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Recall that the Union General Ulysses S. Grant, who won the Civil War, was elected president in 1868, at the age of only 46 (one of the youngest presidents ever elected).  He served two full terms and then retired, following the example set by President (and General) George Washington.  But this left Grant with nothing to do at the age of only 54.

Recall that the Union General Ulysses S. Grant, who won the Civil War, was elected president in 1868, at the age of only 46 (one of the youngest presidents ever elected).  He served two full terms and then retired, following the example set by President (and General) George Washington.  But this left Grant with nothing to do at the age of only 54.

Less than ten years later, Grant was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer.  He knew he would not live much longer.  But he was bankrupt, having lost his fortune in unsuccessful investment company, and his beloved wife was to live another 17 years after Grant died.

Less than ten years later, Grant was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer.  He knew he would not live much longer.  But he was bankrupt, having lost his fortune in an unsuccessful investment company, and his beloved wife Julia was to live another 17 years after Grant died.

To try to earn some money that his wife could live on after Grant died, he began to work as fast as he could to write his memoirs (autobiography).  Grant did not know how many more days he had to live, so he worked as hard as he could, despite being in poor health.  His memoirs was a first-person account of his childhood, education, participation in the Mexican War, and especially his experiences as a Union General during the great Civil War battles (except for Gettysburg - Grant was at Vicksburg then).  Grant completed his memoirs only a short time before he died in 1885.

In an attempt to earn some money for his wife to live on after Grant died, he began to work as fast as he could to write his memoirs (autobiography).  Grant did not know how many more days he had to live, so he worked as hard as he could, despite being in poor health.  His memoirs were a first-person account of his childhood, education, participation in the Mexican War, and especially his experiences as a Union General during the great Civil War battles (except for Gettysburg - Grant was at Vicksburg then).  Grant completed his memoirs only a short time before he died in 1885.

It was a masterpiece, considered by many to be the greatest work of American non-fiction ever written.  Mark Twain, himself one of the greatest American writers, called Grant's memoirs the finest "of any general's since Caesar."  Edmund Wilson, a 20th century American writer, praised the memoirs by observing that the "reader finds himself ... on edge to know how the Civil War is coming out."  Sales of the book generated a fortune of $450,000 for Grant's wife, which (due to inflation) is equivalent to more than $10 million today.

Grant's memoirs were a masterpiece, considered by many to be the finest works of American non-fiction ever written.  Mark Twain, himself one of the greatest American writers, called Grant's memoirs the best "of any general's since Caesar."  Edmund Wilson, a prominent 20th century American writer, praised Grant's memoirs by observing that the "reader finds himself ... on edge to know how the Civil War is coming out."  Sales of the book generated a fortune of $450,000 for Grant's wife, which (due to inflation) was equivalent to more than $10 million in today's dollars.

Grant's memoirs are freely available on the internet today for your enjoyment and learning, at the Gutenberg website, in a free, easy-to-download pdf format.<ref>http://www.gutenberg.org/files/4367/4367-pdf/4367-pdf.pdf</ref>  Grant's first words to begin his book are, "'Man proposes and God disposes.' There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice."  Enjoy skimming or reading it, and your homework assignment this week can be based on your review of this important book.  (If you download the pdf, then you can search (by holding the control key down and hitting the "f" key) for terms in the book, such as "Appomattox".

Grant's memoirs are now freely available on the internet for your own enjoyment and learning, at the Gutenberg website, in an easy-to-download pdf format.<ref>http://www.gutenberg.org/files/4367/4367-pdf/4367-pdf.pdf</ref>  Grant's first words to begin his book are, "'Man proposes and God disposes.' There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice."  Enjoy skimming or reading this important book, and your homework assignment this week can be based on your thoughts about it.  (If you download the pdf, then you can search (by holding the control key down and hitting the "f" key) for terms in the book, such as "Appomattox".

== Yankee Ingenuity ==

== Yankee Ingenuity ==