"Ulysses S. Grant: A Victor Not A Butcher" is a good read that provides an overview of Grant's life and military career. I especially appreciated the chapter on Grant's winning characteristics -- what he did and how he did it -- something I can use in my career. The book also has good appendices including one comparing various casualty estimates which was crucial in establishing that Grant often had a lower or comparable casualty rate than other leaders, which is remarkable because he was usually on the offensive. Grant was in many ways the first modern General as demonstrated by his mastery of combined operations, use of technology, and manuever warfare.

It is inevitable that Grant is compared to Robert E. Lee. This book helps re-establish Grant's proper reputation as the greatest Civil War general. While Lee was a great general, he focused too much on Virginia whereas Grant grasped President Lincoln's war aims and developed and accomplished a national strategy. ( )

Excellent book which stimulated me to read Grant's own excellent Memoirs. ( )

Designed in some ways to refute other Grant biographies, this one is shallow and not nearly as analytical as other, better-written ones. ( )