'But they're speculating there was more people who committed suicide that came back from Vietnam, out of the 3 and a half million people, more people that committed suicide than there are names on the wall in Washington D.C. 'I look back during the Vietnam War years, and no one knows the number of suicides,' Christian said. Dorothy Christian is also a veteran, having served as an army aide during World War II.Ĭhristian lobbied for policies that protect veterans. David Alan Christian's mother Dorothy pins his bars during a ceremony. 'I felt that I had a calling, I could help veterans,' he said. soil, he continued to protect his soldiers, as an advocate. 'And when bullets are flying, it's really difficult, some of the people you loved, some of the people you cared for, you tell them you got their six and they have your six, and they take a bullet.'īy the age of 20, he was promoted to captain and retired from the Army a year later.īack on U.S. 'Battle is really horrendous, war is hell,' Christian said.

In 1969, he was severely burned by napalm in Vietnam. That same year, he received two Silver Stars, the country's third-highest medal for valor. With stunning insights into the origin of the universe, the beginning of life, the emergence of humans, and what the future might bring, Origin Story boldly reframes our place in the cosmos.'She pinned my bars on, and my mother was only 4 foot 11,' Christian said.Īs a lieutenant in South Vietnam in 1968, Christian was wounded in action seven times and awarded several medals including the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism and several Purple Hearts. In Origin Story, Christian takes readers on a wild ride through the entire 13.8 billion years we've come to know as 'history.' By focusing on defining events (thresholds), major trends, and profound questions about our origins, Christian exposes the hidden threads that tie everything together - from the creation of the planet to the advent of agriculture, nuclear war, and beyond.

These were the questions David Christian set out to answer when he created the field of 'Big History,' the most exciting new approach to understanding where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. But what would it look like to study the whole of history, from the big bang through the present day - and even into the remote future? How would looking at the full span of time change the way we perceive the universe, the earth, and our very existence? Most historians study the smallest slivers of time, emphasizing specific dates, individuals, and documents. In Origin Story, he elegantly weaves evidence and insights from many scientific and historical disciplines into a single, accessible historical narrative.' -Bill GatesĪ captivating history of the universe - from before the dawn of time through the far reaches of the distant future. 'I have long been a fan of David Christian.

Origin story by david christian