Ron Chernow has written a comprehensive biography, Grant, which takes an in-depth look at the life of Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States. Grant’s famously quiet and introspective nature have earned him the stereotype of a fairly plain and uninteresting personality, but in Grant, Chernow sets the record straight and presents readers with an in-depth look at the life and times of America’s most stoic president.
Grant is the product of over a decade of work, resulting in a biography which spans 810 pages. Throughout the pages of Grant, we learn about Grant's life before, during, and after the Civil War, and get to glimpse the intricacies of his military career, his tumultuous marriage, and his presidency. Chernow depicts a president whose legacy is not only shaped by his time in office, but by his many years of military service. Chernow paints a picture of the true Grant — one who often faced self-doubt, who was thought to be too introspective and serious to be an effective politician, and ultimately, one who was fiercely loyal to the Union and was determined to ensure the freedom and rights of all of its citizens.
Central to Chernow’s biography is the idea of Grant’s introversion and unassuming personality. Chernow goes beyond the stereotypical view of Grant as an introverted and quietly efficient leader and in doing so, reveals the president’s remarkable capacity for pain and suffering. From young Grant’s childhood hardships and his troubled marriage and relationships, to his unsuccessful attempts to make a fortune as a small business owner, Grant’s life is presented in a way that allows readers to understand him on a personal level. Grant’s introverted nature enabled him to put the greater good ahead of his own, and this is reflected in his military and presidential decisions.
Chernow describes Grant’s interactions with abolitionists and his tireless efforts to protect the rights of African Americans and Native Americans. As Chernow explains, Grant was deeply committed to civil rights and justice, often going to great lengths to ensure that African Americans would not be excluded from the protection and rights that the Constitution guarantees all citizens. Not only did Grant famously issue a Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, but he also issued an array of executive orders that sought to provide legal protection for African Americans.
Also explored in Grant is the president’s successful campaign for the presidency. While Grant’s staid and serious personality traditionally made him a poor public speaker, Chernow makes a case for his presidential candidacy based on his fortitude and devotion to country over self. And when he eventually assumed office, Grant was a decisive leader who was willing to use the power of the government to ensure the American people’s safety and prosperity.
By the book’s end, Grant’s story of struggle and redemption has been retold. Chernow recounts his battles with Army bureaucracy and his battle against cancer. Throughout this biography, Grant’s courage and honor are presented in a way that enables readers to fully appreciate the extraordinary man that he was. Granted is an impressive and balanced biography of a president whose commitment to fellow Americans is unparalleled in our history.
