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This biography was written by two-time Pulitzer winner Marquis James in 1948, but was never published. W.R. Grace's son commissioned James to write it when the author was at the height of his career. However, as Viking Press was about to print the book, the Grace company decided not to release it. It then lay in the firm's archives until it was uncovered by Lawrence Clayton of the University of Alabama.

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Publishers Weekly Review

This splendid biography of William R. Grace (1832-1904) tells the story of a poor Irish immigrant who created an international empire. Although originally scheduled to appear in 1948 and commissioned by Grace's son, Joseph, the book, written by Pulitzer Prize- winner James, was withheld from publication by W. R. Grace executives who believed that the manuscript depicted the firm unfavorably. University of Alabama history professor Clayton discovered the galleys in a Manhattan warehouse while researching a history of the corporation. In a tale rich with details of Grace's maritime and political ventures as well as his personal life, James, who died in 1955, chronicles an extraordinarily varied career. Grace opened up commerce with South America, where he made his first fortune trading guano, then dealt in everything from lumber and sewing machines to torpedoes for the 1879 war between Peru and Chile. A reform Democrat, he twice served as mayor of New York City during the 1880s and remained active in both business and politics right up to his death. ( Sept. ) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Booklist Review

Merchant Adventurer, a rousing chronicle of the life and times of business magnate William Russell Grace, was initially scheduled for publication in 1948. Though it was commissioned by Grace's son and authored by Marquis James, the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Sam Houston and Andrew Jackson, executive officers representing W. R. Grace & Company successfully lobbied against its release. The manuscript surfaced decades later during the course of research conducted by Professor Lawrence Clayton. Now Clayton presents the narrative in its original form and offers a new introduction, providing additional details about both the author and his fascinating subject. W. R. Grace (1832-1904), an Irish immigrant, arrived in the U.S. at the age of 14. Over the next 50 years, Grace established a shipping and trading empire, amassed a huge fortune, and was twice elected to the office of mayor of New York City. Though contemporary readers may find James' spirited style a bit dated, the appeal of this rags-to-riches saga is timeless. ~--Margaret Flanagan