Now Read This: 'The Wright Brothers' by David McCullough

If you read my book reviews regularly, you know it's rare for me to read nonfiction, but while looking for a good audiobook to listen to for a recent trip, I picked up David McCullough's "The Wright Brothers," read by McCullough himself. It quickly becomes obvious that McCullough sorted through an enormous amount of research to write a very readable account of the lives of two remarkable brothers.

Did you know they started out as bicycle mechanics and used the earnings from their company to fund their initial experiments with flight? Did you know their father was a clergyman and their sister was a huge asset to them as their popularity grew? Do you know why they chose Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, for their flying experiments? Did you know Wilbur was unquestionably a genius and that Orville had such mechanical ingenuity as few had ever seen? This book answers all these questions and more.

It is evident McCullough wants his readers to admire the work ethic of the brothers as he recounts that, during the day of celebrations in Dayton, Ohio, in their honor, they repeatedly sneaked off to continue their work. As one reviewer said, "McCullough's usual warm, evocative prose makes for an absorbing narrative; he conveys both the drama of the birth of flight and the homespun genius of America's golden age of innovation."

"The Wright Brothers" is a story of men of exceptional courage and determination, far-ranging intellectual interests and ceaseless curiosity, all told by the highly competent, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough. And if you check out the audiobook, you will discover, as I did, that McCullough is the perfect narrator for his book.

In checking our online catalog for additional books, I discovered there are three very interesting books on the Wright family to be found in the Youth Services Department. They are "The Wright Sister" by Richard Mauer, "Airborne: A Photobiography of Wilbur and Orville" and "Wright Brothers" by award winner Russell Freedman. The library also has several other books on the brothers in the adult collection.

In addition, the library owns many of McCullough's other books that cover a variety of historical topics and personalities, including "John Adams," "Truman," "The Great Bridge" and "1776." My husband believes McCullough's "1776" title should be required reading for every high school student because he does such a good job describing that year in United States history.

Happy readings!


About Betty

Betty Martin is director of the Cape Girardeau Public Library.