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David McCullough: Presidents need to read history

Most Americans are familiar with John Adams and Harry Truman. Both were former U.S. presidents, but they had something else in common: an excellent knowledge of history.

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough emphasized the importance of knowing history at a lecture Monday at the Wexner Center.

McCullough said Adams and Truman are examples of men who reflected upon history before making decisions that affected the future.

McCullough's lecture, "Leadership and the History You Don't Know," was co-sponsored by the John Glenn School of Public Affairs and the Ohio Telecom Association.

About 300 people filled every seat in the Film/Video Theater and about 100 others remained on the waiting list.

McCullough was introduced by Ohio State President Karen A. Holbrook and former Sen. John Glenn.

The author of numerous biographies of U.S. presidents, McCullough has been on the bestseller list several times. McCullough's most recent book, "1776," was a No.1 New York Times Best Seller in both hardcover and paperback.
Read entire article at Ohio State student newspaper--The Lantern