Ulysses S. Grant

August 1, 1990
While the complete writings of this pair of Civil Warriors would fill several shelves, the material contained in this two-volume boxed set offers a good selection of their letters and personal reminiscences. Though both of these men are certainly not the most inspirational figures of American history, as two of the paladins of the Union Army, however, Grant and Sherman offer firsthand insights into the waging of the war that cannot be found elsewhere. As historical documents, the significance of these papers is obvious, but the texts also score high points for the quality of the writing itself; Sherman's reflections were hailed by Mark Twain as "a model narrative that will last as long as the language lasts." The hub of the material, of course, focuses on the war years, but Sherman's volume also contains memoirs of his pre-Civil War life in California, and unique to this edition is the inclusion of 175 of Grant's personal letters. More than a reprint of readily available material, these volumes include the same scrupulously detailed notes on the text by recognized scholars that make the Library of America editions superior to their predecessors. This fine set belongs in most history collections. Highly recommended.-- Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"

Copyright 1990 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 18, 2003
Correction:
Due to a publisher's error, the ISBN for Little New York Bastard
(Four Walls Eight Windows) was incorrect in the August 4 issue. The correct ISBN is 1-56858-274-9. Illustrated Books ULYSSES S. GRANT: An Album William S. McFeely. Norton, $35 (160p) ISBN 0-393-02032-0 The Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer of General Grant now offers this "album" of his life and works. The selection of 100 photographs and illustrations (deserving praise goes to researcher Neil Giordano) is superior, considering that only one pre–Civil War photograph of Grant exists. They do, however, lack captions, and the descriptions of them in the text are not always properly placed for easy identification. The text presents other problems: not all of McFeely's seven essays on different aspects of Grant—emancipator, fond husband, photographic subject, world traveler, author of a superb autobiography—are equally well composed, and the pieces on Grant's opposition to slavery don't say enough about how he managed Reconstruction as president. The author also goes to the lengths of referring to Julia Grant as "silly" without supporting his case. The essay on the photographs of Grant is concise and cogent, however, and includes some wartime magazine illustrations that have to be seen to be believed. McFeely also does full justice to Grant's memoirs. One has the feeling that the author returned to this familiar subject as something of a labor of love, without conceding anything to the novice student of Grant or the Civil War.