The#1NewYorkTimesbestsellerandNewYorkTimesBookReview10BestBooksof2017“Eminentlyreadablebutthickwithimport...GranthitslikeaMacktruckofknowledge.“--Ta-NehisiCoates,TheAtlanticPulitzerPrizewinnerRonChernowreturnswithasweepinganddramaticportraitofoneofourmostcompellinggeneralsandpresidents,UlyssesS.Grant.UlyssesS.Grant’slifehastypicallybeenmisunderstood.Alltoooftenheiscaricaturedasachronicloserandanineptbusinessman,orasthetriumphantbutbrutalUniongeneraloftheCivilWar.Butthesestereotypesdon’tcomeclosetocapturinghim,asChernowshowsinhismasterfulbiography,thefirsttoprovideacompleteunderstandingofthegeneralandpresidentwhosefortunesroseandfellwithdizzyingspeedandfrequency.BeforetheCivilWar,Grantwasflailing.Hisbusinessventureshadendeddismally,anddespitedistinguishedserviceintheMexicanWarheendedupresigningfromthearmyindisgraceamidrecurringaccusationsofdrunkenness.Butinwar,Grantbegantorealizehisremarkablepotential,soaringthroughtheranksoftheUnionarmy,prevailingatthebattleofShilohandintheVicksburgcampaign,andultimatelydefeatingthelegendaryConfederategeneralRobertE.Lee.Alongtheway,GrantendearedhimselftoPresidentLincolnandbecamehismosttrustedgeneralandthestrategicgeniusofthewareffort.Grant’smilitaryfametranslatedintoatwo-termpresidency,butoneplaguedbycorruptionscandalsinvolvinghiscloseststaffmembers.Moreimportant,hesoughtfreedomandjusticeforblackAmericans,workingtocrushtheKuKluxKlanandearningtheadmirationofFrederickDouglass,whocalledhim“thevigilant,firm,impartial,andwiseprotectorofmyrace.“Afterhispresidency,hewasagainbroughtlowbyadashingyoungswindleronWallStreet,onlytoresuscitatehisimagebyworkingwithMarkTwaintopublishhismemoirs,whicharerecognizedasamasterpieceofthegenre.Withlucidity,breadth,andmeticulousness,Chernowfindsthethreadsthatbindthesedisparatestoriestogether,sheddingnewlightonthemanwhomWaltWhitmandescribedas“nothingheroic...andyetthegreatesthero.“Chernow’sprobingportraitofGrant’slifelongstrugglewithalcoholismtransformsourunderstandingofthemanatthedeepestlevel.ThisisAmerica’sgreatestbiographer,bringingmovinglytolifeoneofourfinestbutmostunderappreciatedpresidents.Thedefinitivebiography,GrantisagrandsynthesisofpainstakingresearchandliterarybrilliancethatmakessenseofallsidesofGrant’slife,explaininghowthissimpleMidwesternercouldatoncebesoordinaryandsoextraordinary.NamedoneofthebestbooksoftheyearbyGoodreads-Amazon-TheNewYorkTimes-Newsday-BookPage-BarnesandNoble-WallStreetJournal
