Famous for his military acumen and for his part in saving the Union during the American Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant also remains known for his two-volume memoirs. Grant's other writings, however, have not received the same acclaim. John F. Marszalek presents excerpts from Grant's most insightful and skillfully composed writings and provides perspective through introductory comments tying each piece to the next.

John F. Marszalek is a Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History at Mississippi State University, the executive director of the Ulysses S. Grant Association's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, Mississippi State University, and the editor of The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant. He is the author or editor of sixteen books, including Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order.