History never looks like history when you are living through it. It always looks confusing and messy, and it always read more

History never looks like history when you are living through it. It always looks confusing and messy, and it always feels uncomfortable.

The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and read more

The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.

All history, of course, is the history of wars.

All history, of course, is the history of wars.

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have.

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have.

A man can be a hero if he is a scientist, or a soldier, or a drug addict, or a read more

A man can be a hero if he is a scientist, or a soldier, or a drug addict, or a disc jockey, or a crummy mediocre politician. A man can be a hero because he suffers and despairs; or because he thinks logically and analytically; or because he is "sensitive;" or because he is cruel. Wealth establishes a man as a hero, and so does poverty. Virtually any circumstance in a man's life will make him a hero to some group of people and has a mythic rendering in the culture -- in literature, art, theater, or the daily newspapers.

History is only the register of crimes and misfortunes.

History is only the register of crimes and misfortunes.

The lessons of history? There are four: The bee fertilizes the flower it robs; whom the gods would destroy they read more

The lessons of history? There are four: The bee fertilizes the flower it robs; whom the gods would destroy they first make mad with power; the mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small; when it is dark enough, you can see the stars.

Ireland's ruins are historic emotions surrendered to time.

Ireland's ruins are historic emotions surrendered to time.

History is a set of lies agreed upon.

History is a set of lies agreed upon.