U. S. Grant

“Engrossing. . . . Grant’s full vindication . . . still awaits. But when it comes, we will better understand our complicated history, and historians and citizens will have Joan Waugh to thank for helping to make this belated illumination possible.”—Sean Wilentz, New Republic

“Exceptionally thoughtful and valuable. . . . [Written in] clear prose that is readily accessible to the serious general reader. . . . [A] fine study.”—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post

“An engaging study of the making of Ulysses S. Grant’s reputation. . . . Waugh convincingly interprets Grant as 'symboliz[ing] both the hopes and the lost dreams' of the Civil War.”—Publishers Weekly

“Brilliant and unsettling. . . . Part biography, part military history, part social chronicle charting the rise and fall of Grant’s reputation, U.S. Grant is a sobering reminder of the vicissitudes of fame. . . . Waugh’s well-researched and vibrantly written book . . . restores luster to a lost American hero.”—Chicago Tribune

“An elegant and wonderfully illustrated book. . . .Waugh’s immersion in the literature of Civil War memory is considerable; she does not reinvent this historiography but rather pushes it into new territory with her subject. . . .Waugh’s contribution is significant. She has fused the discussion of historical memory to biography and military history.”—Journal of Southern History

“An impressive study using the techniques of history and memory. . . . Deserves to be at the top of anyone’s list, scholar or general reader, interested in the Grant story. Highly recommended.”—CHOICE

“Waugh finds an interesting range of answers to a simple question: Who was Grant?”—Associated Press

“An outstanding book. Reminds us that 'cultural wars' are not a recent phenomenon. . . . By insightfully analyzing the myths, emotions, facts, and politics of the public memory of Grant, Waugh demonstrates the critical importance of defining the past.”—H-Civil War

“Throughout, Waugh’s narrative is a sensitive and humane account that reveals the strength of combining biography and history, where the depth available in the former compellingly illuminates the larger trends and issues that define the latter.”—Civil War Book Review