The Man Who Saved the Union: A Q&A with Author H.W. Brands

Pulitzer Prize nominee H.W. Brands’ latest book, The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace, is a masterful biography of the Civil War general and two-term president who saved the Union twice, on the battlefield and in the White House, holding the country together at two critical turning points in our history. Brands is also the author of Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin.

Thanks Mr. Brands for taking time from your busy schedule to answer a few questions.

 

Q. Why did you write The Man Who Saved the Union?

A. I wanted to tell the story of how the Union almost fell apart in the early 1860s and how it was put back together after the Civil War. I also wanted to tell the story of an important American who came to fame for being a soldier. Grant fit my needs on both scores.

A Review of Two Must Read Books for All Parents and Educators

For twenty-five years Jonathan Kozol has followed the lives of many inner-city children and documented their struggles, tragedies and successes in his new book Fire in the Ashes: Twenty-Five Years Among the Poorest Children in America. These are children who live in horrid condition and are placed in disadvantaged educational institutions. The most disturbing part of these stories is that these kids have grown up in the United States.

Meanwhile, conventional wisdom believes that cognitive development and stimulation in children, especially before school age, is the major factor in determining their future educational success. In How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, author Paul Tough has challenged these thoughts and provides awareness of the important role that character plays in the development of children.

Both of these books provide valuable lessons and insight into actions we need to take to ensure all children are able to reach the full potential of their natural abilities.