The American Spirit

April 1, 2017
A collection of speeches by the Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning historian and biographer.Arranged chronologically, the texts of these speeches--most were university graduation talks--reveal both McCullough's (The Wright Brothers, 2015, etc.) passion for history and his profound belief in America, or at least his vision of America, which is both encompassing and deeply hopeful. A number of significant historical figures appear throughout: John and Abigail Adams--McCullough, of course, published a Pulitzer-winning biography of John in 2001--John Quincy Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. The author also focuses on some who are slightly less well known: Lafayette, Simon Willard (whose clock in the U.S. Capitol appears in both the first and last of McCullough's speeches), Founder Benjamin Rush, and clergyman Manasseh Cutler, founder of Ohio University. Throughout, the author displays a sincere respect for subject and audience. For the graduation speeches, he researched local history and prominent figures to enliven his talk, and he spoke directly to the graduates, offering advice--e.g., read books, study history, quit saying "like" and "you know." At the national venues (Monticello, the U.S. Capitol), he rehearses their history both with engaging details and sweeping paeans. McCullough is relentlessly positive. At Monticello, for example, he confines his comments about Jefferson's slave owning to a single sentence, and in his account of the long friendship between France and the United States, he does not mention the Iraq War, "freedom fries," etc. But, as Emily Dickinson wrote, "hope is the thing with feathers," and it is that bird that swoops through all. Clio, the muse of history, smiles and nods her head on every page.

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Starred review from May 1, 2017

Historian McCullough (Truman; John Adams), a Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning author, presents this collection of 15 inspiring speeches in which he celebrates America's talent for curiosity, intelligence, goodwill, and humanity. McCullough is an eloquent writer, and the speeches are designed to be uplifting and celebratory. Amid all of the dissimulation and discourtesy that demands our attention, these brief essays celebrating national aspirations are intended to remind readers that, regardless of shortcomings, Americans have largely strived to better themselves and their country. Whether discussing the building of the U.S. capitol or the storied career of physician Benjamin Rush, McCullough manages to celebrate the people who have helped improve or build upon the nation's founding. VERDICT A concise read that will be well-received in public and academic history collections.--Edwin Burgess, Kansas City, KS

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2017
Very few among us possess the encompassing and informed perspective on America's past and present that historian and best-selling author McCullough has gained over decades of research. With two Pulitzer Prizes and two National Book Awards as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom to his credit, McCullough, whose subjects include the Wright Brothers, Harry S. Truman, John Adams, and the American Revolution, is a beloved public intellectual. With an eye to this time of uncertainty and contention, McCullough presents 15 speeches he has given over the last 25 years in the hope that his observations will help remind us . . . of just who we are and what we stand for. In these clarifying and uplifting presentations, rich in historical anecdotes and portraits, he speaks of freedom and responsibility and courage and patience. At an Independence Day naturalization ceremony at Monticello, he told new Americans that the nation is richer for you. McCullough reminds us, If we are beset by problems, we have always been beset by problems. And we have always drawn on our American spirit and convictions to find our way forward. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: McCullough's legions of fans will flock to this edifying collection.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)