Reading David McCullough

By Carrie McBride, Communications
August 8, 2022

Historian and prolific author David McCullough has died. His books were bestsellers and won numerous awards including the Pulitzer Prize (twice) and the National Book Award. McCullough was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was named a Literary Lion by The New York Public Library. Over the course of his career, he tackled large-scale biographies like John Adams and Truman, group portraits such as the pioneers settling the American West and nineteenth-century Americans living in France, as well as documenting feats of engineering like the construction of the Panama Canal and the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Wright Brothers' building of the first successful motor-operated airplane.

McCullough's books are detailed and often lengthy, but also page-turners that bring history to life with vivid storytelling. Below is a selection of his books which you can borrow in print, e-book, or audiobook format. You can explore more titles by David McCullough in our catalog.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.