My article this week at Return Of Kings focuses on the little-known but inspiring story of Ulysses S. Grant’s race against the Reaper to complete his memoirs.  I became familiar with the story after listening to the audiobook Grant’s Final Victory by Charles B. Flood, which outlines the drama in detail.

Grant left the presidency in 1876 with little in the way of wealth, but his financial fortune took a catastrophic turn when the investment banking firm (of which he was a partner) imploded in an avalanche of fraud.  Grant was not involved in these matters, but nonetheless lost everything.  Worse still, he was soon diagnosed with terminal cancer.  He was faced with the grim prospect of doing one last deed to restore his family’s fortunes before he passed away.

Our studies of history and character here are meant to serve two purposes:  to entertain, and to provide a source of instruction about what qualities of character are needed in adversity.

You can read the rest of the story here.