, but I found some of the detailed descriptions of Civil War battles to bog down a little bit in the telling. I have read military history in the past and would like to see more maps accompanying it. I felt the same way about these battlefield descriptions. Somewhere in the middle of the battle I always lose who is where and who is charging up what hill and who is backed up against a river. It can get confusing. I did like the description of Grant's role in the war in Mexico. Probably because it wasn't as detailed. As for the description of his Presidency, it seemed to be relatively incomplete. It was almost if nothing significant really happened during his eight years in the White House. Maybe that was the case?? One thing I really wanted more of was Grant's thoughts and feelings on Lincoln's assassination. The writer didn't spend a lot of time on it. I wish he would have because it really is one of the most important things to happen in the history of the country and it just seemed like it deserved more time. This was a pretty good book, but I would say I plan to read something else on Grant to try and fill in some of the blanks. After reading it though, I have a lot more respect for Grant and wish the moral compass by which he lived by could be transplanted into some of today's leaders.
Rating:
Summary: Finally a fair book that does honor to Grant
Review: If you are wondering if you should read this book or not, I hope my comments can help you make a wise decision. So often you find books that rate Grant as a great General, but a weak President. As someone who has read 3 other books on this man, I must say that I found this book quite refreshing and enlightening. Grant was President at a time that the nation was torn between those who wanted vengeance on the South, and those who wanted reconstruction and re-integration of the nation. Those who wanted to re-enslave blacks, and those who wanted to provide rights for the "freedmen." Those who wanted to annihilate Indians, and only Grant that wanted to honor commitments made by the US government to Indians. Grant was President at a time that the country was economically weakened by the Civil war, its infrastructure heavily damaged, and the differences between the rival liberals (Republicans back then) and conservatives (Democrats!) were so wide that the country was literally at a standstill. So perhaps, it was a saving grace for President Lincoln that he did not live to have his Presidency tarnished by trying to govern a nation so badly divided. The author makes a strong point as to how Grant modeled his philosophy in governing the nation after Abraham Lincoln. In a sense, now from a 21st Century perspective we can see Grant's rise to power actualized Lincoln's post war objectives. In fact, it is easy to see that in a divided nation, no one could have done any better than Grant (maybe not even Lincoln). One thing that this book on Grant does that no other book has done in my opinion is to show that Grant believed then, what his nation did not realize for another 80 years with respect to freed slaves, natives, and treatment of the South. His treatment of freed slaves, Native Americans, and former Confederates would have won him a Nobel Prize for peace had he been President only 50 years later than his time. My criticism of the book is that it comes to an abrupt end after covering Grant's Presidency. I believe one of the most beautiful chapters of the life of Ulysses S. Grant was his 2 years of traveling around the world, from Europe to China, & Japan. I only wish that these rich pages of his life were not condensed into a few brief pages in passing. Otherwise, I believe this book has done more justice to Grant than any other book. The irony in my comments comes from the fact that this book which has most honored the General who unquestionably defeated the South, is written by a Southerner that at times had wished the Confederates had won their war of national division (independence).
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Read About a Fascinating Man
Review: In my humble opinion, Smith's biography of a great general and somewhat successful president is interesting and well-written. Granted, I have not read other Grant biographies or consider myself a scholar. However, I believe Smith has produced a good read. Some of the more interesting aspects of Grant's life covered include: 1. Early childhood growing up in Ohio and other areas.
2. Unspectacular career at West Point.
3. Notable service during the Mexican War.
4. Frustrations due to slow promotion in the army and frequent separation from his family (the author asserts the latter resulted in his drinking problem).
5. Resignation from the army and subsequent failures in civilian employment.
6. Notable Civil War career, including battle descriptions of: Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Appamattox.
7. His mixed record as president (success with civil rights for blacks and Indians, failure with several instances of corruption by those who took advantage of his trusting nature).
8. Herculean efforts to complete his memoirs just before he died and was able to provide financial security for his family. I also found fascinating the political intrigue Grant had to deal with during his years as a Civil War general and as president. In most cases, Grant persevered while others fell. I would have liked to have read more about his relationship with his wife and children since they apparently meant so much to him. For an area so vital to Grant's life, little is mentioned. All in all, a recommended read!
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Read About a Fascinating Man
Review: In my humble opinion, Smith's biography of a great general and somewhat successful president is interesting and well-written. Granted, I have not read other Grant biographies or consider myself a scholar. However, I believe Smith has produced a good read. Some of the more interesting aspects of Grant's life covered include: 1. Early childhood growing up in Ohio and other areas.
2. Unspectacular career at West Point.
3. Notable service during the Mexican War.
4. Frustrations due to slow promotion in the army and frequent separation from his family (the author asserts the latter resulted in his drinking problem).
5. Resignation from the army and subsequent failures in civilian employment.
6. Notable Civil War career, including battle descriptions of: Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Appamattox.
7. His mixed record as president (success with civil rights for blacks and Indians, failure with several instances of corruption by those who took advantage of his trusting nature).
8. Herculean efforts to complete his memoirs just before he died and was able to provide financial security for his family. I also found fascinating the political intrigue Grant had to deal with during his years as a Civil War general and as president. In most cases, Grant persevered while others fell. I would have liked to have read more about his relationship with his wife and children since they apparently meant so much to him. For an area so vital to Grant's life, little is mentioned. All in all, a recommended read!
Rating:
Summary: Adequate, But Hardly Definitive
Review: It is a great mystery to me why there has yet to appear a truly satisfactory biography of Ulysses S. Grant. Here is someone who was probably the most famous and admired man of his time, he had an incredibly varied and interesting life, culminating in one of the most dramatic and well-publicized deaths ever recorded, and heaven knows, there is no lack of source material for historians to draw upon. So, why, over a century since his demise, is Grant more misunderstood and generally ill-treated by history than when he was alive? I can only surmise that he was too deep a character, and his life far too complicated, for our rather shallow modern biographers to truly do him justice. What Grant needs is a Hume or Froude to step in and rescue his memory. Unfortunately, he fails to find one in Jean Smith. Smith does a relatively decent job of covering Grant's public career. He describes his war efforts well enough--at least to this non-military historian--and his section on Grant's shockingly underrated Presidency is a welcome bit of revisionism. It's easily the best part of the book. Where he fails is in his treatment of Grant's civilian years--which was, to me, the most interesting part of his life. Smith delivers a casual, surface treatment of Grant's private life--even his last year, where he held off an impending death by sheer willpower in order to complete his memoirs and provide for his soon-to-be widow, is rushed through hurriedly, as though Smith had wearied of his project and wished to simply get it over with. Further evidence that large parts of the book feel like a rush-job comes from the occasional word-for-word remarks "borrowed" from authors like Lloyd Lewis and William McFeely. Such (...) comments are jarring, and deepen the impression that Smith just did not put much mental effort into much of his work. In short, the book is a useful, quite readable introductory volume for anyone who knows nothing about Grant and wishes to learn more, but little more. Pity.
Rating:
Summary: The new standard for Biographies
Review: Jean Edward Smith has written, in my opinion, the best biography set within the Civil War era. Grant's life reads as a lucid novel as we travel through the peaks and valleys of his life. His life was truly amazing!
- Before the Civil War Grant actually chopped firewood in order to make enough money to help feed his family (can you ever imagine a current president actually doing such labor in order to make a living?)
- He was a master warrior who didn't like to hunt, or the sight of blood.
- He may have been the unluckiest man alive when it came to business enterproses.
Like many Americans I had been subjected to the propoganda of the Southern apologists and never realized how great Grant really was. He knew what he had to do to win, realized it would be hard, but once he set his course he finished the job.
JES inspired me to visit the battlefield at Shiloh on a warm Saturday afternoon. History was really brought to life as I looked around and envisioned all of the soldiers fighting and dying on American soil. Grant never seemed so alive.
JES also shows how Grant was underappreciated president who tried to keep Lincoln's dreams alive. While Grant was an excellent reader of men on the battlefield this skill did not follow him into politics or business. As a result, Grant's admistration was rocked by scandal - costing him dearly in the eyes of historians.
JES biography on Grant was a treasure to read. I used to wonder how Grant was able to land on the $50 bill... now I wonder why he is only on ONE bill.
Rating: 
Summary: Nothing new or revelaing
Review: Jean Edward Smith is a competent writer who has produced a relatively error-free and certainly positive look at Ulysses S. Grant, but there is something missing. Grant is an elusive subject and after reading this treatment, he will remain as enigmatic and unfathomable as he has always been. Smith has no background on Grant or the civil war and his limitations show, particularly in such a lengthy tome as this. Much of the book is culled from other (superior) Grant biographies and certain issues, such as Grant's drinking, are treated in a paragraph, when pages are necessary to do justice to the topic. Most disturbing is Smith's propensity to borrow liberally from other authors in his interpretations. Certain sections of this book read similarly to words written by previous Grant biographers. See particularly his views on Grant's drinking, which are similar to McPherson's sections in his book, "Battle Cry of Freedom" (available on Amazon). Smith is strongest in his post-civil war sections and his chapters on Grant's much-maligned Presidency are well-written and contain much needed revisionism. Grant was not the bumbling fool as President as is so often depicted. Smith deftly shows that Grant's years in the White House were not devoid of achievement. Still, the flaws of this book surmount any of the positives. The pacing is poor and only a few scant pages are devoted to Grant's valiant race with death and the publication of his brilliant memoirs. The civil war chapters are fairly flat, with no fresh information or anecdotal material. He relies on dated sources and accepts whatever they offered without critical analysis. There are better Grant books out there and you would be advised to search those out.
| 
