Writer, general and politician: Ulysses S. Grant

When figures of historic importance come up for review in our times, perceptions always matter; this is to say that the prism through which we look and explore such personalities is by definition strongly colored. This is even more so the case when the subject in question is a towering personality as colorful and complex as

Ulysses S. Grant

Who was US president from 1869 until 1877. Countless biographies have been written about the man, and various aspects of his life have featured in these volumes. Some focused on his writings, others emphasized his role as a general in the

American Civil War

And a great many tried to shed light on his troubled presidency, granting African-Americans a great deal of freedom only to be quashed again with the

compromise in 1877. The legacy of this agreement still reverberates through the whole of the nation until this very day and may well be responsible for one of the great divides that troubles the country and shows no sign of going away very soon; I am talking about the issue of race in american politics today. for those who want to explore this legacy more deeply, I highly recommend

this book.

English professor

Elizabeth Samet

Who teaches at

West Point

and is a well-published author talks in this

program

About her annotated edition of Grant’s memoire. Since she does not confine the man to one particular role in his time, she paints a very colorful picture of the general turned politician and his role in a particularly turbulent time in US history. After listening to this program, I must admit that I am very tempted to add this particular volume to my reading list, but reading already takes up such a large part in my daily life that I am not entirely sure when I get around to this one. But, it is certainly there on the back of my mind, and remember that you do not have to read each and every book which is out there. sometimes, a program which explores the writings of the author is perfectly sufficient. Happy listening dear reader, and if you manage to read the entire volume, just give me a shout and remember that you are for once one step ahead of me.