American Ulysses

The Civil War was perhaps the most contentious time in our nation's history. Brothers, fathers, and sons killed each other over what would ultimately become a battle for the right for men to own slaves and would end up killing more people than two world wars combined. Reconstruction was probably the 2nd most contentious, as The United States tried to heal from years of conflict, all while trying to decide what to do with people who have now gained their freedom. In the midst of this stands Ulysses S. Grant, as General-in-Chief of the US Army, and, lesser known, the 18th President of the United States. Similar to Thomas Jefferson or John Quincy Adams, Grant stands as a man whose contribution to US history as President remains dwarfed by their pre- and post-presidential career. Ronald C. White's book, American Ulysses: The Life of Ulysses S. Grant, is the first book that has access to all of Grant's personal memoirs. White uses this opportunity to write an engaging and exciting book about the man who went from a little-known storekeeper, to General in the US Army, and President, to, finally, an unofficial American Ambassador.

White's book is very readable. For someone who wrote a book on Lincoln before this, I had imagined that he would get bogged down in the details on who disliked who and why as Grant tries to understand the politics of being a General in the US Army, and then President of the United States. Yet, I found most of these political sections to be supremely well written and easy to follow. I also liked how his character was displayed here. Being perhaps what we would today consider an introvert, Grant loved to read and ride horses. He was an intensely private man who did not like public speaking and abhorred the mistreatment of animals. White shows all of these characteristics well through not only writings of the time but also through maps and photographs of various places, where appropriate.

There are a few things about this book I disliked, however. While I enjoyed reading about Grant's early years, and including his time in the military in the Civil War, I did not read very much about his Presidency, when compared to the rest of the book. About a good fourth is devoted to his early life, the next half to his time as General in the Civil War, and then the rest to his Presidency and post-presidency career. This I felt was a missed opportunity, and I wish that more of this book was spent on his time as President. This is because I can read plenty of books about Grant's role in the Civil War, but comparatively fewer on his role and political legacy as Commander in Chief. At this point, with so many books out on Grant, I cannot help but wonder how many books by other authors would have more to say on his Impact on the Executive Branch.

Also, the element that takes up the most time in this book, Grant's role in the Civil War, seems to be the worst written of them all. Don't misunderstand me, it is well written enough, but I just do not think White is comfortable explaining action scenes dealing with large armies, and he often loses a ball or two as he tries to juggle explaining how large battles took place in relation to Grant. This section, while detailed, often devolved into a writing style of “this happened, then this happened, then this happened in response” which became tedious to read.

Still, this text is one that I enjoyed. When it came to the end of the book, I did feel like I knew him, and was disheartened that we would possibly never see a man like him again. His quiet demeanor would not sell in modern day politics, and is something that we may never see again, which is something I think our nation misses out on, overall. I encourage you to pick up this solid read. I give this book a four out of five.