David McCullough. A mere copy editor at the Staten Island Advance dares to criticize Pulitzer magnet David McCullough.It's a good piece, very readerly - that is, focused on the effects repeated factual errors have on the enjoyment of the bookbuyer. McCullough's mistakes are typically those of a hack in a hurry who is not properly supervised by his publishers, a familiar story. "Does McCullough step off the merry-go-round of mistakes here ...? Actually, he does not," our reviewer says, bravely putting his needs as reader ahead those of a feted royalty-collector.
David Donald. David Donald has garnered a puff piece in his local Boston paper in which it is revealed that Doris Kearns Goodwin and Gore Vidal like him. Vidal, author of Lincoln, noted that Lincoln scholars were a priesthood dedicated to sanctifying the president's image, Donald not being like that (if you please). There may be one of those Lincoln priests working at the Modesto Bee, where the Donald piece was reprinted with Vidal's dig at Lincoln scholars excised.
Stephen W. Sears got to therapeutically act out his feelings towards George B. McClellan in an odd little event (top right) staged so that the author could confront someone portraying his personal bete noir:
"I CAN'T WAIT to see you fired!" the renowned Civil War author said to the general. Or, rather, to the actor portraying the general.Feel better now? Gonna write better history? (Photo from the Free-Lance Star.)
