The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant In War And Peace by H. W. Brands

I just finished The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant In War And Peace by H. W. Brands. It is the first book of the year, and it is also fulfills one of my reading goals - a secular biography.

It was a great read.

As a Civil War buff, I had known some of the information about Grant as a general. I knew less about him as a person and as a President. This book filled in the gaps. I now appreciate Grant the man more than I did before.

Brands did a good and fair job of showing Grant's strengths and flaws. I was particularly intrigued by the accounts of his presidency. Grant was right about rights of former slaves, fair treatment of Native Americans, and the need for Civil Service reform. Where he failed was not due to his intentions, but due to his lack of political experience and lack of judgement at times about the people he appointed to various offices. There was plenty of corruption during his administration, but none of it involved him.

I also appreciated how Brands described the political climate and violence, and the individuals with whom Grant had to work political. Many of those individuals were far less fair, ethical, and honest than Grant. All the lying, the corruption, character assassination, and violence perpetrated by his opposition reminds me of the political climate today.

I highly recommend this book.

Pax et bonum