Who Was Ulysses S. Grant?

Who Was . . . ? Series

by Megan Stine, Who H.Q., Mark Edward Geyer (Illustrator)

Ulysses S. Grant certainly does not have the typical war hero “back story.” Although a graduate of West Point, he never wanted to be a soldier and was terrified when he first saw battle. However, during the Civil War, after many Northern generals failed to deliver decisive victories, U.S. Grant rose to what the times required. He took command of Union forces, helped bring the war to an end in 1865, and went on to serve two terms as president.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Childrens, School, Middle Grade

112 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 2014

About the author

Megan Stine is the Editor-in-Chief of Real U Guides and the author of more than 100 books for young readers including Trauma-Rama, an etiquette book for teenagers published by Seventeen magazine, and several titles in a series based on the popular 1990’s television series Party of Five. A frequent writer of books in the enormously popular Mary-Kate and Ashley series, she is the best-selling author of Likes Me, Likes Me Not and Instant Boyfriend. She has worked with CBS and ABC in developing comedy and drama television pilots, and has written comedy material for a well-known radio personality in New York.

When she isn’t writing, she is a portrait and fine art photographer and a contributing photographer for the Real U series of guides.

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I would've gotten along just fine with Ulysses S. Grant. There are a lot of things I loved about him from this book.

*He seemed to really love his wife. There are so many famous men from history that seem to have strayed, but Grant never did.

*He wasn't perfect. He made quite a few mistakes. He lost all his money to a conman, he smoked cigars, he wasn't great at business, he didn't really want to be in the army, etc. All of these things made him seem more human to me. Honestly, I don't really want to be a teacher, but I can't seem to find another route and I like that Grant had the same dilemma.

*I like that he made a point of trying to be kind and fair as a general. Even when the South surrendered he was generous and told his men to not rub it in.

*It's sad that he died from cancer. People didn't know better back then, but it's still sad.

*He wrote his memoirs to help support his family after he died. I like that he worked on his book almost up till the day he died. He never gave up. It's cool that he was friends with Mark Twain and that's who published his book.

I'd like to read a more thorough biography about this man.

[alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book! 👍📕

[Sanjuro · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of misconceptions about Grant. He made mistakes, but his failings were rarely moral. My kids enjoyed learning about him enough to rattle off aspects of his life story to my wife at the dinner table. Clear and accessible for any age.

[Tracy Ebeling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series of books. They teach us so much in a short book!!!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

His story is kind of a sad one. He ended up poor like Truman.

[M Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great biography. There was a good deal of information in it, but it was conveyed so that a younger audience could understand it.

[Melanie Alpuche · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 4 year old daughter says she liked this because Julia and Ulysses got married and then they were buried next to each other.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ulysses was the Northern officer during the Civil War. He didn't like war, but his father sent him to West Point, an army school. After Ulysses served in the army, he tried farming and sales, but he only succeed in the army so he went back into the army. Robert E Lee, general of the Confederate army, didn't want the union to break up. Although President Lincoln asked Lee to become the general of the union army, Lee chose to fight for his home state of Virginia instead. Northern generals were afraid of Lee and thought Ulysses was superhuman But Ulysses felt differently. "I had known him personally...and Knew that he was mortal," said Grant.
At the beginning of the civil war, Grant treated his enemies fair like the generals he admired. However, he realize that they needed to weaken the south so he began to allow his soldiers to steal and burn supplies from the south. Ulysses wore humble clothes. After winning the Civil War, Lincoln invited Ulysses and his wife to the theater. Grant's wife didn't get along with Lincoln's wife so Grant declined. At the theater, Booth shot Lincoln and had planned to shoot Grant had he been there too. Booth was upset about the end of the Civil War. After Lincoln's Vice President served a term, the people voted Grant's name into the election. Grant served two terms as President even though he didn't want to be president. Grant lose his large income yearly from being general of the army. He was a good president, but he didn't realize the wicked leaders.
Ulysses wrote his life story as suggested by Mark Twain so he would leave money to his family since he was on his death bed. A lot of Ulysses' money had earned was given away to others.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this with two very rapt sons who were glued to hearing everything about how life for Grant developed and evolved after the Civil War's end. They were a little surprised to hear how things did not go as planned, and listened intently as we discussed how Grant and his family navigated the hardships, good times, and lean times post-presidency. The author ended the book well, and on a note that I think was most important to capture... especially for my audience: namely, Grant's life ebbed and flowed, but in the end he died surrounded by the greatest riches of all (his family) and we remember him as the great leader he was at such a perilous time in our nation's history. The boys loved the book and loved learning about Grant... even my oldest—who was initially skeptical of the book (because he learned about Grant and the Civil War in fourth grade)—who said after we were done "that book was pretty good."

Loving reading these books with them and hoping it continues to pique their interest in history and its many stories and people.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who Was Ulysses S. Grant? by Megan Stine is another book in the award-winning New York Times series about famous and extraordinary people and places. Ulysses S. Grant was a US military soldier who graduated from West Point, saw his first action in the US war with Mexico, was promoted to General because of his performance during the Civil War, and was eventually assigned by President Abraham Lincoln. He had to deal with personal demons including drinking but still was able to bring the war to a successful conclusion. He was later elected as our 18th president and served two terms. The author covers all the major facts and events in his life including writing his memoirs with the help of another American icon, Mark Twain. He died shortly after the book was finished. Well researched and written, as are most books in this series.

[Henry Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great biography for young readers! Ulysses S. Grant is a very important figure in American history as both a general in the Union army during the Civil War, and also the 18th president of the United States! This book is great because the information is very easy to digest, and the pictures provide good context for students who may struggle with reading text. There is also a cultural connection to this book, as Grant was an Ohioan. This book can teach students about Grant's life and also the history of the Civil War and the time periods before and after the war. I could see myself working this into my classroom as a source to give students who might be struggling with Civil War material. I would definitely recommend it to readers interested in the Civil War and the people involved!

[Kelsey Wolfe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a biography of Ulysses S. Grant. From a young age, Ulysses loved horses and was good at school. His father decided to send him to West Point military academy in New York, even though Ulysses had no desire to be in the army. All West Point graduates had to then join the military for 4 years. He was assigned to the infantry. Ulysses fought in the Mexican-American War, and then the Civil War. He was promoted to lieutenant-general, the only other person given this title was George Washington. This meant he was in charge of the entire Union army during the war, and they ended up winning! He was so admired as a general, he ended up being elected President for two terms. I can see myself using this as a class read-aloud or as part of my classroom library!

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of the “Who Was” books! And once again, this book is no exception. Full of wonderful information that is both interesting, yet to the point, this book covers Ulysses S. Grant’s whole life. Because it is not long and drawn out, and with the wonderful black and white illustrations, this book is wonderful for the younger elementary ages (3rd and 4th) as well as older kids through middle school. I read this to my 3rd grade son as well as my 7th grade daughter. They both enjoyed it and learned a wealth of information.

These “Who Was” books are so well done that my kids have often gotten one from our collection and read it on their own over again! I highly recommend!

[Lauren Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful read full of a lot of good information! The author presents the information in a way that is simple and easy to digest while going through his life. I felt as if I really got to know Ulysses as a person and learned a lot of new information. I had no idea that he was supposed to be on the balcony with Lincoln the night of the shooting and carried guilt with him the rest of his life. Or that he was friends with Mark Twain! I would recommend this book to anyone third grade and up. I would use this book as a resources for s student who was giving a presentation on Ulysses. This book has all the information one might need.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I visited Galena, IL on a weekend away recently which advertises itself as the home of Ulysses S. Grant. I knew the name but truly not much else. I enjoyed this book and learned a lot. He lived a very interesting life. I was amused by the story of his wife with the lazy eye and her dislike of Mary Todd Lincoln. I was surprised by the good deed done for Ulysses by Mark Twain. The "Who Was" franchise makes history accessible to everyone in a very readable and enjoyable format.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

106 pages. Very good book about a famous President and Civil War hero. The book includes additional information on Mexican-American War, What Started the Civil War, Robert E. Lee, and Border States. There are lots of sketches and maps to help a reader understand this famous life. Great layout and information for a report. Highly recommended for Grades 4-5.

[Jacqi Coon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I wanted to learn more about who he was. There are a lot of "Who Was" book and they are very informational. Children will learn who he was and how he impacted the United States.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ulysses S. Grant hated war but he also hated slavery. He was always interested in horses and loved to ride. This is the story of his life both in and out of the army. It is a great beginning to understanding his life achievements.

[Amin Bachari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading the book because I liked the name "Ulysses", another name for "Odysseus, " a Greek epic hero in Homer's Odyssey.

The story proved to be epic too, like his name. I really liked his character.

[RougeMyst · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book

[Shahd Rdawi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like this book, and the story of simple, and great man, success, and disappointed at same time .. Happy 10th anniversary Goodreads 📚✨🙂

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Targeted at a specific market and the illustrations are only so-so, but find these Who Was books to be a great primer. Ready to launch into Ron Chernow's door stopper :)

[S.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series reveals a number of little known facts about famous individuals.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

He went from a boy with no name to a man with several.

[Esther May · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of Ulysses S. Grant. It was great to read this book and the the Who Was Robert E. Lee book back to back. Interesting to see different perspectives.

[Joe Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very nicely written book about a not well understood man. Grant was very human, very complex. He had faults. He was a brilliant reluctant warrior. This book captures him well.

[Sadie Cheshier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!
So fascinating!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot of new information about him than I did know.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these books!

[Samantha Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Easy read. Lots of good history to learn about President Grant.