Summary

Among the autobiographies of great military figures, Ulysses S. Grant’s is certainly one of the finest, and it is arguably the most notable literary achievement of any American president: a lucid, compelling, and brutally honest chronicle of triumph and failure. From his frontier boyhood, to his heroics in battle, to the grinding poverty from which the Civil War ironically rescued him, these memoirs are a mesmerizing, deeply moving account of a brilliant man told with great courage as he reflects on the fortunes that shaped his life and his character. Written under excruciating circumstances—Grant was dying of throat cancer—and encouraged and edited from its very inception by Mark Twain, it is a triumph of the art of autobiography.
Grant was sick and broke when he began work on his memoirs. Driven by financial worries and a desire to provide for his wife, he wrote diligently during a year of deteriorating health. He vowed he would finish the work before he died, and one week after its completion, he lay dead at the age of 63.
Publication of the memoirs came at a time when the public was being treated to a spate of wartime reminiscences, many of them defensive in nature, seeking to refight battles or attack old enemies. Grant’s penetrating and stately work reveals a nobility of spirit and an innate grasp of the important fact, which he rarely displayed in private life. He writes in his preface that he took up the task “with a sincere desire to avoid doing injustice to anyone, whether on the National or the Confederate side.”
Public Domain (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
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Critic reviews

“The best [memoirs] of any general’s since Caesar.” (Mark Twain)
“One of the most unflinching studies of war in our literature.” (William McFeeley, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Ulysses S. Grant)
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
5 out of 5 stars
By Kindle Customer on 29-05-17

Outstanding

Fine narration of classic military memoir. Grant's measured imperturbable manner is well-tempered by Robin Field

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
4 out of 5 stars
By H. Connelly on 20-04-13

Lived up to expectations

What made the experience of listening to Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant the most enjoyable?

The story itself and the narrator

What was one of the most memorable moments of Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant?

When Lee's Army surrendered, I cheered! I was so sad by the part when Grant learns about the death of Lincoln. Recently saw the movie Lincoln, tied back to Grant's autobiography nicely.

Which scene was your favorite?

Lee's surrender

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Simply, "US Grant"

Any additional comments?

It's long, no doubt. It never got boring to me and it's amazing to listen to Grant writing in the first person about things that happened 150 years ago.

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9 of 9 people found this review helpful

5 out of 5 stars
By Trent on 20-08-12

Surprisingly funny and very informative.

What did you love best about Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant?

I consistently found Grant's humor in his stories about his personal experiences and later in the war to be irrestible. Add the real life perspective of each campaign that brought the war home to me.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant?

His revelation that by acting quickly he usually benefitted much more than he did for waiting for the preparations to be perfect was intoned in nearly every decision he describes after that.

Have you listened to any of Robin Field’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not but I enjoyed him immensely. I would have rated him a 5 but had to knock something back a bit. His dry humor honestly made this a book I have recommended about 10 times since listening to it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh out loud many times, which is not what I expected from a Civil War biography. Grant's writing is very clever and humble in a way that has you empathizing with every situation.

Any additional comments?

This biography rings true because while his achievements are numerous, he consistently is humble about his role and his comparative talents. He is able to explain his actions and strategies with the eye witness perspective that is not found in most "history channel" narratives. He continually brings the plight of the struggling soldier into view so that it does not seem a chess game but a real life and death struggle with lives in the balance.

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8 of 8 people found this review helpful

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