Book SummaryGrant, by Ron Chernow

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Grant

Best known as the general who led the Union to victory over the Confederacy in the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant has been widely misunderstood by mainstream historians, argues biographer Ron Chernow. According to Chernow, the mainstream narrative characterizes Grant as an inept heavy drinker whose success in the Civil War stemmed primarily from a numbers advantage and whose Presidency was marred by corruption and the failure of Reconstruction. But in his comprehensive 2018 biography, Grant, Chernow seeks to correct this caricature by shedding light on Grant’s achievements as General of the Union, President of the United States, and a person fighting valiantly against an alcohol addiction.

As the Pulitzer Prize recipient for his 2010 biography on George Washington and the author of seminal biographies on [Alexander...

Grant Summary Grant’s Military Career

Chernow writes that Grant’s military career spans from the Mexican American-War of the late 1840s, in which Grant served as a soldier under Major General (and future President) Zachary Taylor, to the pinnacle of the Civil War, in which Grant emerged victorious over Confederate General Robert E. Lee to effectively end the war. In this section, we’ll focus on Grant’s military tenure in the Civil War specifically, discussing how Southern secession spurred his return to service, how he displayed a cunning military mind as commander of Union troops, and finally how he protected ex-slaves following Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

Grant’s Opposition to Secession

To understand Grant’s return to the military—which occurred after drinking allegations led him to resign in 1854, as we’ll discuss later—Chernow first examines Grant’s reaction to the news that eleven Southern states had seceded from the Union between late 1860 and 1861, with these states declaring themselves the Confederate States of America and selecting Jefferson Davis as their President. According to Chernow, these secessions galvanized Grant to return to duty, as Grant maintained that secession was...

Grant Summary Grant the President

After widespread success in the Civil War, Grant parlayed his post-war popularity in both Northern and Southern states into the presidency: In 1868, as the Republican nominee, Grant defeated incumbent Andrew Johnson (who became President after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination) to become the 18th President. In this section, we’ll analyze Grant’s legacy of Reconstruction—the era lasting from the Civil War’s end until 1877—which saw him attempt to defend civil rights for Black Americans while reconciling with the South. Additionally, we’ll consider the corruption that marred Grant’s Presidency and Chernow’s explanation that it arose from Grant’s overly trusting nature.

Grant’s Civil Rights Activism

According to Chernow, Grant remained steadfastly committed to protecting civil rights for freedmen in the aftermath of the Civil War. He argues that Grant’s work as President was essential for safeguarding Black citizens’ civil rights and helping them transition out of slavery. And although Chernow lists various examples of Grant’s activism, we’ll focus on three key instances: Grant’s support for the Fifteenth Amendment, his implementation of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) Act, and...

Grant Summary Grant’s Lifelong Struggle With Unhealthy Alcohol Use

In spite of Grant’s achievements as General and as President, his reputation was tarnished by accusations of rampant alcohol misuse. Chernow maintains that many historical accounts specifically emphasize these accusations, suggesting Grant drank recklessly and was controlled by intemperate desires. But, according to Chernow, this portrayal is misguided—Grant, he argues, fought valiantly against his tendency toward unhealthy alcohol use and attained victory over this tendency in his final years. In this section, we’ll examine Chernow’s account of Grant’s alcohol use, outlining its roots in Grant’s military career, how Grant recognized his addiction, and how he conquered it in his final years.

The Roots of Grant’s Alcohol Misuse

According to Chernow, Grant’s struggles with alcohol misuse had deep roots in his family and his early military service. Chernow points out that, per correspondence from Grant’s father, Jesse Root Grant, Grant’s grandfather misused alcohol. Because alcohol misuse is partially hereditary, this suggests Grant might have been genetically predisposed to unhealthy drinking patterns.

(Shortform note: Though a familial history of Alcohol Use Disorder...

Shortform Exercise: Assess and Reflect on Grant’s Legacy

Chernow suggests that Grant’s triumph in the Civil War and subsequent attempt to reconcile North and South had lasting effects on the US today. In this exercise, reflect on these effects and consider how Grant’s ideological views might fit into the US today.

To what extent do you believe there’s a cultural divide between the North and South in the US today? If you’ve lived in the US, answering this question might involve reflecting on your own experience; if not, it might involve reflecting on your external perceptions of the US.