A short history of the Civil War presented through the career of Grant. Readers who want to learn about the military aspects of the war in a concise way will eenjoy this well-written book.

I have an interest in Maj-Gen. Henry W. Halleck, a native of my home town so I am always curious about how historians view him. Halleck was Grant's superior until 1864 when he became his subordinate after Grant became general in chief of all the union armies. Many historians have treated Halleck superficially, and unfairly, focusing on his flaws while ignoring the positive contributions he made to the war effort. This author gives a balanced view of Halleck that is satisfying to read.

The author explains cogently how Grant's strategy of simultaneous, coordinated engagement of all the union armies and his focus on destroying the confederate's military capacity to continue the war was, as obvious as it seems to us now, at the time a breakthrough in strategic thinking that resulted in the inevitability of union victory. ( )