New Releases by David McCullough

In this posthumous collection of thought-provoking essays—many never published before—Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and bestselling author David McCullough affirms the value of history, how we can be guided by its lessons, and the enduring legacy of American ideals. History Matters brings together selected essays by beloved historian David McCullough, some published here for the first time, written at different points over the course of his long career but all focused on the subject of his lifelong passion: the importance of history in understanding our present and future. Edited by McCullough’s daughter, Dorie McCullough Lawson, and his longtime researcher, Michael Hill, History Matters is a tribute to a master historian and offers fresh insights into McCullough’s enduring interests and writing life. The book also features a foreword by Jon Meacham. McCullough highlights the importance of character in political leaders, with Harry Truman and George Washington serving as exemplars of American values like optimism and determination. He shares his early influences, from the books he cherished in his youth to the people who mentored him. He also pays homage to those who inspired him, such as writer Paul Horgan and painter Thomas Eakins, illustrating the diverse influences on his writing as well as the influence of art. Rich with McCullough’s signature grace, curiosity, and narrative gifts, these essays offer vital lessons in viewing history through the eyes of its participants, a perspective that McCullough believed was crucial to understanding the present as well as the past. History Matters is testament to McCullough’s legacy as one of the great storytellers of this nation’s history and of the lasting promise of American ideals.

Cách đây 110 năm, Orville Wright đã trở thành phi công đầu tiên trên thế giới khi thực hiện chuyến bay lịch sử kéo dài vỏn vẹn 12 giây, vượt 91,44 mét. Sau nhiều năm trăn trở loay hoay với nhiều thí điểm các mô hình khác nhau, từ diều đến máy bay cánh lượn không động cơ, anh em Wright vốn chưa từng được đi học đại học đã mở ra kỷ nguyên mới cho lịch sử hàng không thế giới. | ĐÁNH GIÁ/NHẬN XÉT CỦA CHUYÊN GIA | “Khát vọng bay đã được truyền lại từ ngàn đời tổ tiên chúng ta, trong những hành trình gian khổ của họ trên các vùng đất hoang vu thời tiền sử, khi họ ngước nhìn những con chim tự do bay vút qua trong nỗi thèm muốn”. – Orville Wright “Tôi trải qua những cảm giác rất sâu sắc và thú vị – gần như không thể diễn tả. Những người chưa từng có trải nghiệm bay thì khó có thể nhận biết được cảm giác này. Đó là một giấc mơ thành hiện thực của những người đã mơ được bềnh bồng trên không. Hơn bất kỳ điều gì khác, cảm giác lúc đó là một trong những sự bình yên trọn vẹn, hòa quyện với sự phấn khích tối đa của từng dây thần kinh – nếu bạn có thể nhận thức được một sự kết hợp như vậy”. – Wilbur Wright “Nó không chỉ là một thành công, mà còn là một chiến thắng… có tính quyết định của ngành hàng không, tin này sẽ làm bùng lên cuộc cách mạng trong mọi lĩnh vực khoa học trên toàn thế giới” .- Le Figaro, mùa hè năm 1908 “Sự bí ẩn dường như không thể giải thích đã được giải mã. Wright đã bay một cách dễ dang khiến không ai còn nghi ngờ việc thử nghiệm bí ẩn này đã thực sự diễn ra ở Mỹ; cũng không ai hoài nghi việc người đàn ông này có khả năng bay liên tục trên không cả giờ đồng hồ. Đây là viễn cảnh phi thường nhất của một chiếc máy bay mà chúng ta từng thấy…”

El canal de Panamá, cuyas obras comenzaron en 1904 tras más de tres décadas de negociaciones y se inauguró en 1914, fue mucho más que una prodigiosa obra de ingeniería sin precedentes. Su construcción se convirtió en un hito histórico de gran importancia, y en un drama humano devastador. Exceptuando los conflictos bélicos, constituyó el esfuerzo más costoso, en dinero y en vidas humanas, de cuantos se han emprendido en el mundo. Este libro narra la historia de los hombres y mujeres que lucharon contra todas las adversidades para cumplir el sueño de construir un paso acuático entre los océanos Atlántico y Pacífico. Es una crónica de asombrosas proezas de ingeniería, logros médicos colosales, conflictos políticos, éxitos heroicos y trágicos fracasos. David McCullough, aclamado historiador y ganador de dos premios Pulitzer, entre otros, teje de manera magistral todos los hilos de este memorable evento y lo convierte en un exhaustivo y apasionante relato épico. David McCullough teje todos los hilos de este acontecimiento memorable y lo convierte en un relato apasionante gracias a una prosa lúcida y realista.

From “one of our most gifted living writers” (The Washington Post), three great stories of American accomplishment—the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, the construction of the Panama Canal, and the invention of flight—all collected in one volume. This boxed set includes the following three volumes: The Great Bridge The dramatic and enthralling story of the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, the world’s longest suspension bridge at the time, a tale of greed, corruption, and obstruction but also of optimism, heroism, and determination. The Path Between the Seas The National Book Award–winning epic chronicle of the creation of the Panama Canal, a first-rate drama of the bold and brilliant engineering feat that was filled with both tragedy and triumph. The Wright Brothers The #1 New York Times bestseller—the dramatic story-behind-the-story about the courageous brothers who taught the world how to fly—Wilbur and Orville Wright.

A New York Times Bestseller A timely collection of speeches by David McCullough, one of America’s most honored historians—winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, two National Book Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom—that reminds us of the enduring principles at the heart of the American experience. “Insightful and inspirational, The American Spirit summons a vexed and divided nation to remember—and cherish—our unifying ideas and ideals” (Richmond Times-Dispatch). Over the course of his distinguished career, McCullough has addressed Congress, the White House, universities, and historical institutions across the country. Now, in an era of self-reflection following a divisive political season, he brings together these stirring speeches in a powerful volume celebrating civic duty, American character, and historical perspective. “The American Spirit is as inspirational as it is brilliant, as simple as it is sophisticated” (Buffalo News). McCullough reminds us of the values that unite us as Americans—regardless of region, political affiliation, or background. This is a book of history, hope, and reflection that speaks directly to readers seeking wisdom, unity, and a deeper connection to the ideals that define the United States.

Nº1 New York Times bestseller. Un día de invierno del año 1903 en el remoto paraje de Outer Banks, Carolina del Norte, dos hermanos de Ohio hasta entonces desconocidos, Wilbur y Orville Wright, cambiaron el rumbo de la historia iniciando la era del vuelo con la primera máquina a motor tripulada más pesada que el aire. Los hermanos Wright fueron hombres de excepcional talento, férrea determinación y gran curiosidad intelectual, cualidades que ellos atribuían a su educación. En este interesante libro, el magistral historiador David McCullough ahonda en la inmensa riqueza de los «Documentos Wright» —los diarios personales, los apuntes y las más de mil cartas que componen la correspondencia privada de la familia— para contarnos el lado humano de una historia genuinamente americana. David McCullough, dos veces ganador del Premio Pulitzer, nos cuenta la dramática historia de los intrépidos hermanos que enseñaron al mundo a volar.

David McCullough nunca esperó que su discurso de graduación en 2012 iría viral y se habló de todo el mundo. Ahora se da una visión a ese discurso, la escuela, la familia y la vida en general de una manera ingeniosa y conmovedora que es bueno para los padres y adolescentes.

The #1 New York Times bestseller from David McCullough, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize—the dramatic story-behind-the-story about the courageous brothers who taught the world how to fly—Wilbur and Orville Wright. On a winter day in 1903, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, two brothers—bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio—changed history. But it would take the world some time to believe that the age of flight had begun, with the first powered machine carrying a pilot. Orville and Wilbur Wright were men of exceptional courage and determination, and of far-ranging intellectual interests and ceaseless curiosity. When they worked together, no problem seemed to be insurmountable. Wilbur was unquestionably a genius. Orville had such mechanical ingenuity as few had ever seen. That they had no more than a public high school education and little money never stopped them in their mission to take to the air. Nothing did, not even the self-evident reality that every time they took off, they risked being killed. In this “enjoyable, fast-paced tale” (The Economist), master historian David McCullough “shows as never before how two Ohio boys from a remarkable family taught the world to fly” (The Washington Post) and “captures the marvel of what the Wrights accomplished” (The Wall Street Journal). He draws on the extensive Wright family papers to profile not only the brothers but their sister, Katharine, without whom things might well have gone differently for them. Essential reading, this is “a story of timeless importance, told with uncommon empathy and fluency…about what might be the most astonishing feat mankind has ever accomplished…The Wright Brothers soars” (The New York Times Book Review).

Poznejte napínavý příběh dvou odvážných bratrů, kteří naučili lidstvo létat Dva neznámí bratři pocházející z Ohia změnili jednoho zimního dne roku 1903 na Vnějších mělčinách Severní Karolíny běh dějin. Okolnímu světu trvalo nějaký čas, než vůbec uvěřil, co se vlastně přihodilo: nastoupil věk létání motorem poháněných strojů těžších než vzduch s pilotem na palubě. Kdo byli tito muži a jak bylo vůbec možné, že dokázali to, co dokázali? Dvojnásobný držitel Pulitzerovy ceny David McCullough předkládá napínavý příběh dvou odvážných bratrů, Wilbura a Orvilla Wrightových, kteří naučili náš svět, jak létat. Ve své vzrušující knize se opírá o nesmírné bohatství písemné pozůstalosti rodiny Wrightových, včetně soukromých deníků, zápisníků, knih výstřižků a více než tisícovky dopisů ze soukromé korespondence, jež vypráví lidskou část příběhu bratrů Wrightových. Tato pozůstalost obsahuje i málo známé příspěvky jejich sestry Katharine, bez níž by celá řada událostí, které je potkaly, možná dopadla jinak. „Příběh nadčasového významu, vyprávěný s neobvyklou empatií a plynulostí (...) Dobře podaná historie o tom, co je dost možná tím nejúžasnějším skutkem, jaký kdy lidstvo vykonalo (...) Bratři Wrightové stoupají k nebesům.“ – The New York Times Book Review „David McCullough načrtl živý a obdivuhodný portrét skromných a tvrdě pracujících ohijských rodáků, kteří ve svém obchodě s jízdními koly zkonstruovali letoun a v písku Kitty Hawku v Severní Karolíně vyřešili záhadu létání. Zachycuje zázrak toho, co Wrightové dokázali, a co je neméně důležité, i úžas pociťovaný jejich současníky...“ – The Wall Street Journal Za své knihy Truman a John Adams se David McCullough už dvakrát stal nositelem Pulitzerovy ceny. Za tituly The Path Between the Seas (Cesta mezi moři) a Mornings on Horseback (Rána strávená v sedle) dvakrát obdržel Národní knižní cenu (National Book Award). Mezi jeho další uznávané knihy patří 1776, Brave Companions (Stateční souputníci), The Johnstown Flood (Johnstownská potopa), The Great Bridge (Velký most) a The Wright Brothers (Bratři Wrightové). Stal se i příjemcem četných poct a ocenění, včetně Prezidentské medaile svobody (Presidential Medal of Free dom), která je nejvyšším státním vyznamenáním udělovaným civilním osobám.

Il primo giugno 2012 il professor David McCullough parla alla cerimonia di consegna dei diplomi alla Wellesley High School dove insegna letteratura. Il suo è un discorso originale, divertente e provocatorio: in poco tempo il video di questa straordinaria lettera d’amore agli studenti finisce su YouTube, fa il giro del mondo e viene visualizzato da oltre due milioni di persone. Quelle parole diventano così il manifesto controcorrente per una vita in cui la felicità valga più del successo ottenuto a ogni costo, un’esortazione a cercare di raggiungere i propri obiettivi e non quelli imposti dalla società, un invito ad affrontare la vita seguendo i propri sogni e le proprie passioni. In Ragazzi, non siete speciali! McCullough rielabora il suo celebre discorso rivolgendosi a quei giovani che stanno per diventare adulti, troppo spesso vittime inconsapevoli delle buone intenzioni dei genitori, e a tutti coloro a cui sta a cuore l’adolescenza, il periodo più importante della nostra vita. Raccontando con umorismo e tanta passione la sua esperienza di insegnante, di padre e di figlio, McCullough insiste sull’importanza e il ruolo della lettura, dell’immaginazione e dalla conoscenza in un mondo sempre più individualista, e ci ricorda che le più grandi gioie della vita vengono solo dalla consapevolezza di non essere speciali. Perché tutti lo siamo.

From “America’s most beloved biographer, David McCullough” (Time)—a collection of his bestselling biographies of American Presidents. This ebook box set features David McCullough’s award-winning biographies of American Presidents. John Adams is the magisterial, Pulitzer Prize–winning biography of the independent, irascible Yankee patriot, one of our nation’s founders and most important figures, who became our second president. Mornings on Horseback is the brilliant National Book Award–winning biography of young Theodore Roosevelt’s metamorphosis from sickly child to a vigorous, intense man poised to become a national hero and then president. Truman is the Pulitzer Prize–winning biography of Harry Truman, the complex and courageous man who rose from modest origins to make momentous decisions as president, from dropping the atomic bomb to going to war in Korea. Including a special bonus: The Course of Human Events. In this Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities, David McCullough draws on his personal experience as a historian to acknowledge the crucial importance of writing in history’s enduring impact and influence, and he affirms the significance of history in teaching us about human nature through the ages.

From New York Times bestselling author David McCullough, a special ebook boxed set features books that study key points of American history. The David McCullough Great Moments in History ebook box set includes the following McCullough classics: 1776 is the riveting story of George Washington, the men who marched with him, and their British foes in the momentous year of American independence. The Johnstown Flood is the classic history of an American tragedy that became a scandal in the age of the Robber Barons, the preventable flood that destroyed a town and killed 2,000 people. Path Between the Seas is the epic National Book Award–winning history of the heroic successes, tragic failures, and astonishing engineering and medical feats that made the Panama Canal possible. The Great Bridge is the remarkable, enthralling story of the planning and construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, which linked two great cities and epitomized American optimism, skill, and determination. A special bonus is included: The Course of Human Events. In this Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities, David McCullough draws on his personal experience as a historian to acknowledge the crucial importance of writing in history’s enduring impact and influence, and he affirms the significance of history in teaching us about human nature through the ages.

The Pulitzer Prize–winning biography of Harry S. Truman, whose presidency included momentous events from the atomic bombing of Japan to the outbreak of the Cold War and the Korean War, told by America’s beloved and distinguished historian. The life of Harry S. Truman is one of the greatest of American stories, filled with vivid characters—Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Wallace Truman, George Marshall, Joe McCarthy, and Dean Acheson—and dramatic events. In this riveting biography, acclaimed historian David McCullough not only captures the man—a more complex, informed, and determined man than ever before imagined—but also the turbulent times in which he rose, boldly, to meet unprecedented challenges. The last president to serve as a living link between the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, Truman’s story spans the raw world of the Missouri frontier, World War I, the powerful Pendergast machine of Kansas City, the legendary Whistle-Stop Campaign of 1948, and the decisions to drop the atomic bomb, confront Stalin at Potsdam, send troops to Korea, and fire General MacArthur. Drawing on newly discovered archival material and extensive interviews with Truman’s own family, friends, and Washington colleagues, McCullough tells the deeply moving story of the seemingly ordinary “man from Missouri” who was perhaps the most courageous president in our history.

From Alexander von Humboldt to Charles and Anne Lindbergh, these are stories of people of great vision and daring whose achievements continue to inspire us today, brilliantly told by master historian David McCullough. The bestselling author of Truman and John Adams, David McCullough has written profiles of exceptional men and women past and present who have not only shaped the course of history or changed how we see the world but whose stories express much that is timeless about the human condition. Here are Alexander von Humboldt, whose epic explorations of South America surpassed the Lewis and Clark expedition; Harriet Beecher Stowe, “the little woman who made the big war”; Frederic Remington; the extraordinary Louis Agassiz of Harvard; Charles and Anne Lindbergh, and their fellow long-distance pilots Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and Beryl Markham; Harry Caudill, the Kentucky lawyer who awakened the nation to the tragedy of Appalachia; and David Plowden, a present-day photographer of vanishing America. Different as they are from each other, McCullough’s subjects have in common a rare vitality and sense of purpose. These are brave companions: to each other, to David McCullough, and to the reader, for with rare storytelling ability McCullough brings us into the times they knew and their very uncommon lives.

"As the crucial weeks pass, defeat follows defeat, and in the long retreat across New Jersey, all hope seems gone, until Washington launches the "brilliant stroke" that will change history."--BOOK JACKET.

The National Book Award–winning epic chronicle of the creation of the Panama Canal, a first-rate drama of the bold and brilliant engineering feat that transformed global trade routes and shaped modern American history, as told by Pulitzer Prize–winning author and master historian David McCullough. A national bestseller and testament to human determination, The Path Between the Seas tells the stories of the men and women who fought against all odds to fulfill the 400-year-old dream of constructing a maritime passageway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. McCullough masterfully recounts astonishing engineering and medical accomplishments, political power plays, heroic successes, and tragic failures. Applying his remarkable gift for writing lucid, lively exposition, McCullough weaves the many strands of the momentous event into a comprehensive and captivating tale. Winner of the National Book Award for history, the Francis Parkman Prize, the Samuel Eliot Morison Award, and the Cornelius Ryan Award (for the best book of the year on international affairs), The Path Between the Seas is a must-read for anyone interested in American history, technological innovation, international intrigue, and human drama.

First published in 1972, The Great Bridge is the classic account of one of the greatest engineering feats of all time. Winning acclaim for its comprehensive look at the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, this book helped cement David McCullough''s reputation as America''s preeminent social historian. Now, The Great Bridge is reissued as a Simon & Schuster Classic Edition with a new introduction by the author. This monumental book brings back for American readers the heroic vision of the America we once had. It is the enthralling story of one of the greatest events in our nation''s history during the Age of Optimism -- a period when Americans were convinced in their hearts that all great things were possible. In the years around 1870, when the project was first undertaken, the concept of building a great bridge to span the East River between the great cities of Manhattan and Brooklyn required a vision and determination comparable to that which went into the building of the pyramids. Throughout the fourteen years of its construction, the odds against the successful completion of the bridge seemed staggering. Bodies were crushed and broken, lives lost, political empires fell, and surges of public emotion constantly threatened the project. But this is not merely the saga of an engineering miracle: it is a sweeping narrative of the social climate of the time and of the heroes and rascals who had a hand in either constructing or obstructing the great enterprise. Amid the flood of praise for the book when it was originally published, Newsday said succinctly "This is the definitive book on the event. Do not wait for a better try: there won''t be any."

The Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling biography of America’s founding father and second president that was the basis for the acclaimed HBO series, brilliantly told by master historian David McCullough. In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous life journey of John Adams, the brilliant, fiercely independent, often irascible, always honest Yankee patriot who spared nothing in his zeal for the American Revolution; who rose to become the second president of the United States and saved the country from blundering into an unnecessary war; who was learned beyond all but a few and regarded by some as “out of his senses”; and whose marriage to the wise and valiant Abigail Adams is one of the moving love stories in American history. This is history on a grand scale—a book about politics and war and social issues, but also about human nature, love, religious faith, virtue, ambition, friendship, and betrayal, and the far-reaching consequences of noble ideas. Above all, John Adams is an enthralling, often surprising story of one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived.

In this riveting biography, David McCullough captures Harry S. Truman and the turbulent, historically significant times during which he served.