The General and Julia: A Novel
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- Create Date：2023-11-30 07:21:39
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Jon Clinch
- ISBN：1797167367
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Summary
Ulysses S。 Grant reflects on the crucial moments of his life as a husband， a father， a general， and a president while writing his memoirs and reckoning with his complicated legacy in this epic and intimate novel from the author of the "masterly" （ The New York Times Book Review ） novel Marley 。
Barely able to walk and rendered mute by the cancer metastasizing in his throat， Ulysses S。 Grant is scratching out words， hour after hour， day after day。 Desperate to complete his memoirs before his death so his family might have some financial security and he some redemption， Grant journeys back in time。
He had once been the savior of the Union， the general to whom Lee surrendered at Appomattox， a twice-elected president who fought for the civil rights of Black Americans and against the rising Ku Klux Klan， a plain farmer-turned-business magnate who lost everything to a Wall Street swindler， a devoted husband to his wife Julia and loving father to four children。 In this gorgeously rendered and moving novel， Grant rises from the page in all of his contradictions and foibles， his failures and triumphs。
Moving from blood-stained battlefields to Gilded Age New York， the novel explores how Grant's own views on race and Reconstruction changed over time。 Another work of "must-read modern literature" （Charles Frazier， New York Times bestselling author） from historical fiction master Jon Clinch， this evocatively crafted novel breathes fresh life into an American icon。
Barely able to walk and rendered mute by the cancer metastasizing in his throat， Ulysses S。 Grant is scratching out words， hour after hour， day after day。 Desperate to complete his memoirs before his death so his family might have some financial security and he some redemption， Grant journeys back in time。
He had once been the savior of the Union， the general to whom Lee surrendered at Appomattox， a twice-elected president who fought for the civil rights of Black Americans and against the rising Ku Klux Klan， a plain farmer-turned-business magnate who lost everything to a Wall Street swindler， a devoted husband to his wife Julia and loving father to four children。 In this gorgeously rendered and moving novel， Grant rises from the page in all of his contradictions and foibles， his failures and triumphs。
Moving from blood-stained battlefields to Gilded Age New York， the novel explores how Grant's own views on race and Reconstruction changed over time。 Another work of "must-read modern literature" （Charles Frazier， New York Times bestselling author） from historical fiction master Jon Clinch， this evocatively crafted novel breathes fresh life into an American icon。
Reviews
Jill
，
Fabulous！ Lovely。 He's a great writer。 Fabulous！ Lovely。 He's a great writer。 。。。more
Jacqueline Baird
，
Beautifully written it tells of Grant the man， not the General。 Focused on his last days， there are chapters that talk of an interesting event in his past。 Grant was an honorable man who strove to show mercy， as he did to the South at Appomattox。 Above all he was a family man and a husband to Julia， the love of his life。 In writing his memoirs in pain and anguish， he assured that his family would be taken care of after his death。 40 days and 40 nights of writing after the cancer was discovered。 Beautifully written it tells of Grant the man， not the General。 Focused on his last days， there are chapters that talk of an interesting event in his past。 Grant was an honorable man who strove to show mercy， as he did to the South at Appomattox。 Above all he was a family man and a husband to Julia， the love of his life。 In writing his memoirs in pain and anguish， he assured that his family would be taken care of after his death。 40 days and 40 nights of writing after the cancer was discovered。 It quickly devoured him。 （He had a 25 a day cigar habit！ ） We can appreciate the heart and mind of this man through Mr。 Clinch's fine writing。 I heartily recommend this book。 。。。more
joyce w。 laudon
，
This General was one of the most famous ones ever。 This General who married Julia was Ulysses S。 Grant。 What a life he had。 A lot of this was centered on his Civil War role but， of course， he was also a president and much more。In this beautiful work of historical fiction， Clinch takes on the voice of a Grant who can no longer speak due to throat cancer。 Clinch shows who Grant was and what was important to him as he tells his subject’s story here。 Readers will learn not only about the public man This General was one of the most famous ones ever。 This General who married Julia was Ulysses S。 Grant。 What a life he had。 A lot of this was centered on his Civil War role but， of course， he was also a president and much more。In this beautiful work of historical fiction， Clinch takes on the voice of a Grant who can no longer speak due to throat cancer。 Clinch shows who Grant was and what was important to him as he tells his subject’s story here。 Readers will learn not only about the public man but also the husband and father。Grant had massive triumphs in his life but also moments of despair。 Get to know the full man in this terrific novel。Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this title。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Mary-alice
，
Whether you are new to Grant or appreciative of his many contributions to the country you will enjoy this fictionalized account of the his life and last days。 It is less about his relationship with his wife （ although his love for her ands love for his country drive the plot） than his determination to make sure that she does not fall into poverty following his death。
Sandra Sembar
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I very much enjoyed reading this book。
Natalie
，
The General and JuliaBy Jon ClinchThis is the story of Ulysses S。 Grant – farmer， soldier， savior of the nation， president – in his final days。 He is dying of throat cancer， a mere shadow of himself。 Because of his poor decisions， framed by his naivete in money matters and his misplaced trust in unworthy men， he is racing against death to finish his memoirs and protect his family from penury。Jon Clinch books all reflect a certain darkness， and this is no exception。 While it is a novel， Clinch ma The General and JuliaBy Jon ClinchThis is the story of Ulysses S。 Grant – farmer， soldier， savior of the nation， president – in his final days。 He is dying of throat cancer， a mere shadow of himself。 Because of his poor decisions， framed by his naivete in money matters and his misplaced trust in unworthy men， he is racing against death to finish his memoirs and protect his family from penury。Jon Clinch books all reflect a certain darkness， and this is no exception。 While it is a novel， Clinch makes no attempt to tone down Grant's despair， nor his culpability in the financial losses he and many others incurred due to his bad advice。 Nor does the author gloss over the horrible suffering caused by his illness。 Grant was always a man to accept his responsibility – including what he felt about the deaths of thousands in order to save the Union。 As he ruminates for his memoir on the price paid for his victories， on the irony of the fate of Blacks after a war to secure their freedom， he never flinches from accepting what he has done， whether the result has been for good or bad。This is a man who rose above his humble beginnings to be first the General of the Armies and then President of the United States。 But first and foremost Clinch's Grant is a man， strong and honorable， weak and fallible。 With all his flaws， he achieved greatness。 His love for his wife， Julia， his children， and his country make him the kind of man we are so needful of today。 。。。more
Sydney Young
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Interesting structure， innovative way to tell of a man whose successes and failures both loomed large。 Far more General than Julia， the title still has a ring to it。 Not so much a depiction of a life as of how Grant orbited the things and people in his life。 Narration was good—miserly father-in-law voice was perfect。 Some things were shocking， others sad。 This is a powerful answer to what fiction can do over and above a dull history。 I’m now really wanting to know more！
Bookreporter。com Historical Fiction
，
Heralded historical fiction master Jon Clinch --- whose books include MARLEY and FINN --- profiles yet another lauded American figure in THE GENERAL AND JULIA， a sweeping， monumental portrait of Ulysses S。 Grant。Whether you know Grant as the man on the $50 bill or the victor in the Civil War， you no doubt have rarely considered his life outside the war or the Oval Office。 Clinch remedies this oversight with a fictionalized yet heavily researched exploration into the life of the American giant， b Heralded historical fiction master Jon Clinch --- whose books include MARLEY and FINN --- profiles yet another lauded American figure in THE GENERAL AND JULIA， a sweeping， monumental portrait of Ulysses S。 Grant。Whether you know Grant as the man on the $50 bill or the victor in the Civil War， you no doubt have rarely considered his life outside the war or the Oval Office。 Clinch remedies this oversight with a fictionalized yet heavily researched exploration into the life of the American giant， both in and out of the public eye。It has taken a modified railroad car on loan from a Vanderbilt， a private narrow-gauge train， and the strength of two men at the handles of an oversized three-wheeled perambulator， but Grant at last has reached the site of his final rest in a cabin in the Adirondacks。 No longer an army general or a United States president， Grant is dying of a particularly ugly cancer metastasizing in his throat。 The swift approach of death has him reflecting on his life， at times nearly transported to the past， so vivid are his recollections。But Grant’s review of his life is not only a personal one。 He is dead set on completing his memoirs so that his family --- his wife， Julia; his four children; and his grandchildren --- who will no longer receive the charitable donations that have found their way to his deathbed will be able not just to eat and pay their bills after he passes away， but to take pride in his legacy。 His friend， the writer Samuel Clemens， has secured him a hefty advance， promising that both his family and his reputation will be protected long after his death。Beginning on the farmland of White Haven in Missouri， owned by the incorrigible， deeply critical Colonel Frederick Dent， Clinch introduces us to a young Grant， a recent West Point graduate who is visiting his classmate’s family on their farm。 However， he has an ulterior motive for being there: gaining access to his classmate’s sister， Julia （Colonel Dent's daughter）， who he hopes to make his wife。 Grant already is distinguishable by his fair treatment of slaves and hired help， and he makes it clear that he sees no value in the cruel ownership of humans， regardless of their skin color。 Although he butts heads with Colonel Dent over this perspective， he eventually marries Julia and constructs a cabin for them on his father-in-law's property， the aptly named Hardscrabble， where they will begin their life together as a couple。In the coming years， unrest over the topic of slavery grows， and the nation enters a civil war in which Grant swiftly rises to the role of general for the Union。 He continues to treat all men equally， but even so， he remains unmoved by the topic of abolition and is far more focused on the goal of reuniting his beloved country。 It is only after yet another vitriolic conversation with his hateful father-in-law that Grant chooses fully the side of abolition， though not for the reasons you may expect from the man who effectively won the Civil War。 His interest in siding with abolitionists is not moral but tactical。 A fine planner with a keen understanding of democracy and the economy， he sees that without slavery， the South will crumble and will be effectively forced back into a reunion with the rest of the country。But as the war ends and Black men and women are freed， Grant sees that he was too lenient with his beliefs， too trusting that the slave owners of the South would not just comply with the North but absorb their morals as well。 He starts to lament how he treated Robert E。 Lee at his surrender， whom he famously let go without so much as a trial。 It is this and other similar woes that plague Grant at the end of his life， but it is also his changing opinions throughout a life lived through war， prosperity and tragedy that make this portrait so affecting and convincing。 In presenting Grant exactly as he was --- flawed， shortsighted and occasionally flat-out wrong --- Clinch proves that he was as heroic as promised， but also as contradictory as any regular human who is not heralded as a titan of history。Paired with Clinch’s elegant， assured prose， the result is dazzlingly good， evocatively crafted and emotionally resonant。 Perfect for lovers of American history and historical fiction fans alike， THE GENERAL AND JULIA is yet another fine addition to the genre from a writer who gets better with each book。 I cannot wait to see which historical figure Clinch profiles next。Reviewed by Rebecca Munro 。。。more
Robin Beard
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I LOVED THIS BOOK！ THE GENERAL AND JULIA is a beautifully written book that looks at Ulysses S。 Grant as a General and as a President but mainly as a husband， a father， and a man of integrity。 I learned quite a bit and have a new respect for General/President Grant， his family， and those who cared for him。Highly recommend！！
PH
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Dnf。
Michelle Wilson
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The General and Julia is a fascinating historical fiction novel detailing the adult life of Ulysses S Grant as he lay dying while trying to complete his memoirs in order to not leave his family in financial ruin。 I thought the author did a great job of showing Grant as he likely was， both very good， yet deeply flawed。 His wife， Julia， is important to the story; however， I didn’t think the title was especially fitting as the focus isn’t really on her or even their relationship。 Thanks to Netgalle The General and Julia is a fascinating historical fiction novel detailing the adult life of Ulysses S Grant as he lay dying while trying to complete his memoirs in order to not leave his family in financial ruin。 I thought the author did a great job of showing Grant as he likely was， both very good， yet deeply flawed。 His wife， Julia， is important to the story; however， I didn’t think the title was especially fitting as the focus isn’t really on her or even their relationship。 Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for this ARC。 。。。more
Pam Masters
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I want to thank Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The General and Julia。 All opinions presented here are solely mine。CW/TW: war， cancer， death， racismThe General and Julia grabbed my attention due to who one of the main characters is。 Why？ Because I am always open to learning more about the American Civil War。 Between growing up in the Heart of the Confederacy and having several ancestors who fought in the war， it is something that has always grabbed me。Wi I want to thank Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The General and Julia。 All opinions presented here are solely mine。CW/TW: war， cancer， death， racismThe General and Julia grabbed my attention due to who one of the main characters is。 Why？ Because I am always open to learning more about the American Civil War。 Between growing up in the Heart of the Confederacy and having several ancestors who fought in the war， it is something that has always grabbed me。With my love of the history around the Civil War， my favorite parts of the book revolved around that time。 While I did know some about some of the events， it is always great to learn more or see things from a slightly different angle。The General and Julia is a relatively short book; it comes in under 300 pages but covers an extensive period of time。 Chapter one is where readers meet Grant in the year 1843。 Chapter 21 is where the readers say goodbye to Grant in 1885。 No， that isn’t a spoiler; that is just a fact。 Every chapter in between takes readers through Grant’s life over those 42 years。Each chapter is told in two parts。 The first part takes you to the time and place mentioned at the beginning of the chapter。 The second part takes you to the remote cabin in the Adirondacks where the Grant family has gathered out of the public eye while the General writes his memoirs。Most of the book is written as though readers were shadowing Grant himself through life。 But there are a couple that give you a view into the minds of those on the other side of the story。Not all books with real-life protagonists， especially well-known ones， are easy reads。 But this book is an exception to that rule。Who would I recommend read The General and Julia？ Easy， those who enjoy reading books based on actual historical events！ 。。。more
Kathleen Hinchman
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This might be my favorite Clinch novel。 As with all his writing， this novel was extraordinarily well written （e。g。， word selection， sentence construction， narrative structure）。 This rendering demonstrated extraordinary empathy toward most characters' perspectives。 Much is known about many of these individuals， but their humanity is far more evident in this fictionalized account than in most others。 This might be my favorite Clinch novel。 As with all his writing， this novel was extraordinarily well written （e。g。， word selection， sentence construction， narrative structure）。 This rendering demonstrated extraordinary empathy toward most characters' perspectives。 Much is known about many of these individuals， but their humanity is far more evident in this fictionalized account than in most others。 。。。more
The History Mom
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This was my most anticipated book releasing in the fall and it did not disappoint！ A beautifully written， searing look at the life of Ulysses S。 Grant， The General and Julia by Jon Clinch will be one of my favorite books of the year。 A literary take on historical fiction， this novel weaves through time to look at Grant’s life as a young husband， military general， president， and dying man writing his memoir to save his family from ruin。 Clinch does a masterful job at structuring the story in a wa This was my most anticipated book releasing in the fall and it did not disappoint！ A beautifully written， searing look at the life of Ulysses S。 Grant， The General and Julia by Jon Clinch will be one of my favorite books of the year。 A literary take on historical fiction， this novel weaves through time to look at Grant’s life as a young husband， military general， president， and dying man writing his memoir to save his family from ruin。 Clinch does a masterful job at structuring the story in a way that’s easy to follow even with all of the time jumps。 I was familiar with the basic story of his life， but reading Clinch’s lyrical prose was illuminating and mesmerizing。 Even with its slow pace and beautiful language， I read the book in a day。 It’s engrossing and a must read for any historical fiction fan who wants to learn about a little known time in American history。Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC。 。。。more
Sunnie
，
At first glance， The General and Julia” by Jon Clinch seemed much like any other book of its ilk。 However， by the end I had gained a new appreciation for both General （President） Grant and his beloved wife Julia， their deep and abiding devotion to each other， and the tremendous difficulties suffered by them in the latter portion of his life。 Grant felt that Julia was always with him even when they were separated by war。 The tale within a tale about the uniforms worn by Generals Grant and Lee at At first glance， The General and Julia” by Jon Clinch seemed much like any other book of its ilk。 However， by the end I had gained a new appreciation for both General （President） Grant and his beloved wife Julia， their deep and abiding devotion to each other， and the tremendous difficulties suffered by them in the latter portion of his life。 Grant felt that Julia was always with him even when they were separated by war。 The tale within a tale about the uniforms worn by Generals Grant and Lee at the surrender certainly held great fascination and significance to me。 As I turned the final page I truly felt that I had a much better understanding of the Civil War， the way a good man lives his best life， and the way that the love a good woman brings to her husband can cause him to rise or fall。 A solid 4。75 stars for this ARC provided to me by the publisher， Atria Books， for my unbiased review。 Recommended for history buffs of all ages。 。。。more
Stephanie
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John Clinch delivers an immersive portrait of Ulysses S。 Grant， the savior of the Union and a twice-elected President。 Clinch presents Grant in moving snapshots that span his life and reveal a thoughtful man of deep integrity who spurns the limelight and is devoted to his wife， Julia， and their four children。 Clinch glosses over Grant’s triumph in battle and his presidency， focusing instead on Grant’s interior life。 We meet Grant as a young soldier in 1843 as he courts Julia Dent whose father ow John Clinch delivers an immersive portrait of Ulysses S。 Grant， the savior of the Union and a twice-elected President。 Clinch presents Grant in moving snapshots that span his life and reveal a thoughtful man of deep integrity who spurns the limelight and is devoted to his wife， Julia， and their four children。 Clinch glosses over Grant’s triumph in battle and his presidency， focusing instead on Grant’s interior life。 We meet Grant as a young soldier in 1843 as he courts Julia Dent whose father owns a rich tract of Missouri farmland maintained by “the ceaseless toil” of thirty-six slaves。 It is Grant’s future father-in-law who informs his understanding of how tied the men in the Confederacy were to a practice that many of their countrymen found intolerable: “How disastrous the loss of compelled labor would be to him and to his possessions and to his very way of life。” After he quit the army， Grant worked the property that he and Julia purchased that they called “Hardscrabble” and Grant peddled firewood to stay afloat， having to put gifts for his young family on lay-away。 Despite living in Missouri for several years， “to a young man raised in Ohio according to his father’s abolitionist principles， [slavery] is a puzzle at best and an error in management at worst。”Clinch dedicates several chapters to vignettes of Grant’s military career， including his meeting with Alexander Stephens， the vice president of the Confederacy who found it hypocritical that Julia Grant traveled with a slave， Jules， who was Julia’s father’s “property” and who tended to the Grant children （until she ultimately ran off shortly after Emancipation）。 Another portrait focuses on a tailor in Richmond who was charged with preparing a uniform for General Lee which signaled to the tailor that “Lee is fixing to make fast a Confederate victory， and he means to look the part on the occasion of Grant’s surrender。” It is Lee， however， who surrendered at Appomattox and the tailor’s bill goes unpaid and unacknowledged。 In later years， Grant wrestled with whether he was too forgiving of Lee， but he resolved that it was appropriate that he forgave the confederate soldiers without condition。When Grant was persuaded to run for President， he was required to surrender his commission and his claim to a pension。 After his term， he enjoyed some financial prosperity until a Gilded Age Bernie Madoff， who traded on Grant’s celebrity， fleeced Grant， his family members， and his friends， altering the trajectory of his life: “It made his younger self — boy and man， farmer and soldier， general and president — into a person who would one day lose everything — wealth， reputation， health， self-respect。”His precarious financial condition caused Grant to pen his memoirs despite the fact that he was barely able to walk and debilitated by throat cancer （his cigar habit is explained in another chapter of the novel） as his family had two possible destinies — “comfort if he succeeds in his work， woe if he fails。” Clinch has masterfully succeeded in creating an emotional study of Ulysses S。 Grant in 21 gripping chapters that focus on crucial moments of his life but do not get mired in battle scenes or politics。 Clinch has crafted a moving and empathetic portrait of a towering American hero。 This is historical fiction at its best。 Thank you Atria and Net Galley for providing me with an advanced copy of a book that I will highly recommend。 。。。more
Melissa Crytzer Fry
，
It’s true that I’ve watched all the documentaries about the Civil War by Ken Burns， and the History Channel specials about Ulysses S。 Grant。 I’ve also read and loved Jon Clinch’s fiction （Kings of the Earth， Marley）。 Naturally， I had to request an early copy （thanks Atria and NetGalley）。I adored this book for so many reasons – and mostly because Clinch managed to plunk me down in a chair as if I were right next to Ulysses S。 Grant。 Many times， he placed me firmly inside the great General/Preside It’s true that I’ve watched all the documentaries about the Civil War by Ken Burns， and the History Channel specials about Ulysses S。 Grant。 I’ve also read and loved Jon Clinch’s fiction （Kings of the Earth， Marley）。 Naturally， I had to request an early copy （thanks Atria and NetGalley）。I adored this book for so many reasons – and mostly because Clinch managed to plunk me down in a chair as if I were right next to Ulysses S。 Grant。 Many times， he placed me firmly inside the great General/President’s head。I admit， this novel got me in the old squirters。 There was crying， yes， even though Grant has been dead for 138 years – and I knew the book would end with his death。 But Clinch painted such a vivid picture of the funeral procession and the nation’s grief that I crumbled。 Phew。 I questioned why I was so emotionally touched。 Again: because Clinch allowed me to feel this man’s heart and soul， to experience his valiant personal-life battles。 I was also grieving for the nation， then。 I think I was grieving for the nation， now， realizing， with profound sadness， that ‘great men’ like this seem no longer to exist in our political realm。 Let’s be clear: this book isn’t a dry， historic battle account。 It’s a story of the man’s personal life and his relationship with his wife， his relationships with those around him。 What’s more， Clinch doesn’t paint Grant as a man of perfection。 He paints the ugly realities of war and does not romanticize the suffering of both sides - the loss of so much。 He draws attention to the hypocrisy of his wife’s black servant。 He draws attention to the freeing of slaves as a political vehicle during the war。 He draws attention to Grant’s （and Lincoln’s） consideration of Santo Domingo as an island to “send” freed slaves to。 In the end， though， Clinch shows Grant’s great suffering and regret at these choices （I assume Grant’s true memoir addresses those beliefs as genuine）。One of the most memorable scenes for me is when Robert E。 Lee shows up for his surrender。 The humility and kindness and respect in that scene （and Lee’s point-of-view） sent chills up my spine。 And the love。 So much love in this book: Grant’s love of his family， of fellow soldiers on both Union and Confederate sides; love of soldiers and citizens for Grant; love of colleagues for Grant; love of country。It is a great reminder of the galvanizing impact great leaders can have。 I am not an overly political person， but this book will make you wonder: will we find another Grant？ Can we afford not to？ I was wholly moved by this beautiful fictional account。 And， as usual， Clinch’s writing is sublime。 This scene depicting men who’d secretly learned of Grant’s passage aboard a train， and Grant looking out the window， also did me in: …the firelight illuminates his features from without， and a roar goes up from beyond the glass。 The men along the tracks are soldiers。 He sees that now。 Some are in uniform and some are in partial uniform and some are not in uniform at all， but they are soldiers every one。 Union soldiers。 His soldiers。 … By God， he thinks， they’ve lighted the tracks all the way to Nashville。Clinch is a beautiful writer and he handled the nineteenth-century vernacular authentically and with ease。 The third omniscient point of view was spectacular… Here， Julia’s servant Jule， consideris life outside of slavery: The cabin seems to her a soap bubble in the wind， an egg in the ocean， some small and fragile thing afloat within a limitless and powerful one。 Hats off to Clinch who brought a man of legendary status to life。 I felt as though I knew Grant personally。 Clinch made this legend accessible， flawed … human。 。。。more
Idril Celebrindal
，
UM。 UM。 UM。
Judy
，
Fast reading
Firetruckmama
，
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher， for which I thank them。 “The General and Julia” is a historical fiction book by Jon Clinch。 This book is mainly about US Grant， focusing a bit on his war days， presidency， but also his failures （of which he had a number）。 This book is told in two storylines - one in the past （with years listed） and one in the present （chapters entitled Forty Days and Forty Nights）。 In the past， the stories are snippets of memories。 I thought that I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher， for which I thank them。 “The General and Julia” is a historical fiction book by Jon Clinch。 This book is mainly about US Grant， focusing a bit on his war days， presidency， but also his failures （of which he had a number）。 This book is told in two storylines - one in the past （with years listed） and one in the present （chapters entitled Forty Days and Forty Nights）。 In the past， the stories are snippets of memories。 I thought that the idea of this book was a rather interesting one - a man looking back over his life， hoping to preserve his life story which will provide financial support for his wife and family。 I found myself wishing that this book had more of a linear flow - as time does bounce around a bit （as we all do when thinking about the past， but it makes for difficult reading at times）。 Since I knew so little about US Grant， I found this book historically interesting。 I would recommend this book to some interested in the US Civil War/War Between the States， Reconstruction， or wanting to know more about US Grant。 。。。more
Preeti Mahatme
，
A sneak peek into some major events in the life of Ulysses S Grant， hero of the American Civil War and US President。 The novel touches upon his devoted relationship to his wife Julia， some important moments from the Civil war， the great deception which led to his financial ruin and how he struggled to write his memoirs so as to provide his family with financial security after his passing。 The novel is written in a series of flashbacks and left me curious enough to read a more detailed biography A sneak peek into some major events in the life of Ulysses S Grant， hero of the American Civil War and US President。 The novel touches upon his devoted relationship to his wife Julia， some important moments from the Civil war， the great deception which led to his financial ruin and how he struggled to write his memoirs so as to provide his family with financial security after his passing。 The novel is written in a series of flashbacks and left me curious enough to read a more detailed biography of President Grant。Thank you Netgalley， Atria Books and Jon Clinch for the ARC 。。。more
Jayne
，
I possessed limited knowledge about Ulysses S。 Grant's life， mainly recognizing his prominent roles as the Union army's general and President。 However， this book endeavors to unveil the true essence of the man behind the titles。 It unfolds as a series of flashbacks as Grant， on his deathbed， composes his final memoirs。 In this intimate narrative， we gain a profound glimpse into his character and the life he shared with his wife， Julia。 Grant emerges as a fundamentally uncomplicated man with a st I possessed limited knowledge about Ulysses S。 Grant's life， mainly recognizing his prominent roles as the Union army's general and President。 However， this book endeavors to unveil the true essence of the man behind the titles。 It unfolds as a series of flashbacks as Grant， on his deathbed， composes his final memoirs。 In this intimate narrative， we gain a profound glimpse into his character and the life he shared with his wife， Julia。 Grant emerges as a fundamentally uncomplicated man with a steadfast moral compass but never strident。 The dynamic between Grant and his father-in-law is a compelling and well-drawn aspect of the story。 Yet， I found myself wishing for a deeper exploration of Julia and Jule's relationship。 The book stands out for its ability to present a well-rounded portrait of its characters， highlighting both their strengths and shortcomings。 The prose is masterful， and I could have eagerly consumed another hundred pages。 As much as I enjoyed the book， I left feeling unsatisfied。 I wanted to understand more about this fascinating man。 Many thanks to Atria and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy。 。。。more
LAErin
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4。5 stars … a terrific read
Beth SHULAM
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Very well written prose， however I can’t get into these fictional rendering of history。 Case of it’s me not the book。 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC。
Susan
，
I received a netgalley copy of this excellent book。 Hope it is well received when it's published in November。 I found it fascinating。 Highly recommend。 I received a netgalley copy of this excellent book。 Hope it is well received when it's published in November。 I found it fascinating。 Highly recommend。 。。。more
Julie Wakley
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I have read other books about General Grant， but this one was very different。 It concentrated mostly on his relationship with Julia， his financial troubles and how they happened， and his race to write his memoirs before he died of throat cancer。 Very moving story about a great man who helped save a nation。
Leslie Hagel
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Jon Clinch has written a story of Ulysses S。 Grant’s final days。 While writing his memoir， Grant relives historical battles， wartime strategies， the presidency years and his family life。 Clinch provides a unique format and an insightful look into this famous general’s reconciliation with his past behavior and decisions。 Grant decides to write his memoirs hoping that this final project will help financially support his family when he’s gone。 Rapidly declining health due to throat cancer forces Gr Jon Clinch has written a story of Ulysses S。 Grant’s final days。 While writing his memoir， Grant relives historical battles， wartime strategies， the presidency years and his family life。 Clinch provides a unique format and an insightful look into this famous general’s reconciliation with his past behavior and decisions。 Grant decides to write his memoirs hoping that this final project will help financially support his family when he’s gone。 Rapidly declining health due to throat cancer forces Grant to communicate only through his writing。 Fighting through his pain and the haze of medications， Grant is forced to look back on his choices and analyze his decisions。 Known as a tough war hero and for a presidency that supported civil rights， Clinch’s The General and Julia offers a unique depth into this historic figure。 。。。more
Philip
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Good solid historical fiction about the life of Ulysses Grant。 Traveling back and forth in time from his days as a General to his life after the Presidency to his final days finishing his memoirs。
Jeffrey
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I thoroughly enjoyed this ARC from Atria Books。 It is well written。 I feel like I was able to really learn exactly who this man was。 He was revered by many people from both sides of the war and from people of all walks of life as well as people from around the world。 His great accomplishments as well as his weakness are fully displayed。 His weakness being his trust in people。 But is that a weakness of his or more of a misjudging of people。 Look at me， I’m making excuses for him because he seeme I thoroughly enjoyed this ARC from Atria Books。 It is well written。 I feel like I was able to really learn exactly who this man was。 He was revered by many people from both sides of the war and from people of all walks of life as well as people from around the world。 His great accomplishments as well as his weakness are fully displayed。 His weakness being his trust in people。 But is that a weakness of his or more of a misjudging of people。 Look at me， I’m making excuses for him because he seemed like such a good guy。 The relationship he had with Julia shows how he was the same man at home as he appeared to be to the world。 A good man making this a good read！ 。。。more
Mikaela Nabity
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A moving historical fiction that surprisingly does not dwell on war despite the central figure's celebrity as a general for the Civil War。 It humanizes this Ulysses S。 Grant by focusing on his relationships and later mistakes that he takes great pains to correct。 A moving historical fiction that surprisingly does not dwell on war despite the central figure's celebrity as a general for the Civil War。 It humanizes this Ulysses S。 Grant by focusing on his relationships and later mistakes that he takes great pains to correct。 。。。more
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new general studies julian tanner novel fergus