Grant

Ron Chernow's "Grant" offers a monumental and nuanced re-examination of Ulysses S. Grant, challenging pervasive stereotypes of him as a mere loser or brutal general. Chernow delves into Grant's often tumultuous life, from his pre-war struggles and disgraced resignation from the army to his meteoric rise as a strategic genius during the Civil War, earning President Lincoln's trust and ultimately defeating Robert E. Lee. The biography then explores his two-term presidency, marked by corruption scandals but also by his fervent dedication to racial justice, including his efforts to dismantle the Ku Klux Klan, earning him admiration from Frederick Douglass. Grant's post-presidency saw further financial woes, only to be redeemed by his collaboration with Mark Twain on his celebrated memoirs. Chernow meticulously weaves together these disparate threads, providing a holistic understanding of Grant's complex character, including his lifelong battle with alcoholism, and portrays him as a man of both ordinary and extraordinary qualities. This definitive work sheds new light on one of America's most misunderstood yet pivotal figures.