Famous for his military acumen and for his part in saving the Union during the American Civil War; Ulysses S. Grant also remains known for his two-volume memoirs; considered among the greatest military memoirs ever written. Grant’s other writings; however; have not received the same acclaim; even though they show the same literary skill. Originally published in the thirty-two volumes of The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant; the letters and speeches are the major source of information about Grant’s life and era and have played a key role in elevating his reputation to that of the leading general of the Civil War and the first of the modern presidents. In this collection; editor John F. Marszalek presents excerpts from Grant’s most insightful and skillfully composed writings and provides perspective through introductory comments tying each piece to the next. The result is a fascinating overview of Grant’s life and career.In sixteen chronological chapters; selections from Grant’s letters and other writings reveal his personal thoughts on the major events of his momentous life; including the start of the Civil War; the capture of Vicksburg; Lincoln’s reelection; Lee’s surrender; his terms as president; the Panic of 1873; and his bouts of mouth and throat cancer. Throughout; Grant’s prose reveals clearly the power of his words and his ability to present them well. Although some historians have maligned his presidency as one of the most corrupt periods in American history; these writings reinforce Grant’s greatness as a general; demonstrate the importance of his presidency; and show him to be one of the driving forces of the nineteenth century.With this compendium; Marszalek not only celebrates the literary talent of one of America’s greatest military figures but also vindicates an individual who; for so long; has been unfairly denigrated. A concise reference for students of American history and Civil War enthusiasts as well as a valuable introduction for those who are new to Grant’s writings; this volume provides intriguing insight into one of the nineteenth century’s most important Americans.
#6256504 in Books Southern Illinois University Press 1986-03-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .75 x 5.50l; #File Name: 0809312867192 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Mamluks!By Dennis M. HeathI very much enjoyed this book about the Mamluks; Egypt and the Middle East. While it is scholarly it is not the type that bogs down into too much esoteric facts. Egypt has gone thru many iterations in its long history and if you have any interest in understanding how slaves became rulers of this country; defeated the Mongols and imported more slaves from what is now the Ukraine who ultimately became the rulers then this is book you will very much enjoy.How did the Mamluks defeat the Mongols? What is a Circassian? Why did the Crusaders support the Mongols? Read this book and find out this and of course much more.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Neither accurate nor easy to follow.By Danny CannonNot an easy read. This makes interesting history sound boring. This is a compilation of secondary sources. The "early" Mamluk Sultanate started prior to the 13th century. I do not recommend this book. Look for anything by David Ayalon. He is widely recognized as a reliable primary source and his writings are fascinating.James Waterson's book " The Knights of Islam" is a better and much more accurate read. It can be obtained through also.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Concise and oriented toward Western readersBy TiffanyConcise and clearly oriented to the Western reader; "The Middle East in the Middle Ages" seeks to catch readers up on recent (pre-1986) Mamluk scholarship. The author relies heavily on written material; lists of Arabic and non-Arabic primary sources appear at the end of the book. While Irwin does briefly mention the existence of archaeological and numismatic evidence; he unfortunately does not draw heavily on these sources. The writing is clear and the footnotes do not detract from the readability of the text.
