Douglas Southall Freeman - Hardcover

David Johnson

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1589800214 ISBN 13: 9781589800212

Publisher: Pelican Publishing Co. (US), 2002

Synopsis

Douglas Southall Freeman (1886-1953) won two Pulitzer Prizes for his biographies R. E. Lee and George Washington; he also edited the Richmond News Leader, made twice-daily radio news broadcasts, and taught journalism at Columbia University.

About this title

About the Author

David Johnson grew up in Michigan and now lives in the Pacific Northwest with his trusty sidekick Augie D. Dogg, two children, and two granddaughters. He earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Ferris State University in 1974, and he is currently working on his B.S. degree in Sociology. David says: We look around us and see things we feel or know should be changed. Our first thought is 'I am only one person. I cannot solve such a huge problem. What can I do?' David has shown that one person can do something and make a difference. What you do may not solve the entire problem, but it may solve a small piece of the problem.

From the Back Cover

"David Johnson's even-handed biography of Douglas Southall Freeman exactly limns an extraordinary man. The Doc, as we newsmen knew him, would be pleased."
--James J. Kilpatrick

Everyone interested in American history, especially the Civil War years, owes an enormous debt to Douglas Southall Freeman (1886-1953). His acclaimed biographies, including Lee's Lieutenants and the Pulitzer Prize-winning R. E. Lee, are still widely read and enjoyed. Freeman was awarded another Pulitzer for George Washington, and those six volumes remain the definitive work on the first president. Such literary accomplishments would be enough for many writers, but Freeman researched and wrote his books while simultaneously editing a daily newspaper, the Richmond News Leader, from 1915 to 1949 and broadcasting the news twice a day on WRNL Radio.

Freeman's influence was not confined to Virginia or the South, nor was his expertise limited to studying the past. During World War I, Pres. Woodrow Wilson read Freeman's daily reports about the conflict in Europe. Freeman also acted as friend and advisor to world leaders like Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower. Time Magazine honored him with a cover story and the reporters from Life tried in vain to keep up with his schedule.

At last, David E. Johnson has produced the first book about this legendary figure and his numerous achievements. Comprehensive in scope and exhaustively researched, Douglas Southall Freeman stands as a biography worthy of its subject.

From the Inside Flap

Born in 1886, the son of a Confederate veteran, Douglas Southall Freeman remains one of the greatest historians of the Civil War. His monumental biographies, including Lee's Lieutenants and the Pulitzer Prize-winning R. E. Lee, continue to be popular and valuable reference books for anyone studying that period.

Freeman's prodigious intellectual energies were not limited to Civil War history. He received a second, posthumous Pulitzer Prize for his six-volume study of George Washington. By employing a strict personal schedule--often rising at 2:30 a.m.--Freeman managed to produce such momentous historical works while also editing a daily newspaper and making twice-daily radio news broadcasts.

Though a proud and loyal Virginian, Freeman and his influence spread far beyond his native city of Richmond. During Freeman's tenure as editor of the Richmond News Leader from 1915 to 1949, world leaders, like Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower, sought his advice. Throughout World War I, Pres. Woodrow Wilson read Freeman's daily reports about the conflict in Europe.

Until now, no biography of this important and influential figure has existed.

Undertaken with the blessing of the Freeman family, this biography represents years of exhaustive research. The author was allowed access to Freeman's copious papers--over 244 boxes in the Library of Congress alone. David Johnson also conducted interviews with many of Freeman's surviving relatives, especially his eldest daughter, Mary Tyler McClenahan, and coworkers, including nationally syndicated columnist James Kilpatrick. The resulting study brings to life the many achievements and diverse talents of Douglas Southall Freeman.

David E. Johnson serves as senior counsel to the attorney general of Virginia. He was graduated from the College of William and Mary and the T. C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond. He lives with his wife, Holly, and their three children in Midlothian, Virginia.

For information about more books from Pelican's extensive list of Civil War and other historical titles, please visit www.pelicanpub.com

Edition details

• Publisher: Pelican Publishing Co. (US)
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1589800214
• ISBN 13: 9781589800212
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 480