Truman:

I've been quite enamored with David McCullough since I first met him in a History class at BYU (class was about writing history and we read a few journal articles that he'd written. Unlike most college journal articles, these were fascinating and the reading flew by). I'll have you know, that's before he became popular with the masses. And even though part of me was happy others had discovered him (with John Adams and 1776), I kind of wanted to selfishly keep him to myself, too.
Anyway, I've been reminded lately why I love him. Basically, it's just because

He's an amazing writer!

I've been reading Truman. And I can't put it down. I read for hours, then finally make myself let go. And then I think about it whenever I'm not reading. I can't wait to start again. Now, you know it must be a good read if I'm so incredibly hooked to the story that I can't leave it alone--even though I already know what's going to happen!
I read for hours to find out if he gets chosen to be Roosevelt's VP (duh, of course he did). I read some more to find out how he became president (um, Roosevelt died). I read a few more hours to see how WWII ended, if Truman decides to drop the atomic bombs, etc. And then last night, I couldn't go to bed; I read for hours to find out if he got reelected (like I haven't seen the "Dewey defeats Truman", grinning picture a hundred times in my life). Today the Korean War is about to start. I can't stand leaving it, but I must move on with life.
It's a long book, very close to 1000 pages (small, tight print) but I can't put it down. I couldn't be more enthralled and attached if it were a work of fiction where I had no idea how it turned out. Now, that's an amazing author. That's just all there is to it.

And I remember, I want to be an author. I want to write. Some day, maybe.