Sunday eBook Review: Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant

     

Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant

Product Details (Volume 1)

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 441 KB
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1402106939

Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Public Domain Books (June 1, 2004)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B000JMKZJU
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)

 

Product Details (Volume 2)

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 519 KB

Print Length: 278 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Public Domain Books (June 1, 2004)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B000JMKZLS
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

 

1. Short review: 

2. Long review:

2.1. What I liked: Grant wrote in a straightforward style. His humanity in his appreciation for the lives of his men (the faster this war ends, the fewer that die) and for his surrendered foes shines through in his memoirs. His stark assessment of his subordinates was accurate except in one case (General Thomas), and Grant readily admitted that he was mistaken.
Roller-coaster or walk-in-the-park? Kinda both, kinda neither.
This book gives great value for your money; it is free.

2.2. What I did not like:  I got lost in Grant's descriptions of Virginia geography. See Paul Brooks's comments to Volume 1.

2.3. Who I think is the audience:  People who read biographies or Civil War history.

2.4. Is the book appropriate for children to read?  Yes.

2.5. On the basis of reading this book, will I buy the author's next book?  Does not apply.

2.6. Other: To fully understand what happened, it is necessary to read the appendices. That is where I found that Sheridan counselled Grant not to march on Vicksburg but to return to Memphis, build his base, and move slowly down the Mississippi to Vicksburg. Grant's reply showed he understood the political situation in the North.

(Concurrently, I have been reading Mahan's biography of Farragut. Mahan credits Farragut's capture of New Orleans with keeping Britain and France from recognizing the Confederacy and with boosting morale in the North. Together, the memoirs of Grant and the biography of Farragut show that many in the North would rather have let the South secede than spend the blood to preserve the Union.)

Also in the orders in an appendix, I discovered Grant grew increasing angry with Thomas for not engaging General Hood (CSA). Grant was travelling to relieve Thomas when he learned that Thomas had defeated Hood at the Battle of Nashville and was in pursuit. Grant admitted his error and changed his assessment of Thomas.

2.7. Links:  None.

2.8. Buy the book: Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant - Volume 1 [Kindle Edition]
Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant - Volume 2 [Kindle Edition]

Sunday eBook Review (not): Kindle book sales go asymptotic

(Amazon's 'physical book sold' in yellow; Amazon's 'Kindle books sold' in red)