A Disposition to Be Rich: How a Small-Town Pastor's Son Ruined an American President, Brought on a Wall Street Crash, and Made Himself the Best-Hated Man in the United States

From modest beginnings as a minister's son in small-town America, Ferdinand Ward transforms himself into Wall Street's most celebrated financial wizard during the opulent Gilded Age. His meteoric ascent leads him to become business partners with former President Ulysses S. Grant, earning acclaim as the "Young Napoleon of Finance." Yet beneath the glittering surface of mansions, racehorses, and society connections lies an elaborate web of deception. Geoffrey C. Ward, drawing from previously unexplored family archives, chronicles his great-grandfather's breathtaking journey from religious roots to the pinnacle of American finance, where charm and ruthless ambition collide with devastating consequences for the nation's economy and political establishment.

Robertson Dean's commanding narration elevates this tale of financial skulduggery into a riveting audio experience. His authoritative delivery captures both the grandeur of Gilded Age excess and the chilling calculation behind Ward's schemes, while maintaining the historical gravitas necessary for such weighty material. Dean's pacing allows listeners to fully absorb the intricate financial machinations and political ramifications without losing momentum. The audio format proves particularly effective for this densely researched biography, as Dean's skilled interpretation helps illuminate the complex relationships and elaborate cons that defined one of America's most spectacular downfalls.