Mommy Brain

“In 1953, when I was an eighteen-year-old sophomore at the University of Wisconsin, I took a course in American history entitled “Representative Americans.” Professor William B. Hesseltine taught it. From his first lecture, I was enthralled. He spoke about presidents, generals, senators, novelists, businessmen. Who they were, what they did, what effect it had.

It was storytelling at its best, about real people whose actions had a direct impact on my life, even if they had lived a century or more ago. Some made mistakes. Some were geniuses. Some were kind, others cruel. They were far more interesting than any character in a novel or actor in a movie.

At the end of his first lecture, on George Washington, I approached the professor – short, bald, pudgy, with a big curved pipe – and told him, as he lit up, that I wanted to do what he did for a living. “How do I do that?” He laughed, then said, stick around and I will show you. That afternoon I went to the registrar’s office and switched my major from premed to history.

A half-century later, I’ve never wavered.”

To America is a love letter from a patriotic American, the last book Stephen Ambrose wrote before dying in 2002.

I first heard of Ambrose when my husband read Undaunted Courage, his book on Lewis and Clark. Band of Brothers, the HBO mini-series, is Kevin’s favorite movie of all time and I decided to read the book to compare the two. I found Ambrose to be a reader’s historian; Band of Brothers read almost like a historical novel, exploring the characters of the men in Easy Company. I knew I would seek out more of Ambrose’s work.

I picked up To America last year at B&N, and finally got around to reading it. Ambrose has written more than 25 works of history, including D-Day, Citizen Soldiers, and Nothing Like It in the World, as well as multi-volume biographies of Presidents Eisenhower and Nixon. He is a man who loves his country and To America serves as his final thoughts. In some chapters, he sets the record straight between what he used to teach in university and what he now believes after years of experience and research. It is fascinating to read his thoughts on topics such as Vietnam, Women’s Rights, the treatment of the American Indians, the War in the Pacific, and many, many more.

Among the chapters you will find anecdotes about Eisenhower, the men of Easy Company, Richard Nixon, and many other historical figures. You will also hear his thoughts on the craft of writing.

“I am often asked what is my favorite book of my own. And I always say, the one I’m working on. I’m a writer by profession. If the one I’m writing isn’t better than those that went before I’d better find a new way to earn a living.

The next question is, “Tell me the secret to being a successful author.” Hard work is the answer. You have got to have an insatiable curiosity, be an avid reader, have a memory that allows you to retain what you have read. Teaching is a great help here….

…That doesn’t seem like much of an answer, some tell me. “What is the real secret?” So I offer the few rules that my teacher Mr. Hesseltine pounded into me almost a half-century ago. Keep your narration in chronological order, as that is the way it happened. Don’t anticipate. Don’t tell your reader what is going to happen by the end of the book. Keep your reader guessing, on the edge of the seat, whcih is just the way it was for Dwight Eisenhower on the morning of D-Day, 1944, or for Richard Nixon the day that the Watergate story broke. Do your level best to avoid all words ending in “ly.” Leave out adjectives – as many as possible….

There are many rules of good writing, and the best way to find them is to be a good reader. Know what you are writing about, whether it is history or travel or political analysis. Choose a good editor. It helps a lot if you show some promise as a writer, because there are many more want-to-be writers out there than there are good editors. Still, if you practice your craft and write often and as well as you can, you will locate a good editor who will take you on. When that happens, never let go. Never. No matter how angry you get. No matter how unreasonable his or her demands may be. And learn to write for your editor.

But the number one secret of being a successful writer is this: marry an English major. Moira did her graduate studies in English, has taught English in high school, is extremely well read, has a marvelous memory, and is never afraid to speak up. At the end of each day of writing, for the past four decades, I’ve read aloud to her whatever I’ve written that day….

…Writing is not the easiest way to make a living – you work long hours, usually all by yourself. It is not a way to make money – good businessmen make far more money than most good writers. Nor is it the quickest way to have an impact on your life and times – politicians are much better at that than are writers. Except for a very few, you almost never become an immediately recognizable face – that goes to the movie and music stars.

What you do get is an opportunity to work at what interests you, for as long as you wish. You get to write about ordinary men and women caught up in extraordinary circumstances – what they did, how they did it, with what effect. I know of no better way to make your own contribution.”

To America is the best kind of book: it taught me many things I didn’t already know, and it made me re-think the things I did know. In a time when patriotism is flagging, and I have many questions and concerns about our government, this book renewed my belief that we truly live in the best country on earth.

5 out of 5 stars.