Expanding his vision and courage

Photo by Jörg Meyer

They say that historians peak late. Well, David Fischer peaked early, and then just kept going. His long list of books is quite stunning, but so is his range. He does biography, social history, intellectual history, even military history. And he’s literally all over the map, from England, to Canada, to New England, to Australia.

David is the veritable historian for all seasons. And at a time when professional pressures are an increasing centripetal force, he keeps expanding his vision and his curiosity. We should make him the poster child for the historian as intellectual explorer.

Joseph Ellis is Professor Emeritus of History at Mount Holyoke College and the author of numerous books, including “Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation,” which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2001.