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American Ulysses

a Life of Ulysses S. Grant
Dec 03, 2017MaryElizabeth17 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Okay, so now I am reading the Chernow book on Grant and I went back to see what I said about American Ulysses when I read it last summer and found no review! I was remiss. I loved American Ulysses and in the process of reading it, I feel in love with Grant. What a man he was. He was much more than a military strategist. He was a gentle, quiet man who knew what it was like to be bullied both by a domineering father and by town people who disliked his father's arrogance. But he was always himself, both as a son and as a West Point cadet. When he could not speak his mind, he was silent rather than sycophantic. He was a genius with horses; what some people would call a horse whisperer. And, he was able to get enlisted men to follow him when others could not. He somehow remained naïve despite his experiences and this led to many betrayals. But his sheer authenticity drew the right people to him even in the last days. It leaves you with the question: How did he remain such a good, ethical man through so many difficulties?