AUDIO

The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace

23 CDs. library ed. unabridged. 28 hrs. Books on Tape. 2012. ISBN 9780307701688. $60; digital download. HIST/BIOG
COPY ISBN
OrangeReviewStarDistinguished U.S. historian and preeminent biographer Brands leaves no stone unturned while providing listeners with both detailed historical information and intimate personal details of Grant's day-to-day duties, conflicts, and emotions. Listeners get to know the man whose family called him "U-less," learning about everything from his enduring love for his wife, Julia, to his uncanny ability to emerge unscathed from the bloodiest skirmishes. Brands infuses the narrative with contextual knowledge of the era including material on politics and the individuals Grant encounters along his journey through his presidency; the author's coverage is so deep that the book sometimes feels like a biography of 1800s America. Actor Stephen Hoye's smooth narration makes the 28 hours of content flow by quickly.
VERDICT Because of its thorough dissection of its subject and his times, this is best for fans of history. ["This is a well-researched and comprehensive study…as well as an engaging book. Essential for both popular readers and scholars," read the review of the New York Times best-selling Doubleday hc, LJ 7/12.—Ed.]
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