The Greater Journey

Despite a keen interest in Paris, its history and arts, reading straight history books isn’t my thing.

I prefer to learn by reading narrative nonfiction that draws on historical events as does McCullough’s. He focuses on the period in Paris (1830-1900) when the City of Light was the center of culture, the time when American artists, doctors, writers, musicians, and politicians among others ventured across the Atlantic to gain inspiration and knowledge from living in Paris.

McCullough highlights stories of the famous such as Mary Cassatt, Samuel Morse, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mark Twain, Oliver Wendell Holmes, as well as lesser-known… show more.

I came to America as a young teenager, and my interest in learning America’s history stayed with me till today. David McCullough is an amazing storyteller; using firsthand accounts, letters, and diaries, his books become powerful.

After a hazardous journey, Americans, politicians, architects, artists, doctors, and writers, traveled to the city of lights, Paris. They learn a new culture, achieve success, and return home to greatly alter American history. This, in a sense, is my story as well. I have always had that strong attitude of being grateful, of being able to exist in a free world.