Remembering David Halberstam
BY LUCRETIA VOIGT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
David Halberstam was the consummate well-rounded man. Raised in the Bronx and Connecticut, he graduated from Harvard University in 1955 after having served as managing editor of The Harvard Crimson. Always the one to seek out new experiences in order to broaden his horizons, he left his New England comfort zone and traveled to the South, beginning his writing career with the Daily Times Leader in West Point, Mississippi, then on to Nashville, Tenn. to write at the The Tennessean. He covered the civil rights movement for The New York Times, an assignment that would begin his lifetime of capturing history in the making by putting himself at the edge of conflict. At the age of 30, he won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the Vietnam War.

Nathaniel Philbrick, left, will read excerpts from David Halberstam's book "The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War" this Saturday evening.

David Halberstam died in an automobile accident on April 23, 2007 in Menlo Park, Calif. His resume includes 21 books and culminates with his final book, "The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War," published posthumously on September 25.

David Halberstam was larger than life. Nantucket Island was fortunate to know him as one of their own. A long time resident on Coffin Street, Halberstam was a fixture in the coffee shops and local shops on Main Street. No matter what his destination, it seemed he always ended up at Mitchell's Book Corner. For Mimi Beman, owner of Mitchell's Book Corner, it was a relationship she cherished. "What I loved most about David Halberstam was the great pleasure he derived from reading," she recently remembered, "whether it was for business, research, personal growth, or pure escapism."

On Saturday, October 13, from 7 - 9 p.m. at the Nantucket Atheneum, Nantucket will remember and pay tribute to David Halberstam with a reading from his last book, "The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War." National Book Award Winner Nathaniel Philbrick, a friend and colleague of Halberstam, will read excerpts from the book. Philbrick is humbled by the opportunity, saying, "This means everything to me. It's a great honor. Ever since I've been on Nantucket he's been a professional role model, not only as a writer but for what he did for Nantucket, his presence on the island. He put the island on the map culturally in many ways."

The evening will also feature personal stories from Nantucketers who counted Halberstam as a friend, such as attorney Foley Vaughan and actor John Shea. A reception will follow. The event is free, but tickets are required and can be picked up at the Atheneum.

Philbrick summed it up best when he said, "[David Halberstam] was much more than a famous writer, he had all sorts of friends on the island and had been here longer than I had. He had known the island when it was very different, and had seen it through a lot of changes. He was a real cultural mainstay when it came to Nantucket."

His presence, his intelligence and his wit pushed Nantucket to a higher cultural plane, and the void his passing leaves will be felt for decades to

come. I

- "David Halberstam Tribute: 'The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War'" takes place on Saturday, October 13 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Nantucket Atheneum. Event is free with a ticket, which can be picked up at the Atheneum or reserved online at www.nantucketatheneum.org.