Historian To Receive Distinguished Author Award At Tulsa City-County Library

Acclaimed historian, professor, and author Dr. H.W. Brands will be honored with the prestigious Peggy V. Helmrich Distinguished Author Award at the Tulsa City-County Library Thursday evening.

Dr. Brands, whose books have earned widespread recognition, including two Pulitzer Prize finalist nods, spoke with News On 6's LeAnne Taylor about his career and the honor he is receiving.

Dr. Brands, author of notable works such as The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin, discussed what this honor means to him.

"It is indeed an honor," he said. "The list of historians and other writers who have won the prize before makes me feel that I'm in wonderful company."

His passion for history, which he said began in his childhood, has driven his prolific writing career.

"I was drawn to history from the time I was a kid," he said. "My father used to take me and my siblings around to look at historical sites around Portland, Oregon, where we grew up. Something about it just struck a chord with me."

Dr. Brands emphasized that writing and researching history never felt like work to him.

"I feel very fortunate that the thing I like to do most — learn about the past, write about the past — is something that people are willing to pay me for. I benefit immensely from the fact that I really like the process of writing and researching. So it hardly seems like work. I pinch myself just to make sure this isn't just a dream."

While he has written about various historical figures, Dr. Brands has a particular fondness for Benjamin Franklin, who he said is his favorite subject.

"Benjamin Franklin is one that I keep returning to," he said. "He had a great sense of humor, and I often thought that of all of his generation of founding fathers, he is the one who would be most at home today."

Asked about his perspective on the current political environment, Dr. Brands drew a historical parallel.

"From the beginning of this Republic in the 1770s, Americans have often felt that the future of the Republic was in danger," he said. "The bad news is that these crises aren’t going away. The good news is we've survived every crisis before, so we'll probably survive this one too."

Dr. Brands also reflected on the significance of receiving the Tulsa City-County Library award.

"This award is a great honor," he said. "The people who have received it before me have made me feel that that's a company I want to join."

Looking ahead, Dr. Brands said he is working on a biography of George Washington.

"I am working on a biography of George Washington, going back to the beginning," he said. While the book is still in progress, he said he expects it to be released in a couple of years.

Dr. Brands will speak at a free public presentation on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 5:30 p.m. at the Central Library in downtown Tulsa.

He will discuss his life and work, answer questions, and sign copies of his books, which will be available for purchase.