C-SPAN: Biographers of Ulysses S. Grant

In 2001 the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College held a week-long seminar on Ulysses S. Grant.  The following discussion, which took place on the afternoon of the first day of the seminar, featured James M. McPherson moderating a panel of four historians/biographers:  Geoffrey Perret, author of a 1997 biography; the late John Y. Simon, who edited The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant; Jean Edward Smith, author of a 2001 biography of Grant; and some other guy who used to have hair.

It was an interesting week for many reasons.  That afternoon was hot, and I had changed clothes to appear less formal (and so I would not feel the heat).  The panel was rather awkwardly placed behind a lab table, a piece of classroom furniture that is useful only when it comes to returning exams.  I also wish that Bill McFeely had been in attendance as a speaker, but that was not my decision.  The week concentrated on Grant as a Civil War general, foregoing the opportunity to talk about his post-1865 career, something I would not have done.

Enjoy.

Library of America Interview

As part of the publicity surrounding the Library of America’s publication of the first of four volumes covering the Civil War, I was interviewed by a representative of the publisher.  The Library of America’s blog, which excerpts part of the interview, can be found here: the entire interview is here (in PDF form).