David McCullough dies: the historic Pulitzer Prize winner was 89 years old

David McCullough, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning historian whose biographies have given character and compelling narratives to the figures and moments that make up the fabric of the American experience, has died. He was 89 years old.

Its publisher, Simon & Schuster, said McCullough died Sunday at his home in Hinhman, MA, surrounded by his five children.

Two of McCullough’s most famous works, presidential biographies Harry Truman in 1992 and John Adams in 2001, not only won the Pulitzer Prize, but were adapted into television miniseries. His talent for storytelling has resulted in a documentary narrator like Ken Burns. Civil war.

McCullough received a National Book Award road between the seas on the construction of the Panama Canal, Y morning with horses Biography of Theodore Roosevelt. Other bestsellers included The Johnstown flood, great bridge, courageous companions, 1776, a great trip, The Wright Brothers, Y American soul. In 2006, President George W. Bush also awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

At the ceremony, Bush said, “For those who question the meaning of the story, David likes to quote Harry Truman, who said: ‘The only new story in the world is the one you don’t know.’ David McCullough reminds us that “the laws we live by, the freedoms we enjoy, the institutions we take for granted … are all the work of other people who have gone before us.”

“A noble man who chose to believe in America and Americans.” May a constant light shine on him, “tweeted author John Meacham after news of McCullough’s death.

Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp said, “David McCullough was a national treasure. His books brought the story to life for millions of readers. Through his biographies he dramatized the noblest parts of the American character. The publisher said none of his books were out of print and he sold 14 million copies in all formats.

In 1989, McCullough was one of the few private citizens to speak at a joint session of Congress to mark the 200th anniversary.

Although he was already one of the country’s leading historians, the publication Truman Y John Adams Over the next decade, it became a household name. His biography of Harry S. Truman helped elevate the late president’s historical status and demonstrated such cultural feeling that candidates cited the work as an example of a presidential character. Truman It was later made into an HBO miniseries starring Gary Sinise.

Likewise, John Adams gave birth to a figure often rejected in high school civics classes. While McCullough’s book highlights Adams’ role as one of the most important founding fathers, it also vividly describes his stubbornness and the night he shared a hotel room bed with Benjamin Franklin and argued whether the window was open. . This book was also made into an HBO miniseries starring Paul Giamatti.

Tom Hanks, executive producer of John Adams, wrote on his Instagram page on Monday: “I will miss David McCullough every time I search for the next great read. He gave us some gifts … “

McCullough’s books often reflected the positive aspects of the American experiment. great bridgeOn the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, it was one of his first works, published in 1972, and named one of the Modern Library Works. The best non-fiction books of the last century. One of his latest works, pioneersdrew some criticism for not treating Native Americans more comprehensively than white settlers in the 19th century.

McCullough has narrated a number of other documentary and feature film projects. sea ​​biscuitand presented public television programs such as Smithsonian world Y American experience.

Although McCullough has generally stayed out of the political debate, he has talked about Donald Trump. He joined Burns in 2016 as a leading historian to speak out against the then Republican candidate. “President Dwight Eisenhower, who has served his country so admirably throughout his career, said there are four basic qualities by which a leader should be measured: character, skill, responsibility and experience,” he said. McCullough said. according to WGBH-TV. “Donald Trump doesn’t qualify on all four counts.”

In the early 1990s, McCullough was part of a group of academics protesting Walt Disney Co.’s plans to build a story-based theme park, Disney’s America, in Manassas, Virginia near the battlefields. of the Civil War. These floors were eventually demolished.

McCullough was born on July 7, 1933 in Pittsburgh, to parents who shared an interest in history. He attended Yale University, majoring in English, and reminded the Wall Street Journal that he was encouraged to write by Thornton Wilder, a resident scholar.

After graduating, he worked at Sports Illustrated and then at the American News Agency. Her work on American heritage helped her write historical non-fiction. He published his first work, Johnstown Flood, in 1968.

McCullough’s wife, Rosalie, whom he married in 1954, died in June. They had five children.