Long time readers know my serious geek crush on Mr. McCullough, American historian. I am not the only one, given how please Tom Hanks and Paul Giamatti seem to be in his presence.
I keep looking for a McCullough is my Homeboy tee on the internet, but think I will have to settle for simply continuing to read the McCullough canon.
My latest has been his biography of John Adams.
I know, I am late the to the party, both in terms of the book and the wonderful 2008 HBO miniseries starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, which I plan to watch this August.
Never mind.
I am now down to two books by Mr. McCullough yet unread and had been "saving" the John Adams biography for several months, since, well, Mr. McCullough is now in his eighties and at best, he has one or two more masterpieces up his sleeve.
The sign of a well written book is the emotions that it evokes in its faithful readers. A fiction writer has more to work with here in many ways, and can pull on our heartstrings with technique and abandon.
But an historian must bring the past alive for us. She or he must paint a portrait of the times in such a way that we are caught up in the story, a willing participant in the ride through an event or life.
It is Mr. McCullough's gift/genius that he so ably (no doubt through grit, excellent staff and a natural storytelling ability) takes us with him on the journey. The last twenty pages of John Adams saw me blubbering like a fool. I was crying about the death of a man who had died nearly 200 years ago!
John Adams!
But for me, John Adams died last night. And I felt as bereft as those good souls who would have mourned him in 1726. I forced Barry to listen ad nauseum as I retold major events of Adams' life, but of course, I could do it no justice, since I am not, sadly, of the caliber of Mr. McCullough.
Mr. McCullough is a genius and I, his besotted reader, am now forced to decide when I am going to fall in love with Harry Truman. Because I know I will. It is just a matter of time.
Last year I had to visit statues in NYC because of Mr. McCullough, now I think I am going to Braintree Massachusetts sooner rather than later, as well as
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Philadelphia.
And yes, I am a Canadian, true north strong and free, but many of my ancestors were American and I am proud of them and my connection to the Boston states, so have got to go pay my respects to Mr. Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams.
Anyone else being sucked into history like this lately?
Have a great day and stay safe out there!
xoxo wendy
oh and Benjamin Franklin - your biography is eyeing me at the local bookshop... It's only a matter of time, dear sir..
Ive not read it yet-I too am rather late to the McCullough party but one or another of his books are always kicking around in my family. I think I may have Adams here somewhere-I believe I swiped it from someone. I will put it on my list.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do come down-I'll take you to tea!
Bebe - you are in the heart of it all where you! I need to come to Boston and forgo all my usual haunts and do the 1776 stuff as well as Louisa May Alcott! and tea with you! oh and that Holiday store...
DeleteOh, I remember reading wonderful reviews of the John Adams bio! (I read far too many book reviews and not enough actual books...) I promise to try one of his books someday- your enthusiasm is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteFunny - I should read more book reviews!
DeleteI adore history!! so much. In fact I had toyed with the idea of doing a postgrad course but the essays and the dealine is what stopped me. That miniseries on John Adams was one of the best HBO has done. Impeccable and I could watch it again. I wish they would do one on B Franklin too because if they could make John Adams a character in his way I can't imagine what they would do for him. McCullough was lucky that he had some adknowledgement and he did his genre great favors. I didn't know he passed away...
ReplyDeleteNo no Naomi - John Adams has passed away, not David McCullough! As I said above, I hope McCullough has a couple more masterpieces left in him!
DeleteOh shoot - i must reread. You confused me bc i didn't see anything in the news and you are pretty up to date with things like that!!
DeleteThe details of his death were grossly exaggerated! Love it!
DeleteHe is such an impressive, yet "twinkly" man; he gave a sold out lecture here last summer, I think. I didn't know about that series as I don't have HBO, but maybe I can find somewhere. I don't think he has written about Thomas Jefferson yet? My absolute favorite.
ReplyDeleteThere is an interview with him at the end of the Adams book and he said that he had started writing a book about the two of them together, as the story of their relationship is the most complicated and fascinating and painful in the book, but he decided that Adams had been forgotten in the adulation of Jefferson and he had come to love him just as much from his writings and letters. Jefferson was patrician, Adams was homespun and full of love. And yet it is the two of them who really did the most, and at least as much as Washington. I was fascinated! Adding Monticello and Mount Vernon to the list as well. And Plymouth as I have recently learned that ancestor was the younger brother of the first governor and came over on the boat immediately after the mayflower!
DeleteIf you go to Plymouth I recommend taking the ferry out to Provincetown also as that is where the Pilgrims landed first. During the voyage you can look out over the same stretch of ocean that they did and wonder what they must have thought. Ye Olde Plimoth Plantation is a good stop also but we havent been in many years as the Native American 're-enactors' were so rude. No lie-total snots. Once was enough
DeleteWe watched the series and loved it. Emily told me yesterday that she wants to start a library for when she has her own house. Her first purchase was Wuthering Heights ( did I butcher the spelling?) because it was $5 hardback and pretty. She really wanted War & Peace but it was $30 hardback at are used bookstore. Anyway...made me think fondly of you!
ReplyDeleteEmily is so smart! Perfect spelling! I have never read War and Peace, but I know I should!
DeleteI've not read it either so we'll let the girls read it for us. Not on my bucket list.
DeleteHistory is my "thing", and I am so glad to share that passion with you WMM. It really is starting to feel like we've been separated at birth. I had the opportunity to live in Boston for graduate school (yes, I attended THAT university) and history really is all around you, from the buildings to the street names, to the memorials to the beautiful museums. Quite a contrast from California, where I moved from and returned to. My husbands family is also from Boston (but we weren't really dating when I lived there, oh the irony!) so there is history twofold for me there!
ReplyDeleteHi AB - what a great opportunity to live there! My grandfather was from Boston and I adore spending time there!
DeleteYes Adams has traditionally been the most overlooked of our Founding Fathers. No doubt a big asset for him was his brilliant wife Abigail and together they had one of America's greatest families.
ReplyDeleteWendy, if you ever need a McCullough fix, you can go to c-span.org where they have dozens of in depth interviews and programs with him in their video library. Brian Lamb, founder of C-Span, is the best TV interviewer there has ever been and there are well over 10 hours of just those 2 discussing his books.
The volume of letters between Abigail and John is a wonderful read,
DeleteGSL - thanks for the heads up! I am definitely going to look into that! Lane - I had heard of the letters and that is being added to the list, too!
DeleteI teach state constitutional law, so I admire John Adams for his near-singlehanded authorship of the Massachusetts State Constitution of 1780, the oldest continuously operating written constitution in the world.
ReplyDeleteHe was the guy wasn't he? I would love to sit and have a cocktail some time and pick your brain on these things - what an interesting field to teach in!
DeleteWendy,
ReplyDeleteYour posts are so inspiring. I wish had the time to pick up a David McCullough book. I always love your recommendations. I feel that history seems so accessible in New England, and Philadelphia. It is almost palpable. Sorry I missed your scenery post. I adore a scenic print.