Lee and Grant: A Dual Biography
by Gene Smith
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A biography of the two gifted Civil War commanders from a New York Times–bestselling author: "A great story . . . History at its best" (Publishers Weekly).Their names are forever linked in the history of the Civil War, but Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant could not have been more dissimilar. Lee came from a world of Southern gentility and aristocratic privilege while Grant had coarser, more common roots in the Midwest. As a young officer trained in the classic mold, Lee graduated from show more West Point at the top of his class and served with distinction in the Mexican–American War. Grant's early military career was undistinguished and marred by rumors of drunkenness.
As commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Lee's early victories demoralized the Union Army and cemented his reputation as a brilliant tactician. Meanwhile, Grant struggled mightily to reach the top of the Union command chain. His iron will eventually helped turn the tide of the war, however, and in April 1864, President Abraham Lincoln gave Grant command of all Union forces. A year later, he accepted Lee's surrender at the Appomattox Court House.
With brilliance and deep feeling, New York Times–bestselling author Gene Smith brings the Civil War era to vivid life and tells the dramatic story of two remarkable men as they rise to glory and reckon with the bitter aftermath of the bloodiest conflict in American history. Never before have students of American history been treated to a more personal, comprehensive, and achingly human portrait of Lee and Grant.
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Member Reviews
More than a "dual biography, this is a concise history of the Civil War, which will only ignore a few obvious topics (Antitiem, Maritime battles, international issues, slavery, etc.). It was a great introduction and inspired this reader to pursue more, especially Grant's autobiography.
i really loved this book. i am under way at this point to get a hold of the writing grant did during his last days. it was intriguing to me to learn so much, not only so much but a lot of what you don't expect. it also cleared up some uncertainties i had. i loved the way it was written, very storybook ish, not "nothing but facts". i learned a lot that i didn't know. got facts about other historic events with added interesting elements. it was well done as it followed them both from birth to death. even from their parents, to their deaths. although it was set as a story it still conveighed the information with out being dry. if you are into the history thing, definently worth a read.
This is a fairly even-handed biography that makes comparisons between two generals who actually had incomparably different jobs.
Good Civil War history.
Really enjoyed learning about Lee and Grant
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Dual Biographies
38 works; 1 member
Author Information
16+ Works 1,060 Members
Work Relationships
Is abridged in
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1984
- People/Characters
- Ulysses S. Grant; Robert E. Lee
- Important places
- Virginia, USA
- Important events
- American Civil War (1861 | 1865)
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 284
- Popularity
- 113,290
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (4.09)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 7
- ASINs
- 13
