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Tag Archives: David McCullough
Presidents: “the crowds along his route were the largest ever seen”
David McCullough describes, in John Adams, Washington’s inauguration day: On the day of his inauguration, Thursday, April 30 1789, Washington rode to Federal Hall in a canary-yellow carriage pulled by six white horses and followed by a long column of … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers
Tagged David McCullough, George Washington, politics
Comments Off on Presidents: “the crowds along his route were the largest ever seen”
Presidents: “the eloquent lines of the second paragraph”
Excerpt from David McCullough’s John Adams: [Jefferson] worked rapidly [on writing the Declaration of Independence] and, to judge by surviving drafts, with a sure command of his material. He had none of his books with him, nor needed any, he … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers
Tagged David McCullough, Declaration of Independence, politics, Thomas Jefferson
Comments Off on Presidents: “the eloquent lines of the second paragraph”
David McCullough’s Enthusiasm
This article made me cry. I think, after reading that, that I need to take myself on a little foot-tour of Revolutionary-War-Era New York. I’ve never done it and I think it’s high time I did! No wonder why none … Continue reading
Declaration – “it was Franklin, or Jefferson himself, who made the small but inspired change in the second paragraph.”
Excerpt from David McCullough’s John Adams: [Jefferson] worked rapidly [on writing the Declaration of Independence] and, to judge by surviving drafts, with a sure command of his material. He had none of his books with him, nor needed any, he … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers
Tagged David McCullough, Declaration of Independence, John Adams, politics, Thomas Jefferson
Comments Off on Declaration – “it was Franklin, or Jefferson himself, who made the small but inspired change in the second paragraph.”
Today in History: April 30, 1789
On April 30, 1789, George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States. George Washington wrote the following on the eve of his inauguration: It is said that every man has his portion of ambition. I … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers, On This Day
Tagged David McCullough, George Washington, politics
3 Comments
Books: History List
Taking my cue from Critical Mass, here is my compilation of favorite history, biography, and historical fiction. Criteria for books chosen is thus: The books chosen must be well written, and one does not need to have a lot of … Continue reading
Posted in Books, James Joyce
Tagged A. Scott Berg, A.S. Byatt, Biography, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, Charles Lindbergh, David McCullough, England, France, Germany, Going After Cacciato, Group Theatre, Hitler, Ireland, Jeanette Winterson, John Adams, nonfiction, Possession, Rebecca West, Richard Ellmann, Ryszard Kapuściński, Tennessee Williams, The Passion, The Soccer War, Tim O'Brien, Vietnam, William Shirer, Yugoslavia
5 Comments
“Ingratitude Is An Ugly Failing”
“And so many of the blessings and advantages we have, so many of the reasons why our civilization, our culture, has flourished aren’t understood; they’re not appreciated. And if you don’t have any appreciation of what people went through to … Continue reading
My Self-Imposed Reading List
I have begun a tear through biographies of the Founding Fathers. Some I have read already, some are new. Last year, I read David McCullough’s stupendous achievement, John Adams. But after Presidents Day, I made up a list – and … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Founding Fathers
Tagged Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklin, David McCullough, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson
9 Comments
Adams and Jefferson
From David McCullough’s John Adams on the later-in-life correspondence between Adams and Jefferson: Once, briefly, a difference in philosophy was touched upon, when Jefferson observed that the “paper transactions” of one generation should “scarcely be considered by succeeding generations,” … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers
Tagged David McCullough, John Adams, politics, Thomas Jefferson
5 Comments
1801: The Inauguration of Thomas Jefferson
From David McCullough’s John Adams: On Inauguration Day, Wednesday, March 4, 1801, John Adams made his exit from the President’s House and the capital at four in the morning, traveling by public stage under clear skies lit by a quarter … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers
Tagged David McCullough, John Adams, politics, Thomas Jefferson
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