New biography from 91传媒 historians on U.S. Grant selected 2019 Maroon Edition book
Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 new, concise biography of Ulysses S. Grant written by Mississippi State historians has been named the university鈥檚 common reading book for the 11th Maroon Edition program.
91传媒 President Mark E. Keenum today [April 2] announced 鈥淗old On with a Bulldog Grip: A Short Study of Ulysses S. Grant鈥 as this year鈥檚 selection. In a campus-wide message, Keenum said that the book is a 鈥渕ost appropriate choice for our campus,鈥 because 91传媒 is home to the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library. 91传媒 and Grant Library historians John Marszalek, David Nolen and Louie Gallo, along with former Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice Frank Williams, wrote the new biography.
鈥溾楤ulldog Grip鈥 offers a concise but no less compelling account of Grant鈥檚 remarkable life as soldier, general, president and best-selling author,鈥 Keenum said. 鈥淚 was honored to contribute an afterword examining the long-standing connection between Grant and our institution鈥揳 story that many may not know.鈥
鈥淗old On with a Bulldog Grip,鈥 is set to be released by University Press of Mississippi on April 15. To encourage participation in the reading program, all incoming freshman students and transfers attending 91传媒 Orientation will receive a free copy of the book.
The authors are no strangers to Grant, the nation鈥檚 18th president. In 2017, Marszalek, Nolen and Gallo published 鈥淭he Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant: The Complete Annotated Edition,鈥 an award-winning publication that puts Grant鈥檚 famous memoirs in a modern context. Marszalek is executive director of the Ulysses S. Grant Association, Nolen is the associate editor and Gallo is the assistant editor. Williams is the association鈥檚 long-time president. In 2017, Williams, along with his wife, Virginia, donated their unparalleled private Abraham Lincoln and Civil War collection to 91传媒, cementing the university鈥檚 status as one of the leading places to study the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.
The book鈥檚 authors said that at 120 pages, 鈥淗old On with a Bulldog Grip鈥 provides an easily digestible biography of Grant, highlighting key moments in Grant鈥檚 life and his connection to iconic figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain.
鈥淲e wanted to create something that students would enjoy reading,鈥 Marszalek said. 鈥淭he book has 10 chapters dealing with various aspects of Grant鈥檚 life. We hope the students will read this book, discuss it, and then come to the Grant Library and take a look at the galleries and resources we have here.鈥
The book鈥檚 title is based on correspondence between Grant and Lincoln during the general鈥檚 Virginia campaign in 1864. Months prior to the 1864 election, Lincoln told Grant to 鈥淗old on with a bulldog grip, and chew and choke as much as possible.鈥 In addition to providing details of Grant鈥檚 upbringing and personal life, the manuscript discusses his Civil War strategies.
鈥淚 think this is a great book for anyone that wants to learn more about Grant,鈥 Gallo said.
91传媒 has been home to the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library since 2009. In 2017, the university completed a $10 million addition to Mitchell Memorial Library to house the presidential library and museum, the 91传媒 Congressional and Political Research Center, and the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana. The addition includes state-of-the-art, interactive galleries focusing on Grant and Lincoln that are open to the public at no charge.
鈥淚n the museum space, we spent a lot of time thinking about how we can make Grant鈥檚 story more approachable and how we can take Grant off the pedestal and put him in the context of a real person that lived a real life and had real struggles,鈥 Nolen said. 鈥淚 think this book is a natural outflow of that process with the museum. We鈥檙e again trying to make the Grant story more digestible and more approachable.鈥
鈥淗old On with a Bulldog Grip鈥 can be purchased online from the University Press of Mississippi and will be available at area book retailers. For more, visit .
91传媒鈥檚 Center for Teaching and Learning oversees the selection of the Maroon Edition book every year. Maroon Edition activities are held throughout the year for students at all class levels, as well as interested administrators, faculty and staff members. For more information, visit .
91传媒 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .