David Herbert Donald, 1920–2009
"Professor Donald taught that truth comes before showmanship. Without theorizing or bloviating, and simply by example, he taught that a meticulous commitment to accuracy is the historian's primary obligation."
— Gil Troy (full essay)
— NYT obituary
2 comments:
I was born in March of 1961, just as the Civil War Centennial was about to pick up steam. I was fortunate to be growing up in a house that brimmed with books, primarily those pertaining to American history. One of the volumes that set in motion my devotion to Civil War history was David Donald's, "Divided We Fought". Having such a finely produced collection of images and succinct text was one of the great fortunes of my childhood.
John, thanks for the note. I was born about a year and a half before you, also in a house full of books. A house just doesn't feel right unless the walls are lined with books.
David Donald sure made his mark. One of the great ones.
--dw
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