Quicklet on The Charlie Rose Show: David McCullough (CliffNotes-like Summary)

ABOUT THE BOOK

One of the most marvelous things in life is to encounter someone so enthusiastic that you can feel it from a distance. Watching David McCullough on Charlie Rose reminded me how much there is to learn about the world, and how interesting and exciting that process can be.

Mr. McCullough was on the Charlie Rose show to talk about his new book, The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris. Charlie Rose is excellent at bringing out the best in someone like McCullough, a man eager to learn and share what he has learned. And that is the context of the discussion: not only what the book is about, but why he wrote it, and why the topic is important.

For McCullough, discovering the past is a lifelong journey.

What he tells us is that the past is the context for the future. That the very best decisions are to be made by those whose judgements are informed by knowing where we’ve been. We are shaped by the past – that’s source of our perspective. Leaving it unexplored is to be ignorant of an important resource.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Scott Charles has over a decade’s worth of experience as a research analyst. Scott spent 11 years at a Fortune 500 company providing research and analytical services to marketing teams, product managers, R&D staff, and executives. His specialty is doing comprehensive deep dives to support ideation processes, identifying business opportunities, market analysis and business development.

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK

David McCullough is a well known author and lecturer. Born in 1933, he graduated from Yale University with a degree in English in 1955.

His interest in writing was inspired by his friendship with novelist and playwright Thornton Wilder. After graduating from Yale Mr. McCullough moved to New York and worked for Sports Illustrated. He moved on to work at The United States Information Agency, and then American Heritage Magazine.

His experience as an editor and writer provided the inspiration to write his own book, The Johnston Flood. The book was well received, and Mr. McCullough decided to write full time.

Since his first book he has published 9 other books. He has won numerous awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes, two National Book Awards, the National Book Foundation Distinguished Contribution to American Letters Award, two Francis Parkman Prizes from the American Society of Historians, the National Humanities Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Buy a copy to keep reading!