American historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough dies

David McCullough died on Sunday at his home in Massachusetts (Picture: AP)

An award-winning American historian and best-selling author, David McCullough, has died. He was 89.

McCullough died at his home in Hingham, Massachusetts, on Sunday, according to his publisher, Simon & Schuster. His death was confirmed by his daughter Dorie Lawson on Monday.

‘David McCullough was a national treasure. His books brought history to life for millions of readers,’ stated Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp. ‘Through his biographies, he dramatically illustrated the most ennobling parts of the American character.’

McCullough won Pulitzer Prizes for two presidential biographies – Truman published in 1992 and John Adams in 2001. Truman was at No 1 of The New York Times’ best-seller list for 43 weeks, while John Adams topped the list on its first week out.

He was one of the most recognizable historians and was called ‘both the name and the voice of American history’ by Hamilton author Ron Chernow. 

Some of McCullough’s critics said he avoided addressing more difficult topics in his subjects.

‘McCullough’s main weakness is one he shares with Truman: he occasionally fails to wrestle with the moral complexities of policy,’ wrote Walter Isaacson in Time.

In response to such criticism, McCullough in 2001 said: ‘Some people not only want their leaders to have feet of clay, but to be all clay.’

McCullough also wrote about the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge and Panama Canal.

He appeared on PBS’s American Experience and narrated filmmaker Kevin Burns’ The Civil War documentary.

‘He’s had a profound influence on all I’ve done because he taught me how to tell a story,’ Burns said in 2015.

In 2017, McCullough spoke about his craft and why he labored over it.

“History matters. That’s what I’ve tried to convey,’ he told the Patriot Ledger at the time.

‘It’s essential to understand our nation’s story, the good and the bad, the high accomplishments and the skulduggery. And so much of our story has yet to be told.’

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