After graduation , McCullough moved to New York City , where '' Sports Illustrated '' hired him as a trainee . He later worked as an editor and writer for the United States Information Agency in Washington , D.C . After working for twelve years , including a position at '' American Heritage '' , in editing and writing , McCullough " felt that he had reached the point where he could attempt something on his own . " McCullough " had no anticipation that he was going to write history , but he stumbled upon a story that he thought was powerful , exciting , and very worth telling . " While working at '' American Heritage '' , McCullough wrote in his spare time for three years . '' The Johnstown Flood '' , a chronicle of one of the worst flood disasters in United States history , was published in 1968 to high praise by critics . John Leonard , of '' The New York Times '' , said of McCullough , " We have no better social historian . " Despite rough financial times , he decided to become a full-time writer , encouraged by his wife Rosalee
worst flood disasters
Johnstown Flood
David McCullough