A review by sam_vimes_75
Grant by Ron Chernow

3.0

Chernow does a wonderful job of showing us Grant's faults as well as his remarkable intelligence. He gives equal weight to all key moments in Grant's life from the early failed business attempts to his post-Presidential years. It would be enough to note that alcoholism was a significant factor in Grant's life and address the issue only when it the accusation was genuine and affected Grant's decisions; however, Chernow addresses *every* accusation of drunkenness--sometimes valid and most often not--to the point that the flow of the biography is interrupted every few pages, even on the last page, with this single issue. It is remarkable that, despite this, I came away from the biography with a heartfelt appreciation for all that Grant did in the context of his time, especially with regard to Reconstruction. After reading it, I've immediately picked up Grant's own memoirs and am currently enjoying the beauty of his simple yet very intelligent prose.