Another disappointing week with another Chiefs loss against the Buffalo Bills. Nevertheless, they will make it into the playoffs and improve. I am excited to watch the Liberty Flames play the Oregon Ducks in the coming weeks. I know the Ducks are favored to win, but I hope it is at least competitive.
This past week, I received my diploma for my doctorate degree. It was very emotional to finally receive a physical item for this year’s past work. When I pulled out my diploma, I thought of my grandfather because he received his dissertation many decades ago. I am sure he felt those same emotions. I worked eight or nine-hour days and would come home only to work on my dissertation. It took so much time away from my wonderful wife and family. I am incredibly grateful for their patience and love. I could not have completed my dissertation without their support.
I finally began a new series of books that talk much more about the American Civil War and Ulysses Grant. Josiah Bunting III wrote one of these books, Ulysses S. Grant. His work is relatively brief but wonderfully explains certain events in his life in just a few words. I was initially hesitant to buy The American Civil War and the Origins of Modern Warfare because of my reluctance to accept that there was anything “modern” about the American Civil War. Nonetheless, it has expanded upon Grant’s decision-making when faced with entrenchments and poor weather, leading me to think differently about Grant’s generalship. Finally, Decided on the Battlefield is an excellent account of the relationships between Lincoln, Grant, and Sherman in the very taxing election year of 1864. His first book, Battle of Wills, was one of the better works on the Overland Campaign.
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Question of the Week: What event, book, person, place, or item got you interested in history?
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