NF Best biography of Ulysses S. Grant?

Non-Fiction
Most people are casual readers and will only want to read a general biography or 2. Each of us on the forum I suppose has his or her own particular areas of interest. I would think most of us "study" those areas, but it is impossible to go in depth on every topic that we find interesting.
Of course. The issue is the small group of people on this site that attacks any person or book that criticizes Grant with the intention of dissuading people from reading works critical of Grant. Lost is the fact that Grant was in fact criticized during his lifetime. Rose and others are reviving a lost discussion. They should be applauded for that.
 
I'm reading "American Ulysses," by Ronald White. I like it. I'm just a regular person, not an expert, researcher, or academic. It's highly readable.
That's the book that I possess too. Don't remember why I bought it. In general, if I am not already acquainted with a book, I search the Internet, including Amazon, for readers' opinions before I buy one. I try always to buy the best available so I don't waste time reading second-raters. Usually that is satisfactory, but occasionally I am disappointed with my "best" choice. Same in this forum: I read what others say about different books on a subject and select the one(s) that seem to be the best of the lot.
 
There is a quote about Churchill saying that history will treat him well because he would write it. Alas documenting the exact quote is a bit tricky.
(OK, OK, monitor; I know this is off-topic and I promise not to do it again - soon.) What Churchill writes as "history", I consider memoirs. He writes persuasively, but selects the documents that support his POV.
 
Of course. The issue is the small group of people on this site that attacks any person or book that criticizes Grant with the intention of dissuading people from reading works critical of Grant. Lost is the fact that Grant was in fact criticized during his lifetime. Rose and others are reviving a lost discussion. They should be applauded for that.
Criticism is not the problem. Many good biographers of Grant include criticism, such as Brooks Simpson.

The problem is when biased authors are so eager to attack Grant, that they get the facts wrong. Made-up criticism for the sake of criticism does not educate anyone.
 
Somehow I missed seeing this thread before - or else was put off by the antagonistic way it began so never followed it. At any rate, for the record - and admittedly without reading all the pages that make up the thread so have undoubtedly missed mentions of these before - I'll recommend Bruce Catton's two books on Grant's generalship Grant Moves South and Grant Takes Command. I also read the McFeely biography but remember relatively little about it other than the criticisms of Grant as President; it's information about the war added little or nothing to Catton.
 
Somehow I missed seeing this thread before - or else was put off by the antagonistic way it began so never followed it. At any rate, for the record - and admittedly without reading all the pages that make up the thread so have undoubtedly missed mentions of these before - I'll recommend Bruce Catton's two books on Grant's generalship Grant Moves South and Grant Takes Command. I also read the McFeely biography but remember relatively little about it other than the criticisms of Grant as President; it's information about the war added little or nothing to Catton.
Your two are on the list that I culled from this thread:

Captain Sam Grant by Lloyd Lewis and Grant Takes Command and Grant Moves South, both by Bruce Catton.
J.F.C. Fuller's The Generalship of Ulysses S. Grant
Frank Scaturro's book President Grant Reconsidered
 
Your two are on the list that I culled from this thread:

Captain Sam Grant by Lloyd Lewis and Grant Takes Command and Grant Moves South, both by Bruce Catton.
J.F.C. Fuller's The Generalship of Ulysses S. Grant
Frank Scaturro's book President Grant Reconsidered
As I've said somewhere else, I've never read the Lewis though it's supposed to be best about young Ulysses up through the Mexican War. Fuller's book is the one I was thinking about (and gave the wrong title to) in another thread. I've never heard of Scaturro; that's not a criticism, only a fact.
 
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Even though Ronald c whites is more recent is his as equally as good as jean Edward smiths in your opinion?
 
Yes, looking forward to it, C.C. :smile:. And many of our members have given high evaluations in the past, which can be found in the search link.
I was surprised to see this one is 20yrs old already, making the Chernow and Simpson biographies more recent. Which also makes me wonder sometimes what more there is to add! I'm guessing they're dealing in different ways with the different aspects of Grant's life, and sometimes not even all the aspects of his life. Right now I am finding Simpson's Triumph Over Adversity an easy and enjoyable read which has definitely given me more insights into Grant. And plenty of fodder for new threads as well :smile:
 
And plenty of fodder for new threads as well :smile:

Indeed. :smile:

Is it true, @Pat Young that Frank Scaturro was involved with the impetus to clean up the tomb?

Yes. He was a student volunteer at the Tomb while he was at Columbia University. He peppered the National Park Service and New York City government with memos on the deteriorated conditions of the tomb. When the authorities did not act, he put out a more than 200 page expose of the neglect and mismanagement of the site. The Grant family threatened to sue to remove the remains of U.S and Julia. A Congressional hearing was held and reforms begun. I will try to delve into this a little more later.
 
I remember reading that last part about Grant's tomb. Still can't believe how it was allowed to fall into such a state of neglect and I was so happy to see it restored when I was there :smile: It's in such a quiet peaceful spot and when you think about the fact that the same number of people live in NY city as do in the whole of Ireland :eek: I never expected to find such a reflective place which is perfect for Grant. On the other hand, Sherman jumped right out at me on the walk from Central Park to 5th Avenue with his garish golden monument :laugh: I didn't even know he was there, but Uncle Billy had me rearing up and taking notice!

How wonderful that I was able to visit with them both and at the same time.
 
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I remember reading that last part about Grant's tomb. Still can't believe how it was allowed to fall into such a state of neglect and I was so happy to see it restored when I was there :smile: It's in such a quiet peaceful spot and when you think about the fact that the same number of people live in NY city as do in the whole of Ireland :eek: I never expected to find such a reflective place which is perfect for Grant, I think. On the other hand, Sherman jumped right out at me on the walk from Central Park to 5th Avenue with his garish golden monument :laugh: I didn't even know he was there, but Uncle Billy had me rearing up and taking notice!

How wonderful that I was able to visit with them both and at the same time.


I was hinting :wink: :wink: C.C. that Scaturro's restoration efforts would make an excellent thread for you.

I do not believe it has every been covered here, on CWT before. And I am confident that Pat would help in your doing so. :smile:
 
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