Posted on 08/08/2022 9:23:29 AM PDT by Borges
David McCullough, who was known to millions as an award-winning, best-selling author and an appealing television host and narrator with a rare gift for recreating the great events and characters of America’s past, died on Sunday at home in Hingham Mass. He was 89.
The death was confirmed by his daughter Dorie Lawson.
Mr. McCullough won Pulitzer Prizes for two presidential biographies, “Truman” (1992) and “John Adams” (2001). He received National Book Awards for “The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal” (1977) and “Mornings on Horseback” (1981), about the young Theodore Roosevelt and his family.
Deep research and lively readability were hallmarks of his books, and so was their tendency to leap off the shelves. “Truman” topped The New York Times’s best-seller list for 43 weeks; “John Adams” was No. 1 in its first week and has since gone through dozens more printings.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
That’s a shame.
A brilliant author!
now THAT is a loss
I read the following David McCullough books:
1776
The Wright Brothers
The Path Between the Seas
I have seen the John Adams miniseries but have not read the book.
Always liked the John Adams and Civil War documentaries he was part of.
Read his book, “The Great Bridge” about building the Brooklyn bridge. Really great read. Interesting details about the engineering and the process.
He portrayed Truman as a real, everyday American. Hardworking, plainspoken widwestern farmer, faithful Christian, loyal husband, entrepreneur and at same time, educated, classical pianist - He did a great job representing Truman as the ethos and energy of late 19th century America.
According to some though, McCullough trod very lightly on Truman’s corrupt political connections to the Thomas Pendergrast machine.
RIP.
Another great American is gone.
“Path Between the Seas” is a fave of mine. RIP.
Will always remember driving back one night from VA to SC in late 2006 and came an interview with him on NPR about his biography of John Adams. I was so enthralled with the way he shared his knowledge and understanding of history. He had a way of making it come alive and that was exciting for me.
He didn’t much time farming. He was a business man
I am 74. It is my fondest wish to throw Sniffer and the Ho out of office. I am afraid I will not make it.
Read it just before I PCS’d to Howard AB, it gave me great respect for the unprecedented challenges involved in successfully building a canal that incorporated only gravity, not a single pump, in the lock mechanisms. Not too many authors can bring history to life like McCullough could.
I loved his work.
I’ve read his books on Truman and Adams and his book 1776. I didn’t like his latest one on an Ohio town just because I found it boring. But his writing was excellent.
My favorite of his is his book on the Brooklyn Bridge. Riveting in every way.
Agreed. Also, his book on the Johnstown flood was fantastic.
Here is David McCullough telling the story of the Panama Canal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzJRUAeF5o0
Truly a loss. Have read - and re-read - many of his books. Those of us who love REAL history will miss him.
Didn’t do much of his own research, either. He had dozens if not hundreds of people doing his work for him. By one account, he didn’t do his own writing, either. Just edited what what his ghosties wrote for him, and took all the credit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.