David Gaub McCullough has been widely acclaimed as a “master of the art of narrative history.” He is a two-time winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, and has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian award.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, McCullough earned a degree in English literature from Yale University. His first book was The Johnstown Flood (1968), and he wrote nine more on topics such as Harry S. Truman, John Adams, Theodore Roosevelt, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Panama Canal, and the Wright brothers. McCullough also narrated numerous documentaries, including The Civil War by Ken Burns, and the 2003 film Seabiscuit. He hosted the PBS television documentary series American Experience for twelve years.

McCullough's two Pulitzer Prize–winning books—Truman and John Adams—were adapted by HBO into a TV film and a miniseries, respectively.