The following is the first of a weekly, premium column by The Wolfpacker editor Matt Carter.

Since childhood, I have probably had an irrational passion towards sports, more so for collegiate athletics than the pros.

But that’s not my only interest in life.

Those who know me well, or our podcast listeners, will attest to my interest in reading presidential biographies. A few years ago, I set on a mission to read a biography on each president. When I'm in the mood to read, I’ll pick one up, sometimes with stops and starts in in the process.

There’s no rhyme or reason behind the methodology of which president I will read about. I just use a random number generator on Google, and that’s the next one on my list. If I have read one before, I’ll re-generate a number until I reach one I have not read yet. I figure once I finish the biography on all 45, I’ll go back through for a second round to test my memory and recollection.

The only break in that routine is if I find a biography on discount at a store or if I get one for a gift, like this past Christmas when my wife of soon-to-be 10 years gave me a pair: a James Garfield-biopic called “Destiny of the Republic” by Candice Millard and A. Scott Berg’s “Wilson” on Woodrow Wilson.

The former was terrific and an easy read. The latter is a lengthy piece I am working through now, and the timing is perfect.

Wilson was the president from 1913-21. Just over 100 years have passed since the last time this country faced a pandemic as serious as the current COVID-19 outbreak. It was known as the Spanish flu of 1918, and Wilson was in the White House.