My rating:

add to my books

Personal Memoirs Of U.S. Grant

by Ulysses S. Grant

4.10 · rating details · 389 ratings · 87 reviews

Among the autobiographies of generals and presidents, the Personal Memoirs of U.U. Grant ranks with the greatest. It is even more impressive in light of the circumstances in which it was created: Faced with terminal cancer, virtual bankruptcy, and a family he would leave without means of support, he took the advice of his publisher, mark Twain, and went to work. He complet...more

Paperback, 648 pages

Published October 4th 2001 by Da Capo Press (first published 1885)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 888)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 16, 2010

Eric rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: americans, war, travels, us-civil-war, sam-grant, favorites

There is one West Pointer, I think in Missouri, little known, and whom I hope the Northern people will not find out. I mean Sam Grant. I knew him well at the Academy and in Mexico. I should fear him more than any of their officers I have yet heard of. (Rebel Gen. Ewell, May 1861)

Grant’s Personal Memoirs (1885) define understatement but not modesty. Grant shows rather than tells what a badass he is. In recounting the war, Grant rarely quotes himself or relates his conversation but to ...more

like 19 likes

· see review

Feb 06, 2012

Will rated it

· review of another edition

This is primarily a book about the Civil War. One can tell that Grant is adding his account to an existing literature on the subject, often seeking to offer what he views as corrections to the conventional wisdom. However, the best parts are precisely when Grant departs from this subject. The passing observations he includes are fascinating, such as the wonder of his first 15-mph train ride, and the perilous state of the fill over San Francisco Bay in 1851. I am not sure that Grant is always a r...more

· see review

Feb 05, 2012

Jan-Maat added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 19th-century, autobiography-memoir, usa

I read this because of a review. The reviewer wrote that they had read this book to their Father while in was in hospital. The image of that situation struck me. What with one thing and another it was the kind of thing I could imagine doing myself.

The use of language is very direct and precise, there's a clear sense of narrative direction. The earliest recollection of his West Point years and service during the Mexico War link into the Civil War story. It was of course written p...more

· see review

Nov 10, 2011

Jeremy Perron rated it

· review of another edition

Ulysses S. Grant is one of the most famous figures in American history. He was the Union general who had successfully led the nation's troops to victory in the Civil War. Grant wrote these memories while dying and trying to provide an income for his wife. Mark Twain, who was his publisher and is not exactly unbiased, compared the work to that of Julius Caesar. Well having read and reviewed CaesarThe Conquest of Gaul (Penguin Classics)The Civil War (Oxford World's Classics), I have to say that I ...more

· see review

Mar 22, 2011

Bob Mayer rated it

· review of another edition

When he became President, Ulysses S. Grant lost his army pension. After the Presidency, he went into business with his son. They became caught up in a Ponzi scheme. Grant not only lost everything, he was deeply in debt. Then he was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer-- all those cigars. He didn't want to leave his wife destitute so he agreed to Mark Twain's long standing request to write his memoirs. BTW-- in my book coming out April 12, Duty, Honor, Country, I have a scene where a young...more

like 1 like

· see review

Dec 31, 2010

Sea rated it

· review of another edition

Surprisingly good read for something written a 100+ years ago. The book's main focus is his military exploits in the Mexican American and Civil Wars. I read the free e-book version from Gutenberg which rendered the maps unusable (too small), and as a result the battle descriptions were difficult to follow. If this is important to you, I'm sure you could pull the maps up on a separate computer when reading these sections.

The most interesting parts to me was Grant's perhaps unintenti...more

like 1 like

· see review

May 21, 2011

William S. rated it

· review of another edition

This book is often called the finest presidential memoir. It doesn't, however, deal with the Grant presidency at all. Instead, it is his recollection of Civil War events, written in a race of time against his approaching death from throat cancer. With that focus, the book is magnificent - and a surprise. The strategic thinking about his famous battles is clear and comprehensible. Having read many books about the Civil War, I found myself shaking my head many times and noting "so that's how ...more

like 1 like

· see review

Mar 10, 2011

Ron rated it

· review of another edition

I've read abridged versions of Grant's Memoirs before, but this is the first time I've read the unabridged version. It is even a little more interesting because I also got Twain's Autobiography for Xmas and it begins with a description of the publication of the Memoirs.

The abridged versions I've read cut out the parts that are the most fun, and concentrate on his versions of the battles. I'm not saying that those are not fascinating, but the discussion of the abilities of the variou...more I've read abridged versions of Grant's Memoirs before, but this is the first time I've read the unabridged version. It is even a little more interesting because I also got Twain's Autobiography for Xmas and it begins with a description of the publication of the Memoirs.

The abridged versions I've read cut out the parts that are the most fun, and concentrate on his versions of the battles. I'm not saying that those are not fascinating, but the discussion of the abilities of the various generals and the politics involved in the war and the early chapters about the Mexican War in particular are both fun and fascinating.

The first thing that comes out is the very dry humor of the guy. He mostly makes fun of himself. At one point stating that he joined a charge against the Mexican Army which just happened to be ordered while he was visiting the front (not a place where his orders took him) because he did not have the moral courage not to. At another point, at the beginning of the Civil War, he continued an advance because he again did not have the moral courage to stop and try to figure out what other thing he might do. This second incident was the one where he got to the location he thought the enemy was to find the enemy had fled and realized that the enemy commander was as afraid as he was. Something he said that he never forgot. There are several other points, particularly in the early parts of the book that are quite funny.

At other points he makes very clear that he completely understands that fighting a war as a democracy is much different than fighting a war as a kingdom or dictatorship. His explanation of the Vicksburg campaign and the reasons he fought it the way he did is as insightful as any I've ever seen as to what needed to be done and how this kind of war had be fought. He understood that for the Union to win the Union had to completely defeat the Confederates. The Confederates only had to keep from losing for long enough to tire out the Union and they would win. Something that Lincoln also understood, but not I think Stanton or Halleck, nor for that matter most of the other earlier commanders of the Union Armies. Grant was quite clear on this. He thought both Stanton and Halleck "timid" while he, Sherman, and Lincoln he clearly thought were not "timid."

His explanation for why he crossed the Mississippi and cut loose from his base of supplies is straight and simple. There had been a number of Union reverses, the republicans had lost the mid-terms to mostly anti war people and conscription had, of necessity, just recently been instituted in the North. His choice was to retreat to set up a secure base and then advance on Vicksburg or do as he did (against it might be stated every one's advice, even Sherman the only general, I think he didn't criticize at some point). In other words, he had to advance and win and he had to do it then.

His admiration of the American soldier was clear and I think sincere. He said that the differences between the American soldiers in the Armies he commanded and the European soldiers of his day was that the American soldiers and the Europeans could both fight like machines, but that the Americans thought and cared about and understood the cause they were fighting for.

The one sentence description of his respect for the valor of the Southern troops which also puts their cause in perspective is possibly the best I've ever seen for doing that kind of thing. The single sentence saying that never had men fought more bravely for a more unjust cause is as powerful as any I've seen in giving the common soldier all the respect he deserves for his bravery, but still pointing out how unjust was the cause for which he fought. He gives no respect to the southern cause, but a great deal to the average southern soldier.

Finally, the prose is as clear, clean, crisp and direct as any I have read anywhere. There are a fair amount of copies of his orders included in the Memoirs and they are clear and to the point. I find myself writing better after reading him (and Gore Vidal).

Now on to Keith Richards' Memoirs.
(less)

like 1 like

· see review

Dec 29, 2011

Jim Talbott rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

This is an excellent book, but the Kindle edition has no maps, which makes it very difficult to understand the battles.

On the up side, Grant offers an excellent antidote to the cult of victimization that has characterized the South's and to some extent the nation's narrative around the Civil War... Grant rightly points out that the South's full mobilization, fighting on its home soil, and lack of free press and elections all substantially blunted the North's numeric and economic ad...more

· see review

May 08, 2011

Barksdale Penick rated it

· review of another edition

I really enjoyed these memoirs, although they are more completely absorbed with the Civil War than I had expected. Given the high regard in which I believe this book is regarded, I supposed I expected a few more insights into life and such. Instead, it is a remarkably detailed of Grant's military career. I suppose he kept notes or how could he possibly have recalled this or that feint by General Lee in the battle for Petersburg. It also taught me more about the Mexican American war than I ha...more

· see review

Jan 28, 2012

Herbert Lobsenz rated it

· review of another edition

Grant started this two volume memoir in the fall of 1884 after he'd been diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. Earlier that year his business partner had defrauded Grant and others by turning their partnership into a Ponzi scheme. Now penniless, in order to provide for his family after he died, Grant entered into an agreement with his friend, Mark Twain, under which Grant would write and Twain would publish the memoir.

The memoir begins with Grant's service in the Mexican War, which h...moreGrant started this two volume memoir in the fall of 1884 after he'd been diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. Earlier that year his business partner had defrauded Grant and others by turning their partnership into a Ponzi scheme. Now penniless, in order to provide for his family after he died, Grant entered into an agreement with his friend, Mark Twain, under which Grant would write and Twain would publish the memoir.

The memoir begins with Grant's service in the Mexican War, which he considered unjust. Nonetheless he carried out his duties with a distinction that caused his recruitment back into the army after the secession and attack on Fort Sumter, which he fiercely opposed. He hated the treason involved in the attack and hated the institution of slavery.

The first volume covers the campaign in the West and the attack on the almost impregnable fortress of the Confederacy on the heights at Vicksburg. He explains in detail how he surveyed the ground on which the battle would be fought, all the approaches to that battleground, the defensive positions, the potential obstacles, and a detailed description of how he would move, feed, arm and doctor the casualties of the different divisions and how he brought the generals of the army and the naval forces together to fight in that battle, which, of course, he won. On that same day General Meade won the battle of Gettysburg—the high watermark of the Confederacy. Vicksburg ended confederate control of the Mississippi River, split the South in two and prompted Lincoln to say "the father of the waters once again flows unhindered to the sea."

All Grant's subsequent battles show the same intense preparation, the same personal knowledge of the field, of his troops and their generals, of the enemy troops and the enemy generals and the same tendency to attack and flank, attack and flank, attack and flank until General Lee was penned in, cut off from his resources and defeated.

The biggest difficulty with this fine book is the maps of the battles which are described hill by hill and brook by brook but illustrated by maps that lack the detail of the narrative and are shrunk to the size of a book. Even with a magnifying glass they are impossible to read. I remember my father sitting at our dining room table after dinner with giant maps of the battles spread out so he could follow all the battles of that war in true detail. (He was born the year Grant started writing and his uncle spent four years in the Army of the Potomac from First Bull Run to Petersburg.)

Grant speaks fondly of those generals who always arrived at the battle on time and who attacked—Sheridan, Hancock and above all Sherman. And he speaks frankly of those generals who did not arrive at the battle on time and did not attack. And he speaks of those in Washington who tried to direct the battle from far away without knowledge of the troops, the enemy or the ground.

He speaks of the Confederate generals too, sometimes hilariously. He describes a time before Bragg, the impatient and obstreperous man who later became General Bragg, who, because of numerous casualties, found himself, simultaneously, company commander, battalion quartermaster and battalion commander. As company commander Bragg sent in a supplies requisition to himself as quartermaster, which he turned down, and which again as company commander he appealed the quartermaster's decision to himself as battalion commander.

Grant was relentless on the attack, humble in victory, merciful to the wounded, respectful to the defeated, truly a great man.

In reading his direct and unadorned prose and knowing, he was fighting to finish the memoir before he died, you might get the idea that he left out the literary flourishes because he knew he didn't have time, but all through the memoir he includes copies of his pre-battle orders to his generals and they are written as simply, clearly and gracefully as the memoir itself. He was simply an excellent writer. Mark Twain compared him to Julius Caesar, another general who was an excellent writer.

Five days after General Grant finished the memoir, he died.(less)

· see review

Jun 12, 2011

Jeff King rated it

· review of another edition

Grant doesn't concern himself here with his presidency, or much of his early life, but purely with his military career. He discusses his experiences in the Mexican War before jumping wholesale into the Civil War. And what a job of it he does. I've read a fair few biographies, and even the best of them can be self-serving at times. Grant's rarely is, and it's written with a familiarity and tone that makes it both entertaining and illuminating to follow. I'm reminded of a section in which he discu...more

· see review

Dec 18, 2007

Daniel rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: History Buffs and lovers of Biographies

One of the greatest books I have read, it holds a surprising literary quality that few biographies hold. He puts you in the battlefield, and his vivid memory added by his brilliant expression, brings you back to the 1860's. READ IT!

like 1 like

· see review

Jun 12, 2011

Marks54 rated it

· review of another edition

The best set of memoirs/autobiography of a political/military leader I have ever read. I did not expect it to be this good and could not stop reading it once started. There are three volumes that trace Grant's earlier life up through the end of the Civil War and the surrender of Robert E. Lee. The writing is honest, clear, and informative. His military observations are fascinating and he comes across as a person of great principle, even though his presidency was less distinguished. The back...more

· see review

Aug 20, 2011

Pam Davidson rated it

· review of another edition

Excellent! US Grant was a professional soldier and conducted himself as such. One of the interesting parts of the book was when he was made head of the army of the United States by President Lincoln. Lincoln gave him his thoughts on conducting the war but told Grant that he was not to consider this an order. Grant was to pursue the war in the way that he thought best. Lincoln also asked Grant not to tell him how he planned to proceed. Lincoln admitted that he had a very difficult time keep...more

· see review

Dec 06, 2011

Stephen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, presidential-studies

I have read this intermidantly over the past three years, as more of an escape than a study. Grant's voice is so particularly pedestrian for the time period, yet so focused and clear and astute in the present day.

Grant doesn't seem to toot his own horn, as politicians of the day, but seems to understand the need (perhaps merely want) for a memoir of his life.... The surrender of Lee is where I feel Grant shines. The attention to detail, the care in dispelling myth and his confession...more

· see review

May 31, 2011

Jonathan marked it as to-read · review of another edition

http://mobile.cleveland.com/advcleve/pm_...

'"Personal Memoirs" by Ulysses S. Grant. Finished shortly before his death from throat cancer in 1885, these clear, vivid and bracing remembrances saved the former general's family from financial ruin and earned the soaring praise of readers as distinct as Mark Twain and, later, Gertrude Stein. Perhaps the best companion to the memoirs arrived in Edmund Wilson's 1962 classic book "Patriotic Gore," in which the irascible cri...more

· see review

May 17, 2011

Jean rated it

· review of another edition

Grant’s memoir focuses primarily on the endless reconnoitering of Civil War battles and the officers charged with prosecuting those battles. He includes only very brief tidbits about his personal life. For me, who has little background knowledge of the campaigns, these battle descriptions got monotonous. I did lots of skimming and scanning, looking for information that was meaningful to me. I was impressed with Grant’s expressed appreciation for the skill and commitment of officers on both si...more

· see review

Feb 09, 2012

Dan rated it

· review of another edition

A lot of troop movements (eyes glaze over) but also tremendous insight into the mind and character of the general who saved the Union. Grant was often criticized for throwing masses of men into battle with little regard for casualties, but that was his winning strategy: there were more of us than there were of them. In fact, he was terrifically sensitive to the death and suffering of war - he was just unusually adept at compartmentalizing until the battle was over. After that, he would walk t...more

· see review

Aug 15, 2011

Michael Caruso rated it

· review of another edition

I enjoyed this book immensely. I thought I would give it a try, but frankly I didn't expect much. I was very mistaken. Besides fascinating descriptions of battles and troop movements he was involved in during the Mexican War and the Civil War, Grant gives his opinion on a wide variety of political topics. His evaluation of military and political leaders is great fun to read. He writes with an understated and often humorous style that is a joy to read. I highly recommend Grant's memoirs to anyone...more

· see review

Apr 23, 2011

Mark rated it

· review of another edition

Ulysses S. Grant may be one of the most underrated American heroes. Although he was a hero in his own time, history has not been kind to Grant.

The myths that he was a butcher who needlessly sent his troops to their death and that he was always drunk are simply fabrications. Did Grant have alcohol problems in his life? Yes, he became alcoholic while stationed away from his family in the army. Did that affect his generalship? Not at all. Having read a couple biographies about Grant, I ...moreUlysses S. Grant may be one of the most underrated American heroes. Although he was a hero in his own time, history has not been kind to Grant.

The myths that he was a butcher who needlessly sent his troops to their death and that he was always drunk are simply fabrications. Did Grant have alcohol problems in his life? Yes, he became alcoholic while stationed away from his family in the army. Did that affect his generalship? Not at all. Having read a couple biographies about Grant, I only recall one incident in which he was a little off the wagon during the Civil War.

As for the butcher reputation, well, the whole Civil War was brutal. Grant did what he had to do to win the war, which he accomplished in only a year as commanding general of all armies. This feat is even more impressive considering how many incompetent commanders he was forced to work with, and a Secretary of War and Chief of Staff of the army who often sabotaged his efforts. Furthermore, after reading his memoirs, one realizes that Grant's campaign against Lee was not just constant attacking without any purpose, but rather complex maneuvering to get between Lee and Richmond, to protect Washington D.C. from attack, and to keep Lee from joining forces with another army in Georgia and then crush Sherman.

What set Grant apart was that he was an aggressive commander at a time when to be on the defense was to have the great advantage. Unlike all the other supreme Union generals, Grant understood that the Southern armies had to be annihilated to achieve victory. Otherwise, the Northern people would simply lose the will to stay in a protracted war. His aggressive strategy was apparent right from the get-go, as his campaign against Forts Henry and Donelson demonstrates. His aggressiveness, use of total war, and his coordination between service branches made him perhaps the first great modern general.

Grant's writing style typifies his Midwestern personality: simple, straightforward, and modest. He lets the facts speak for themselves, and criticizes himself when he deserves it. The layperson may find the book a little boring, but Civil War buffs and history aficionados will find it very insightful.(less)

· see review

Apr 22, 2009

Mike rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: The curious

I read this book not because I am or was a Civil War buff. In fact, other than high school history I had not read anything about the War Between The States.

I was reading a biography of Samuel Clemens and it mentioned that along with his own self-published works, he both encouraged Grant (who was basically broke and dying) to write and then published his memoirs (he died only a few days after completing the manuscript). Thus, allowing his widow and family to regain some financial se...more

· see review

Aug 11, 2007

Kevin rated it

· review of another edition

Bragg was a remarkably intelligent and well-informed man, professionally and otherwise. He was also thoroughly upright. But he was possessed of an irascible character and the most correct habits, yet in the old army he was in frequent trouble. As a subordinate he was always on the lookout to catch his commanding officer infringing his prerogatives; as a post commander he was equally vigilant to detect the slightest neglect, even of the most trivial order.

I have heard in the old army ...more

· see review

Feb 19, 2011

Anne rated it

· review of another edition

An excellent memoir of his life up until nearly the end of the American civil war. I believe the rest of the memior is in Volume Two.
I enjoyed reading about his early life. I would like to have read more about his marriage. The events of the mexican war drew out a little bit, but the pace grew again as the civil war broke. There are a lot of battle strategies, which can feel a little confusing at time if, as I did, wasn't sure where he was in the country. I had to use a map. Unless interes...more

· see review

Feb 16, 2008

Jim Hahn rated it

· review of another edition

Somewhere I've been hearing, and I don't know who said this, but apparently Grant's memoirs are an under appreciated classic of American lit. I've admired Grant since I was a teenager and if there is anyone who is my personal hero, it would be Grant.

UPDATE: (2/16/2008) Grant inspires.
-A five hour flight in which for most every moment I read Grant's tell-all. The section where Grant and his volunteer regiment capture fort Donelson is so perfect. These three sentences, in which h...more

· see review

Jul 16, 2011

Tom Darrow rated it

· review of another edition

Very detailed and well-researched memoir. A very valuable piece of history. He makes use of numerous resources from the Official Records. I particularly enjoyed the early section of the book, where he gives his naration of the Mexican War. Civil War memoirs are fairly common, but Mexican War volumes are much more rare.

Unless the reader is a hardcore biography fan, this work should be treated more as a reference.

· see review

Nov 22, 2011

Amatullah Richard rated it

· review of another edition

One of the most important books of the period. Grant finished his memoirs just days before dying from throat cancer. The sale of the book saved his family from bankruptcy. Through narrative, Grant demonstrates why he was so successful as a military leader. He is also a good judge of character and ability. Unfortunately, these skills did not follow him to the White House, a period not elaborated on in the memoirs. He describes the movements of the army in great detail as well as his reasoning for...more

· see review

Mar 21, 2008

Karen rated it

Shelves: unfinished, non-fiction

I once heard it said that Grant wrote the best U.S. presidential memoir. When I heard this, I was also going through a Civil War phase, wanting to learn more about the people of that era. And I heard that Grant was actively against animal cruelty. All these things won me over.

It is fascinating to read Grant's thoughts on the Mexican-American War and Civil War. He does bring his own voice to these events, drawing the reader in and revealing history from an individual perspective. I ap...more

· see review

Apr 04, 2008

Ellis rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: history, nonfiction, war

This book contained, what seems to me, a very good account of the Mexican and Civil War battles that General Grant was involved in. Be warned, that if you aren't up for 700+ pages of logistical and operational details, then you may want to hold off on reading this book until you find yourself craving for just such a treatment.

The title of the book doesn't suggest that it will cover only the military aspect of Grant's life, but that is basically the case, except for a short bit at ...more

like 1 like

· see review

Feb 10, 2011

Ryan rated it

· review of another edition

I expected only to enjoy a firsthand look at American history, not grow to respect the man, whom I knew little about. My fellow Americans should all read this to gain an understanding of what the much-abused term "character" actually means. Grant had enough that you will forgive him some of the more mind-numbing details within (there's plenty, so be forewarned).

· see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 29 30 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (66)

More editions...

Genres

History

42 users

Biography

29 users

Non Fiction

22 users

Military History > Civil War

15 users

War > Military

10 users

History > American History

9 users

War

7 users

Classics

6 users

Biography > Autobiography

6 users

Autobiography > Memoir

5 users

See top shelves...

Readers Also Enjoyed

About Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses Simpson Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant) was general-in-chief of the Union Army from 1864 to 1869 during the American Civil War and the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877.

The son of an Appalachian Ohio tanner, Grant entered the United States Military Academy at age 17. In 1846, three years after graduating, Grant served as a lieutenant in the Mexican–American...moreUlysses Simpson Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant) was general-in-chief of the Union Army from 1864 to 1869 during the American Civil War and the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877.

The son of an Appalachian Ohio tanner, Grant entered the United States Military Academy at age 17. In 1846, three years after graduating, Grant served as a lieutenant in the Mexican–American War under Winfield Scott and future president Zachary Taylor. After the Mexican-American War concluded in 1848, Grant remained in the Army, but abruptly resigned in 1854. After struggling through the succeeding years as a real estate agent, a laborer, and a county engineer, Grant decided to join the Northern effort in the Civil War.

Appointed brigadier general of volunteers in 1861 by President Abraham Lincoln, Grant claimed the first major Union victories of the war in 1862, capturing Forts Henry and Donelson in Tennessee. He was surprised by a Confederate attack at the Battle of Shiloh; although he emerged victorious, the severe casualties prompted a public outcry. Subsequently, however, Grant's 1863 victory at Vicksburg, following a long campaign with many initial setbacks, and his rescue of the besieged Union army at Chattanooga, established his reputation as Lincoln's most aggressive and successful general. Named lieutenant general and general-in-chief of the Army in 1864, Grant implemented a coordinated strategy of simultaneous attacks aimed at destroying the South's armies and its economy's ability to sustain its forces. In 1865, after mounting a successful war of attrition against his Confederate opponents, he accepted the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House.

Popular due to the Union victory in the war, Grant was elected President of the United States as a Republican in 1868 and re-elected in 1872, the first President to serve two full terms since Andrew Jackson 40 years before. As President, Grant led Reconstruction by signing and enforcing Congressional civil rights legislation. Grant built a powerful, patronage-based Republican Party in the South, straining relations between the North and former Confederates. His administration was marred by scandal, sometimes the product of nepotism; the neologism Grantism was coined to describe political corruption.

Grant left office in 1877 and embarked upon a two-year world tour. Unsuccessful in winning the nomination for a third term in 1880, left destitute by a fraudulent investor, and near the brink of death, Grant wrote his Memoirs, which were enormously successful among veterans, the public, and critics. However, in 1884, Grant learned that he was suffering from terminal throat cancer and, two days after completing his writing, he died at the age of 63. Presidential historians typically rank Grant in the lowest quartile of U.S. presidents for his tolerance of corruption, but in recent years his reputation has improved among some scholars impressed by his support for civil rights for African Americans.(less)

More about Ulysses S. Grant...

Books by Ulysses S. Grant

The Autobiography of General Ulysses S Grant: Memoirs of the Civil War

The Civil War: In the Words of Its Greatest Commanders : Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant : Memoirs of Robert E. Lee

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Pin It

Trivia About Personal Memoirs ...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Personal Memoirs Of U.S. Grant
avg rating	preview: Personal Memoirs Of U.S. Grant Goodreads rating: 4.10 (389 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/382203.Personal_Memoirs_Of_U_S_Grant?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174334225m/382203.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/382203.Personal_Memoirs_Of_U_S_Grant?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Personal Memoirs Of U.S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant[/url]

Personal Memoirs Of U.S. Grant

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combine Other Editions (66)

Genres

Readers Also Enjoyed

About Ulysses S. Grant

Books by Ulysses S. Grant

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Personal Memoirs ...

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (66)