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The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For, by David McCullough
PDF Download The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For, by David McCullough
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A New York Times Bestseller
A timely collection of speeches by David McCullough, the most honored historian in the United States—winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, two National Book Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among many others—that reminds us of fundamental American principles.
Over the course of his distinguished career, David McCullough has spoken before Congress, the White House, colleges and universities, historical societies, and other esteemed institutions. Now, at a time of self-reflection in America following a bitter election campaign that has left the country divided, McCullough has collected some of his most important speeches in a brief volume designed to identify important principles and characteristics that are particularly American. The American Spirit reminds us of core American values to which we all subscribe, regardless of which region we live in, which political party we identify with, or our ethnic background. This is a book about America for all Americans that reminds us who we are and helps to guide us as we find our way forward.
- Sales Rank: #228 in Books
- Brand: Simon & Schuster
- Published on: 2017-04-18
- Released on: 2017-04-18
- Original language: English
- Dimensions: 8.25" h x .70" w x 5.50" l, 1.00 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 192 pages
- The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For
Review
"This book is a gift. . . . It's a powerful argument for keeping history alive." (Michael Schaub NPR)
“[McCullough] is one of the great historical storytellers of his generation. . . . Fundamentally Mr. McCullough loves the American story and its most illustrious characters.” (Robert W. Merry The Wall Street Journal)
“A national treasure, McCullough performs a national service in The American Spirit. Insightful and inspirational, it summons a vexed and divided nation to remember - and cherish - our unifying ideas and ideals.” (Jay Strafford Richmond Times Dispatch)
"McCullough's passion for history and his profound belief in America, or at least his vision of America . . . is both encompassing and deeply hopeful. . . .Clio, the muse of history, smiles and nods her head on every page." (Kirkus Reviews)
“McCullough perfectly embodies the part of remember-in-chief. . . . Happily, the same qualities that inform McCullough’s histories and biographies also shape his speeches. He is, whether at his desk or a lectern, a consummate storyteller.”
(Danny Heitman Christian Science Monitor)
“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. . . . McCullough’s legions of fans will flock to this edifying collection.” (Booklist)
“A carefully crafted, well-reasoned, heartfelt testament to what this nation can be — past, present, and we must believe — future.”
(Barbara Hall The Providence Journal)
“Acclaimed historian David McCullough’s The American Spirit is as inspirational as it is brilliant, as simple as it is sophisticated. It will at the same time make you laugh and give rise to tears of despair. . . . This is not patriotic boilerplate. McCullough is a historian and a realist. He sees his nation with all its warts, beginning with its indelible birthmark of slavery and continuing through to today’s government dysfunction and political polarization. Yet he remains confident and upbeat.” (Edward Cuddihy Buffalo News)
"This collection captures McCullough's passion and vigor throughout. . . . [His] enthusiasm for history is infectious." (Andrew Carroll The Los Angeles Review of Books)
About the Author
David McCullough has twice received the Pulitzer Prize, for Truman and John Adams, and twice received the National Book Award, for The Path Between the Seas and Mornings on Horseback. His other acclaimed books include The Johnstown Flood, The Great Bridge, Brave Companions, 1776, The Greater Journey, and The Wright Brothers. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. Visit DavidMcCullough.com.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The American Spirit
Simon Willard’s Clock JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS
Washington, D.C.
1989
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Senator Dole, Members of the 101st Congress, ladies and gentlemen. For a private citizen to be asked to speak before Congress is a rare and very high honor and I thank you.
Simon Willard was never a Member of Congress in the usual sense. Simon Willard of Roxbury, Massachusetts, was a clockmaker early in the nineteenth century and he did it all by hand and by eye.
“In cutting his wheel teeth,” reads an old account, “he did not mark out the spaces on the blank [brass] wheel and cut the teeth to measure, but he cut, rounded up and finished the teeth as he went along, using his eye only in spacing, and always came out even. . . .
Most helpful customer reviews
71 of 74 people found the following review helpful.
History as a guide to America's present and future
By Ashutosh S. Jogalekar
This book is a short collection of speeches by David McCullough, one of America's foremost historians. The speeches span about twenty-five years and were delivered in a variety of locations and to mark a variety of occasions. Most of them are college commencement addresses - in Boston, Ohio, Missouri and Pittsburgh - and a few mark the anniversary of important monuments (the White House) or events (the Kennedy assassination).
Some of the speeches are inspiring, some of them are informative, and many are both. McCullough's thrust in all of them is to stress the importance of history as a guide to American character and values. He fears that many Americans, and young Americans in particular, are ignorant of the kind of history that can enrich and guide their views of the present and future; his fears are realized by a meeting with a bright young college student who did not know that the original thirteen states were all on the East Coast. He is convinced that not only can history inform people's understanding of contemporary events, but that it can remind people of the values and men and women that made this country what it is. In an interview, McCullough mentioned that he put together this collection specifically for these politically troubled times. At the very least they should reassure people that their concerns and fears have been felt - and overcome - by many others in the past.
In most of his speeches McCullough focuses on one or more great Americans. He is not bashful about taking this 'Great Man' view of history, since many of the characters he picks exemplify well the essential qualities of this country. He recognizes their flaws, but also sees their greatness. Famous Americans like John and Abigail Adams, Thomas Jefferson and JFK make regular appearances, but so do less famous but still important ones like Benjamin Rush, Simon Willard, James Sumner and Margaret Chase Smith. In speeches intended to commemorate buildings, McCullough also lovingly describes the rich history of monuments like the White House and Capitol Hill and cities like Pittsburgh and Boston.
Throughout the book, McCullough emphasizes many of the qualities that exemplified this country's history: "the fundamental decency, the tolerance and insistence on truth and the good-heartedness of the American people". Relationships with France and other countries played a critical role, and so did the hard work of immigrants. There is also bravery here, exemplified by the Founding Fathers' decision to defy the King of England under threat of execution, by abolitionists' denunciation of slavery and by the ceaseless optimism of scores of politicians and common Americans who wanted to change the direction of this country for the better. There was Margaret Smith who stood up against Joseph McCarthy and said that she did not want "to see the Republican Party ride to political victory on the four horsemen of calumny - fear, ignorance, bigotry and smear". There was physician Benjamin Rush who emphasized "candor, gentleness, and a disposition to speak with civility and to listen with attention to everybody". And there was Adams who famously said that "facts are stubborn things". All lessons for the present and the future.
If there is one common theme that emerges most prominently from all the speeches, it is an emphasis on education and an appreciation of history. McCullough tells us how many of the most important Founding Fathers and presidents put learning and books front and center, not just in their own evolution but in their vision for America. Jefferson once said to Adams that he could not live without books, and Adams himself told his son John Quincy that with a poet in his pocket he will never feel alone. McCullough talks about Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia where Benjamin Franklin established the Library Company that evolved into the country's first public library. As he describes it, the biographies of many famous people tell us that learning is not elitist, it is as American as apple pie. It is what turned this country into a beacon of democracy, science and finance. And for learning it is critical to read: "Read for pleasure. Read to enlarge your lives. Read history, read biography, learn from the lives of others". The same goes for history. McCullough is deeply concerned that younger Americans are losing touch with their history. He urges parents to take their children to historic sites at a young age and Americans of all ages to read and ponder their history. He constantly refers to American presidents who loved to read history; Theodore Roosevelt and JFK even wrote history books themselves. Ultimately, he says, "the pleasure of history consists in an expansion of the experience of being alive". And if nothing else, history should inform Americans of strategies and insights from the past that they can adopt to solve contemporary problems.
The overriding message that comes across from many of these speeches is that of optimism, hope and a constant drive in the American people to reinvent themselves. It should be a potent message in today's times and should hopefully further encourage the study of this country's history. As McCullough puts it, "It is a story like no other, our greatest natural resource. It is about people, and they speak to us across the years".
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful.
Flawlessly factual, detailed and entertaining.
By James O.S.CT
David McCullough is a master historian. The speeches in this book, like the storytelling of his last ten books is flawlessly factual, detailed and entertaining. The American Spirit is an excellent read.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
Uplifting and Positive
By Zack
This was a very easy and enjoyable read. It served as a good reminder that there has always been turmoil in our politics but we've prevailed as a nation despite our problems.
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