There are authors whose fan bases are strong enough to where his or her newest works will be purchased immediately by ardent admirers. Of course, the same concept applies to new albums by musicians and followers of particular actors will be in the earliest lines for admittance to new movies starring such popular cinema icons.

Praises for award-winning historian David McCullough have been sung in this space before. Years ago I’d noted history books, including McCullough-penned tomes, were replacing works of fiction by authors like Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler in my office library.