Título: David McCullough
Seção: Gaining recognition
Background: David Gaub McCullough (; born July 7, 1933) is an American author, narrator, historian, and lecturer. He is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian award. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, McCullough earned a degree in English literature from Yale University.

Conteúdo: After the success of The Johnstown Flood, two new publishers offered him contracts, one to write about the Great Chicago Fire and another about the San Francisco earthquake. Simon & Schuster, publisher of his first book, also offered McCullough a contract to write a second book. Trying not to become "Bad News McCullough", he decided to write about a subject showing "people were not always foolish and inept or irresponsible." He remembered the words of his Yale teacher: "[Thornton] Wilder said he got the idea for a book or a play when he wanted to learn about something. Then, he'd check to see if anybody had already done it, and if they hadn't, he'd do it." McCullough decided to write a history of the Brooklyn Bridge, which he had walked across many times.  To me history ought to be a source of pleasure. It isn't just part of our civic responsibility. To me it's an enlargement of the experience of being alive, just the way literature or art or music is.  - David McCullough  He also proposed, from a suggestion by his editor, a work about the Panama Canal; both were accepted by the publisher. Critics hailed The Great Bridge (1972) as "the definitive book on the event."  Five years later, The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal was released, gaining McCullough widespread recognition. The book won the National Book Award in History, the Samuel Eliot Morison Award, the Francis Parkman Prize, and the Cornelius Ryan Award. Later in 1977, McCullough travelled to th

user: What led to him gaining

assistant: After the success of The Johnstown Flood, two new publishers offered him contracts, one to write about the Great Chicago Fire and another about the San Francisco earthquake.

user: What did they try next

assistant: Simon & Schuster, publisher of his first book, also offered McCullough a contract to write a second book.

user: What did he write

assistant: He remembered the words of his Yale teacher: "[Thornton] Wilder said he got the idea for a book or a play when he wanted to learn about something.

user: What did he try next in his book

assistant: Then, he'd check to see if anybody had already done it, and if they hadn't, he'd do it.

user: What did they do next

assistant: Then, he'd check to see if anybody had already done it, and if they hadn't, he'd do it." McCullough decided to write a history of the Brooklyn Bridge,

user: What made this so daring

assistant: To me history ought to be a source of pleasure. It isn't just part of our civic responsibility.

user: What did he try and capture

assistant: To me it's an enlargement of the experience of being alive, just the way literature or art or music is.

user: What was his next company

assistant: He also proposed, from a suggestion by his editor, a work about the Panama Canal; both were accepted by the publisher.

user: What did critics say

assistant: Critics hailed The Great Bridge (1972) as "the definitive book on the event."