Stephen E. Ambrose

Stephen E. Ambrose

Stephen E. Ambrose (Stephen Edward Ambrose) was born on January 10th, 1936. Stephen passed away October 13th, 2002 at 66 years old. Stephen E. Ambrose was born in Lovington, Illinois, USA. Ambrose attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison where he received a BA degree and a PhD degree and Louisiana State University where he received a Master of Arts degree.

Stephen Ambrose was best known as a biographer and historian who wrote many bestselling works on American history. He penned a bunch of works on American history and the Second World War including Band of Brothers which was adapted into a film that he executive produced.

Ambrose was also the founder of the New Orleans-based D-Day Museum, which would then become The National World War II Museum. It was also in the 1970s that he started traveling for research and led tours to the locations about which he wrote in his books.

Going back to his upbringing, he was the son of a father who was in the American Navy during the Second World War before retiring in 1950. His mother was employed at a Whitewater, Wisconsin-based pea canning factory during the period, even as she raised Steve and his siblings.

After graduating from college, Ambrose became a Civil War historian, and a few years later, he began editing the wartime papers that belonged to General Eisenhower. During this time, he also taught summer school, even as he published highly acclaimed historical fiction works.

In 1983, Stephen Ambrose founded the University of New Orleans Eisenhower Center to preserve the memories of soldiers who fought in the Second World War. Making use of these records and his own experiences, Ambrose wrote acclaimed histories of D-Day, the 101st Airborne and Pegasus Bridge.

From his experiences, Ambrose came up with and planned itineraries and signature tours that would then become Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours. The company has led tours to many historical places across the world up to the late 1990s.

Eisenhower, Volume #1 is a work that Stephen Ambrose published in 1983. This is a portrait of the former general and president. The work follows the man all through his presidency of a nation dealing with the Cold War, a new global role, atomic weapons, and civil rights issues. He shows what a colossus Eisenhower was and how big of a role he played in making the world we live in today.

In 1987, Stephen Ambrose published Nixon Volume #1. The work chronicles Richard Nixon’s boyhood and his youth to his campaigns for Senate, Congress, and presidency. Ambrose also shows the valleys and peaks of Nixon including how he supported the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine among other policies.

Stephen E. Ambrose: Awards & Accolades

Stephen E. Ambrose won the St. Louis Literary Award, Distinguished Figure in Literature, in 1997.

Stephen E. Ambrose: Lists & Other Mentions

• Nothing Like It in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869: New York Times: #1 Nonfiction Best Seller in 2000.
• The Wild Blue: The Men And Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany, 1944-45: New York Times: #1 Nonfiction Best Seller in 2001.

Related Authors

Fans of Stephen E. Ambrose also enjoy these authors:

1. Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
2. J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter Series.
3. David Baldacci, author of the Amos Decker Series.
4. John Grisham, author of the Jake Brigance Series.
5. James Patterson, author of the Alex Cross Series.

Stephen E. Ambrose: F.A.Q