DAVID SISLER
"Decades of speaking, a lifetime of stories"
DAVID SISLER has been a public speaker for more than five decades, bringing a wealth of knowledge and a gift for storytelling to audiences worldwide. A skilled researcher with a double major in history from Frostburg State University and a Master of Divinity from Erskine Theological Seminary, David draws on both scholarship and life experience to engage, inform, and inspire.
For 11 years, he penned a weekly column for The Augusta Chronicle and has served as a pastor and missionary in Russia. Since 2008, David has been a destination and special interest lecturer on multiple cruise lines, captivating guests with talks that range from art and astronomy to food, photography, and social media.
David’s programs are as varied as they are fascinating—whether exploring the surprising social impact of potatoes, unlocking the secrets of celestial navigation, or uncovering the dramatic history of the world’s most stolen painting. His approachable style and breadth of topics make him a favorite with audiences of all ages.
Married to his wife Bonnie for 57 years, David is also the proud father of four children, with a growing family that includes two daughters-in-law, a son-in-law, ten grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.
LECTURE TOPICS
FOOD
“Yes, We Have No Bananas.”
The first – and last – solid food most of us eat has a colorful, if mostly yellow, history, and may have been eaten in Eden.
“Potatoes: A Social Force.”
Once regarded as a trash food, the potatoes had a revolutionary impact on Western history – think of Ireland and McDonalds.
PHOTOGRAPHY
“Take Better Pictures.”
How to photograph your vacation using your cell phone or digital camera and get great pictures you’ll want to keep and share.
ASTRONOMY/CELESTIAL NAVIGATION
“Are We There Yet?”
Imagine the days when sailors navigated the seas using nothing more than a pointed stick and still discovered strange new worlds
“John Harrison: The Man Who Gave Us Longitude.”
The story of a carpenter who overcame opposition from politics and religion to create a clock that solved the problem of finding longitude.
ART
“The Ghent Altarpiece: The World’s Most Stolen Art Work.”
Perhaps the world’s most important painting, over the course of 5 centuries it has been involved in 13 crimes.
“The Ghent Altarpiece: The World’s Greatest Treasure Hunt.”
The search for Nazi art is the story of a Parisian secretary, an Austrian double agent, a group of salt miners, and a fortuitous toothache.
SOCIAL MEDIA
“Blogging Your Vacation – Or Whatever.”
How to get started, get written, get photographed, get online, and get visits.