David McCullough is a two-time Pulitzer Prize and National Humanities Medal winner who has thirty-one honorary degrees. Until yesterday, however, I had never heard of the award-winning author, landscape painter and grandfather of seventeen. Now, I am ready to sign up and read his entire collection of works including:

1776 (2005)

John Adams (2001)

This book became one of the most popular books in publisher Simon & Schuster's history, and earned McCullough one of his two Pulitzer Prizes. (The other was for his 1992 book Truman.) Publisher's Weekly states that John Adams was one of the fastest-selling nonfiction titles in history.

Brave Companions (1992) - especially the 5,000-word chapter he initially wrote in 1986 for Life Magazine about the importance of world history from 1936 to 1986 called Extraordinary Times.

Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt (1982)

Truman (1992)

Path Between The Seas : The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 (1977)

The Great Bridge : The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge (1972)

JOHNSTOWN FLOOD (1968)

At the First Congregational Church in Portland Oregon on Friday evening, June 17th 2005 there was a revival going on. The revival had less to do with religion but everything to do with the soul of America.

David McCullough included Portland in his tour to introduce his latest work, a historical narrative of the Revolutionary War called 1776.

The focus of time in our nation's history that is covered in this 400-page book: October 1775 to the end of winter in 1777.

In recounting the birth of America, McCullough draws from the diaries, memoirs and correspondence of everyone from King George III to George Washington as commander of the Continental Army to Nathaniel Greene -- who ultimately became the most brilliant General we had in the war -- to Joseph Hodgkins, the Ipswich shoemaker who became a lieutenant, to an entire band of noncommissioned soldiers.

Thomas Paine, the Revolutionary War's most renowned journalist, described the times as those "that try men's souls."

As in any physical birth, there is pain. However, this birth may never have taken place had it not been for the courage, intelligence and steadfast health of a few thousand tenacious men.

Before McCullough's talk last night I never knew that the United States almost never came to be. Neither did at least one of the three Ivy League grads with whom I shared the evening. My sister first became aware of this fact after reading McCullough's last book, John Adams.

Most Americans grow up learning only of George Washington's strengths and triumphs. McCullough has successfully shed new light on how defeated we were before Washington's army escaped Brooklyn, retreated to New Jersey, then eventually crossed the Delaware to win a surprise attack in Trenton.

Had it not been for the strength and virtue of our first soldiers along with the direction of the wind and a mysterious providential fog, McCullough said, "We might be here today sipping tea and singing 'God Save the Queen.'"

McCullough began his presentation by crediting his wife of 50 years, Rosalee Barnes for the many noble positions she has taken on since he has become "the citizen chronicler of the American story for our time." In addition to being his wife and the mother of his five children, Rosalee is his Editor-in-Chief and the Chair of the McCullough family's Ethics Committee.

During the first stage of his nationwide book tour, Rosalee was by his side. By the time McCullough reached Portland, Rosalee had returned to their home in West Tisbury, Massachusetts on Martha's Vineyard -- perhaps to prepare for an extra-special celebration this year of our nation's Independence Day.

McCullough told the standing room only crowd that he adores his wife, the same woman he credits for the success of his career.

Perhaps his work environment should also be credited.

McCullough writes in a small studio behind his restored farmhouse on Martha's Vineyard. (He rejects the term "shed".) He still types on a 1940 Royal manual typewriter he bought in 1965.

On Friday night, McCullough spoke of the philosophical soul of our nation's history.

He said, "If we want to understand people of the past we need to go back and read their history: their music, their art, their culture."

"Declaration of Independence" by John Trumbull (1817)

In McCullough's talk he referred to the famous painting created by John Trumbull, which immortalizes the signing of the Declaration of Independence but inaccurately reflects the event.

McCullough stated that those who signed it did not do so all on the same day. Therefore, the date in the painting is incorrect. He also said the chairs were wrong. However, McCullough said, "That does not matter. All that matters is that the faces are accurate."

The faces are "individuals" and therefore they are accountable to future generations for one of the most dramatic turning points in all of history.

In our collective memory, even today these men are accountable.

They did something that had never been done before.

The founders of our country were not demigods. They did not achieve perfection in what they set out to accomplish. They were real, imperfect people -- just like one General who had a lisp and another General who had a limp.

McCullough said, "The more we see them that way, the greater is their humanity."

Two of the military leaders McCullough discusses in detail knew nothing about fighting a war. They are hardworking individuals. They are resourceful. They are handy with tools. What they learned about leading an army came from reading books.

McCullough drew the biggest applause of the evening when he later said, "It isn't such a bad place to learn."

David McCullough asked his audience, "How will future generations judge us when we are 'history'?"

He said, "We are the luckiest people on earth and we know that. We have every reason to be proud." He encouraged us to share our nation's history and the people who have shaped us with our children.

A Key Public Figure in American Life

McCullough ended his presentation by saying how "gratifying" he finds his work. He even went so far as to say that if he would pay to do what he does.

Fortunately, after decades of struggling to raise five children while staying true to his art, he and his wife of 50 years have begun to bear the fruits of their labor.

Today, he is recognized as a "master of the art of narrative history." In so doing, he has also become an editor, essayist, teacher, lecturer, and familiar presence on public television.

McCullough goes from Oregon to Northern California this weekend.

He appeared today at Book Passages in Corte Madera.

On Monday, June 20th members of San Francisco's Commonwealth Club will have an opportunity to hear him speak about his new book and learn from this master, first hand.

Also on the 20th, he will be in Saratoga, California at the Montalvo Garden Theater.

On the 21st, he will head south.

His appearances in Southern California will include the LA Public Library (June 21st), the World Affairs Council (June 22nd) and Caltech's Beckman Auditorium in Pasadena (June 22nd at 8pm).

From California, he will head to Denver Colorado (June 23rd and 24th), Dallas and Houston Texas (June 27th and 28th), Tampa Florida (June 29th), Washington DC (June 30th) and Martha's Vineyard (July 2nd).

On Friday, September 9th, he will be in Boston at the Massachusetts Historical Society. On Saturday, September 24th, he will appear at the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. And the last scheduled appearance he has committed to make will take place on September 29th back in Boston for the American Antiquarian Society.

1776 is available for $19.20 ($32 list) at the time of publication.

McCullough's latest book was published on May 24th 2005 by Simon & Schuster.

1776 will also be available in large print beginning June 23rd. Thorndike Press is publishing the large print edition.

What's the only thing that would have made last night's introduction to David McCullough better?

To share the evening with all my book-loving, history-loving friends, but especially with my parents on the west coast and my east coast aunts and uncles whom have never had the privilege of hearing McCullough speak.

Thank you Mr. McCullough for your gift to all Americans. Thank you for inspiring us to read about our nation's history. And thank you for encouraging us to teach our children to work hard, and to value courage, intelligence and good health.

Your storytelling is a work of art.

It is an apropos story about our founding fathers on this Father's Day.

Happy Father's Day!

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, "telling it like it really was" living!

~ Jennifer Carolyn King, Rugged Elegance, LLC