History Matters
By David McCullough
Edited by Dorie McCullough Lawson & Michael Hill
Simon & Schuster, 2025

Throughout his distinguished career, David McCullough demonstrated why history matters. McCullough’s genius was in recognizing that we cannot understand history unless we see events as those living through them did, not knowing how the story ends. Approaching history like this allows us to experience what it was like to face pivotal moments of the past, giving us insight to face our own.

History Matters is a timely collection of his writings, many never-before published and all as broad in curiosity and interests as McCullough himself. He talks about books, art, writing, and people – some expected, some surprising. Throughout, he explores our shared American history and the core values which connect us all, regardless of where we live, how we vote, or how our backgrounds differ.

The book was edited by McCullough’s daughter, Dorie McCullough Lawson, and his research partner, Michael Hill. “It has been an honor to work with my father’s papers in the years since his death,” said Lawson. “My mother, Rosalee, always said that his work was built to last, and it has been reassuring to see how right she was. What comes through most clearly . . . are the themes of courage, integrity, honesty, careful study, independence, creativity, hard work, and love of country.”

This event is presented in partnership with the Delaware Historical Society.

About the author
David McCullough (1933-2022) was born in Pittsburgh and studied English at Yale under John O’Hara, Robert Penn Warren, and Thornton Wilder. After a promising debut with The Johnstown Flood while earning a paycheck at American Heritage, his wife, Rosalee, encouraged him to take a leap. McCullough embarked on a 50+ year writing career, becoming one of America’s most celebrated historians. His work is also known on PBS, including Smithsonian World, The American Experience, and Ken Burns’ The Civil War.

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Dorie McCullough Lawson is David McCullough’s daughter; she worked with him professionally for nearly three decades. Lawson earned a BA in history from Middlebury College and is the author of three previous books including Posterity: Letters of Great Americans to Their Children, and the novel Along Comes a Stranger. She and her husband, fine artist T. Allen Lawson, live with their family in Maine.

Michael Hill is an historical researcher and writer who worked with David McCullough for over thirty years. His other clients have included Philbrick, Meacham, Beschloss, and Junger. Hill has written three books, most recently Funny Business: The Legendary Life and Political Satire of Art Buchwald. He also co-produced Ken Burns’ Civil War and consulted on two miniseries: John Adams and Challenger. 

Lawson and Hill will be in conversation with Ivan Henderson

Ivan Henderson is the Executive Director of the Delaware Historical Society. He also served as the VP for Programming at the African American Museum in Philadelphia and the Curator of Education for University Museums at UD. Henderson holds a BA in English from Harvard, and a MA in Leadership in Museum Education from Bank Street College of Education. He and his family live in Wilmington.

Purchase the book
Please help support local independent bookstores by purchasing this book at Browseabout Books, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Online sources and digital versions are tempting; however, supporting local brick and mortar shops helps to preserve our vibrant main streets. Drop by Browseabout, order books online, or call the store at 302-226-2665. You also may purchase a copy at biblion in Lewes.

About the Festival
The History Book Festival is the first and only book festival in the United States devoted exclusively to history. With the help of our presenting funding partners — Delaware Humanities and The Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | PenFed Realty — as well as our program and community partners, volunteers, and donors, the 2025 History Book Festival will be full of great discussions with authors of newly published narrative nonfiction and historical fiction. 

Thanks to all of our donors, especially our education and outreach funding partners: Ronald Collins & Susan Cohen, Carolyn & Aaron Nayer, Jen Mason & Clare Hancock, and Browseabout Books. HBF authors visit classrooms in Delaware, and HBF provides their books to schools, libraries, and community organizations.

Our Keynote event is presented by Griswold Home Care for Sussex and Kent Counties and Sally Mott Freeman & John K. Freeman; our Closing event is presented by the Delaware Community Foundation. Saturday’s Spirited Discussion, our gathering for attendees and presenters to celebrate and discuss their day, is presented by Dogfish Head Beer & Benevolence.

Special thanks to our Founding Program Partners for their continuing support: the Lewes Public Library, for event promotion and production, and Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Thanks also to the  Lewes Chamber of Commerce for event promotion, and the Cape Gazette and Delmarva Public Media, our media partners.