Historian Stephen Ambrose Diagnosed With Lung Cancer

The Associated Press ^ | Published: May 1, 2002 | The Associated Press

[BigBlueJon]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Historian Stephen Ambrose has been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Ambrose, 65, a longtime smoker, learned of his illness Friday and said he will discuss treatment options with doctors soon.

"I have spent a good part of my career studying men and women who faced uncertainty about the future," Ambrose said Tuesday in a prepared statement. "Now I find myself facing a great challenge, and I am focusing on a course of action based on a balance of good sense and cautious optimism."

Ambrose has written more than 25 books, including best sellers "Citizen Soldiers," "Band of Brothers," and "Undaunted Courage," a history of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

He has come under scrutiny recently after at least six of his books have been questioned for failing to properly credit source material. Ambrose has apologized for lifting passages from other authors.

Ambrose recently started writing an autobiography with the working title, "A Love Song to America."

Ambrose will have to pull back from some work commitments but hasn't decided which ones, his family said Tuesday.

"It's still too early to tell," said Hugh Ambrose, who works with his father as a researcher, editor and agent at their office in Helena, Mont. "This is a serious condition, and he's going to have to focus on getting good treatment."

Ambrose recently finished a book on the Mississippi River with Douglas Brinkley, who in 1993 succeeded him as director of the University of New Orleans Eisenhower Center. "Mississippi and the Making of a Nation" is due out in October.

[BigBlueJon]

I know that there is some controversy about his writing history, but I hope that he recovers from this illness.

[Buffalo Bob]

3 1/2 years tobacco free bump

[zarf]

Ambrose has made a great contribution to the study of American History. My prayers to his family and, of course, to Steven.

[CholeraJoe]

I've met Steve. He spends his summers around here. Helluva storyteller. Rough news.

[CholeraJoe]

*ping

[xsmommy]

always sorry to hear this type of diagnosis.

[hobbes1]

That Sucks....Hope he manages it well....

[hobbes1]

That Sucks....Hope he manages it well....

[lawdude]

News article today says that he has but a few weeks or months to live unless the experimental chemo he is taking has effect. Sorry to hear of his situation and I do hope the chemo works!

[BooBoo1000]

Does anyone have an E-Mail address for him??Thank you..

[BigBlueJon]

Thanks for the update. I was in the store the other day and almost picked up "Undaunted Courage." With all that he's going through, I hope that he can go through this peacefully.

[VOA]

3 1/2 years tobacco free bump

Keep up the good work.
My dad quite after a 15 year habit.
Probably one reason he's still around 40 years after quitting.
That, plus my mother refusing to cook him rich, fat-laden food.

[VOA]

Ambrose has made a great contribution to the study of American History.

He got about a full-page story in The Los Angeles Times about a month ago...talked
about him fighting cancer.

We can't afford to lose this guy.
I loved him braying about how he never got along too well with his fellow academicians,
mainly because he wrote about war and had a fairly good take on America's warriors.
He said something to the effect that his fellow historians think "you should be writing
about gays and lesbians in the Colonial era."

Maybe Victor Davis Hanson (writes columns for National Review) will pick up
Ambrose's mantle down the road...
Hanson also says he doesn't get much positive feedback from his fellow professors...
sounds like he's going down Ambrose's path already.

[TracyPA]

I'm sad to hear this. I enjoyed his books-Undaunted Courage, D-Day and Citizen Soldiers. I have a cousin who landed on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. He never talked about it too much. His granddaughter recently helped him get all of his medals and he has sent his oral history of the war to the Eisenhower Center.