A review by ttodd86
Grant by Ron Chernow

4.0

Chernow's Grant biography is of course a very well done look at the Civil War general and two-term president. While I found it to be a more enjoyable read than some of Chernow's other work, it is also hampered by instances where Chernow turns more Grant apologist than biographer. As others have noted, there is an obsession in this book regarding Grant's drinking. Many stories are retold and then discounted as unsubstantiated rumor started by one of Grant's opponents or something that was unlikely to occur. Often, when discussing a key event there is a reference to the unlikelihood Grant was drinking during this time. In terms of narrative flow, perhaps a better way to handle this would have been to focus a specific section or chapter on the drinking and then leave it alone in the following chapters. The second major issues revolves around the corruption within Grant's own administration. The U.S. during this period was rife with corruption throughout government and the private sector so it is not unexpected that Grant's administration would have issues. Chernow, however, presents Grant as completely oblivious to many events and a victim to his faith that people are good. There is no way to know today what Grant knew about various events and relationships, but it is difficult to square the naive president with the general who led the Union to victory in the Civil War.