The Man Who Saved the Union

Ulysses Grant in War and Peace

By: H. W. Brands

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

Length: 27 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

From New York Times best-selling author H. W. Brands, a masterful biography of the Civil War general and two-term president who saved the Union twice, on the battlefield and in the White House, holding the country together at two critical turning points in our history.

Ulysses Grant rose from obscurity to discover he had a genius for battle, and he propelled the Union to victory in the Civil War. After Abraham Lincoln's assassination and the disastrous brief presidency of Andrew Johnson, America turned to Grant again to unite the country, this time as president. In Brands' sweeping, majestic full biography, Grant emerges as a heroic figure who was fearlessly on the side of right. He was a beloved commander in the field but willing to make the troop sacrifices necessary to win the war, even in the face of storms of criticism. He worked valiantly to protect the rights of freedmen in the South; Brands calls him the last presidential defender of Black civil rights for nearly a century. He played it straight with the American Indians, allowing them to shape their own fate even as the realities of Manifest Destiny meant the end of their way of life. He was an enormously popular president whose memoirs were a huge best seller; yet within decades of his death his reputation was in tatters, the victim of Southerners who resented his policies on Reconstruction. In this page-turning biography, Brands now reconsiders Grant's legacy and provides a compelling and intimate portrait of a man who saved the Union on the battlefield and consolidated that victory as a resolute and principled political leader.

©2012 H. W. Brands; 2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Once again, H. W. Brands has crafted a wonderful portrait of a great leader who endured and prevailed in hours of stress and strain. Brands' U. S. Grant is a compelling figure, a man too often overlooked by history. This book rectifies that with grace and insight." (Jon Meacham, author of American Lion, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for biography)

"This authoritative biography of an obscure failure and occasional drunkard who became a Civil War generalissimo and the 18th U.S. president is a study in two kinds of moral courage.... [Brands'] narrative of Grant's military campaigns in particular is lucid, colorful, and focused on telling moments of decision. His Grant emerges as an immensely appealing figure...with a keen mind, stout character, and unpretentious manner. The result is a fine portrait of the quintessential American hero." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Too frequently overshadowed or overlooked, U. S. Grant finally gets his due in H. W. Brands' splendid new biography. With verve and his trademark scholarship, Brands vividly brings Grant to life. Here, rendered in all his humanity, is the soldier, statesman, president. Here, too, is a man as much for our time as for his." (Jay Winik, author of April 1865 and The Great Upheaval)

Grant

Very interesting story about a remarkable man. Well presented with excellent understanding of the subject.

Thorough, interesting, and eye-opening

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book. It is very long, but thorough. I rarely found myself wishing for the author to move on. At the conclusion of the book you will have a strong grasp of what kind of man Grant was, the time he lived in, and the decisions he made. I've seen commentary that this book paints Grant in a favorable light. That is a fair criticism but the author certainly supports his points.

What other book might you compare The Man Who Saved the Union to and why?

I would compare this book to Ron Chernow's "Washington: A Life". In both cases one concludes the book with a deep understanding of the man and his time.

Which scene was your favorite?

Perhaps I'm biased because it was one of the final scenes, but the funeral procession was quite moving.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, due simply to the length. It is hard to stay engaged for several hours at a time. Said another way, it's not a "light read" but it is worthwhile.

Underrated hero

Grant is one of the most underrated heroes of American history. He is usually remembered as a drunk, a butcher, or an incompetent, who had one of the most corrupt presidential administrations ever. There's a grain of truth in some of these — Grant did have a drinking problem earlier in his life; his final push to end the Civil War resulted in appalling casualties; and many of the men he picked for his administration betrayed his trust. (No evidence about the incompetence, except with money: he was a brilliant general and a wonderful writer.)

But Grant remains a hero: personally honest, a devoted husband and father, a courageous soldier, a brilliant strategist, and totally committed to Lincoln's vision for ending the war. H. W. Brands demonstrates his remarkable virtues in chapter after fast-moving chapter. Even his presidency gets more positive attention than usual: among other things, he broke the power of the Ku Klux Klan in the postwar south.

And of course there's the inspiring story of his battle with bankruptcy and cancer and his struggle to complete his memoirs before succumbing to the final assault. Their subsequent publication (by Mark Twain) ensured the prosperity of his family for many years after his death.

H. W. Brands tells the story as much as possible in the words of the participants. Every biographer of Grant will quote from the same letters and journals and memoirs; but usually these are snippets interspersed with summary and interpretation. Brands is more generous in his quotations, presenting whole paragraphs and even groups of paragraphs. The result is an exceptionally vivid account. Brands has captured him in motion.

Stephen Hoye narrates briskly and with a lot more passion than is usual in nonfiction. It's an audiobook I plan to return to again and again.

Fascinating story, but it could have been abridged

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes if they have 27 hours to listen.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Man Who Saved the Union?

The whole story was memborable as I knew nothing of his life.

What does Stephen Hoye bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A genuinely caring and calm voice. much as l you would have imagined a great leader to sound.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When he talked about meeting Lincoln and how much he respected him.

Any additional comments?

Made me want to learn more about the civil war time period and what followed for the country.

Great production of Brands’s work

Brands is one of the very best biographers of Grant. During these tumultuous times it is refreshing to read of someone who is stuck to his values throughout his life and put others and the country ahead of his own interests.

Very informative book.

Wasn’t sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed this book and the information presently, although it was a bit long. Really interesting in listening to the goings on during Grants time and how there are so many similarities (too many to mention in this review) to even today. That part of the book was unexpected, however, very interesting. Enjoyed this read and Mr. Hoye did a nice job with the narration.

Great fact filled biography.

From beginning to end the life of U S GRANT, is available in this well made and well told story complete from birth to the end of his so life. I must say how very much I enjoyed this audiobook. I think anyone will

Reads like a novel

Though I love history and historical novels I normally do not love biographies. This one is different. The writer did a great job of picking interesting facts of one of our greatest leaders of our nation. Throughout, you get to know the character of Grant, why he was such an impressive general. You learn of his struggles as a younger man finding work that he was good at. I think the one thing I learned is how he was a man of character. I strongly suggest this book to anyone who may be looking for what the country went through after the Civil War. You won’t be disappointed.

Too much cut and paste

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Unless the friend is a serious Grant scholar- no. The book contains far too little of Brands astute insights and analysis and far too much "cut and paste" from Grant's Memoirs, Sherman's Memoirs, speeches, letters and newspaper articles of the period.

Using source material to make key points is helpful but droning on and on from letters and speeches is unnecessary.

What did you like best about this story?

The 10% that contained Brands insights and analysis.

Would you be willing to try another one of Stephen Hoye’s performances?

No, never.

Do you think The Man Who Saved the Union needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No

Re-hash Of Info Already Done By Better Authors

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It was not. I have read Shelby Foot's three volume civil war masterpiece. I have read two other US Grant biographies, one being his own autobiography. And of course watched the Civil War documentary by Mr. Foote, I mean Burns... I even listened to the online and free lectures from Yale University. All those I listed contained insight and emotions that moved me and only got me more interesting
I learned absolutely nothing new from this entire book. No insights into his personality and more than that at least a third of the book is about other people... Sherman, Lincoln, and Grant etc. Written on a fifth grade level, I would let my teenage nieces and nephews and the like read it as an introduction. But if one has any kind of working knowledge of the US Civil War, I believe one would be disappointed like I was.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I could not find one part interesting or uninteresting. The book reads like a shopping list... Grant was born. Grant loved horses and was a good rider. Grant goes to West Point. Grant leaves the army after the US and Mexican war. Grant had troubles with money.The Civil War happens and Grant re-joins the army. Grant is the most successful Union General and 'wins' the war. He becomes President. He trusts people and does not do that great of a job. Grant after two terms leaves the presidency. He travels around the world. Grant comes back to the US and struggles with money. Grant writes his autobiography so his family has money after he is gone. The end.

Which character – as performed by Stephen Hoye – was your favorite?

I find a lot of things in common with U.S Grant the more I read about him. He was honest and sincere and loved his wife and children. On his farm he named his animals. He trusted people too much and in the political world often looked like a fool because of that. So of course it is Mr. Grant. With this book I gained no new insight into a man I respect.

Do you think The Man Who Saved the Union needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. Please, no. Biographies I believe are best when they have some insight into a woman or man's character and are not just a list of the human being's actions, which this book is. Again, for a young woman or man as an introduction to the president this book may facilitate a general understanding of the man on a completely superficial and plot based version of a man's life.

Any additional comments?

If one wants to understand the man better, which is why I believe we read biographies, his personal memoirs bring so much more to enlighten a reader to the man's insides. Again, if you even have a general understanding of the American Civil War, have seen the documentary more than once, or read Foote's brilliant retelling of the war, reading this book will just be a lesser re-hash of information you already know. That was my experience and if you disagree I wholeheartedly accept that and will listen to your points with an open mind. I just know not how that conversation could take place in the world of fire and forget reviews. Thank you for reading!