Remembering David McCullough, ‘The Wright Brothers,’ and the American spirit

When I heard the news of historian David McCullough’s death on Aug. 7, I immediately flashed back to reading his book “The Wright Brothers” while vacationing at the Outer Banks this summer.

I had already read and enjoyed several of his other books, so when I noticed “The Wright Brothers” at Downtown Books in Manteo, I decided to buy it and read it during my vacation. After I finished the book, we went to the Wright Brothers National Memorial in nearby Kill Devil Hills. I had been there before, but this visit meant so much more to me because I now knew the story behind that famous first flight that took place there in 1903.

I like the fact that the word “story” is embedded in the word “history.” My favorite historians recognize the importance of telling a good story, and McCullough is at the top of my list of historians who excel at storytelling. During his college years at Yale, he majored in English. His background in literature prepared him well to write works of history that read like novels. Such is the case with “The Wright Brothers.”

Published in 2015, “The Wright Brothers” was one of McCullough’s last books. In this carefully researched book, he delves into the early lives of Wilbur and Orville Wright, as well as their sister, Katharine. McCullough places his emphasis on these three siblings and their complex interactions.

Of course, McCullough tells the story of how the Wright Brothers methodically solved all the problems associated with building and then flying the world’s first heavier-than-air, machine-powered plane. However, what I remember the most about the book is McCullough’s portrayal of Oliver, Wilbur and Katharine as real people.

He captures their devotion to each other, their history of supporting each other during crises, their unusual ability to work together to solve problems, and their constantly evolving relationship. The personality of each sibling comes through in McCullough’s book.

Yes, “The Wright Brothers” is about aviation history, but it also a story about a unique family.

McCullough’s ability to delve into the inner workings of a family is also reflected in his remarkable biography of Theodore Roosevelt. “Mornings on Horseback” focuses on Roosevelt’s troubled childhood and adolescence. I first read it when I started researching my book titled “Theodore Roosevelt and His Library at Sagamore Hill,” and I learned a great deal from McCullough about Roosevelt’s relationship with his parents and his siblings.

McCullough’s portrayal of Roosevelt’s family life helped me better appreciate how Roosevelt’s personality and long-term interests were shaped by the family dynamics that he experienced during his childhood.

McCullough is known as a narrative historian, and he specialized in telling stories about notable Americans and the nature of life in the United States. Fortunately for those of us who live in North Carolina, McCullough’s “The Wright Brothers” helps us better understand one of the most important stories in our state’s history.

North Carolinians are all familiar with the license-plate motto that reads “First in Flight,” but McCullough sheds light on the lives of the real people behind this motto.

Taken individually, McCullough’s books tell the stories of particular Americans, such as the Wright Brothers or Theodore Roosevelt. Taken together, his books contribute to a larger story — a story that is reflected in the title of his book “The American Spirit,” which he wrote shortly after he published “The Wright Brothers.” Over the course of his long career, McCullough helped tell the story of the birth and evolution of the American spirit.

Mark I. West is a professor in the Department of English at UNC Charlotte where he also holds the position of Bonnie E. Cone Professor in Civic Engagement. He regularly writes about authors and books for the Opinion pages. Email: miwest@uncc.edu.