59 Erik Larson Quotes for You to Enjoy

Erik Larson

American Author

Born: Jan 3, 1954

Book Me People Time Writing You

Related authors: F. Scott Fitzgerald Frederick Douglass Helen Keller Henry David Thoreau Joyce Meyer Mark Twain Og Mandino Zig Ziglar

The Lusitania is important, of course, because this is where Germany began its maritime campaign using this brand-new weapon. We have to appreciate how the submarine, as a weapon against civilian shipping, was a particularly novel thing - so novel that many people at the time dismissed its potential power, its potential relevance. Erik Larson

Time People Power Important Maritime Relevance Weapon Civilian Potential Particularly Course Because How Campaign Shipping Began Submarine Germany Where Against Dismissed Many Using Novel Thing Appreciate

My favorite zone is from 1890 -1915, that zone that spans the overlap of the so-called Gilded Age and the Progressive Era. People had such a boundless sense of optimism; They felt they could do anything they wanted to do, and they went out and tried to do it. Erik Larson

I found a book facing out that I'd always meant to read: William Shirer's 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.' About a third of the way through, I suddenly, finally caught up to the fact that Shirer had been there in Berlin, from 1934 on, and was finally kicked out when the U.S. entered the war. Erik Larson

War Book Fall Finally Kicked Way William Berlin Entered Out About Rise Facing Fact Through Had Read Always Caught Been Up Meant Reich Suddenly Found Third

I'm always looking for a sign - not in a spooky, supernatural way, but in a 'neurotic writer' kind of way. Erik Larson

Spooky Looking Way Sign Kind Supernatural Neurotic Writer Always

It was David McCullough's 'The Johnstown Flood' that lit my imagination as to how I might one day go about writing book-length nonfiction, though my favorite of his books is 'Mornings on Horseback,' about the young Teddy Roosevelt. Erik Larson

After I finish writing a chapter, I'll print it out, cut it up into paragraphs, and cut away any transition sentences. Then I shuffle all the paragraphs and lay them out as they come. As I arrange and hold them next to each other, very quickly a natural structure for the chapter presents itself. Erik Larson

Natural Chapter Writing Other Out Paragraphs Finish Structure Lay Come Print Arrange Up Itself Very Quickly Any Hold After Them Transition Sentences Cut Then Next Each Away Shuffle Presents

Hitler was such an anomalous character - he was so over-the-top chaotic in his approach to statesmanship, his manner and in the violence which overwhelmed the country initially. I think diplomats around the world... felt like something like that simply would not be tolerated by the people of Germany. Erik Larson

Character People World Country Think Approach Chaotic Statesmanship Would Diplomats Something He Simply Over-The-Top Like Around Felt His Germany Overwhelmed Which Manner Tolerated Initially Violence By The People

I never recreate dialogue. I have often been asked by people, 'You must have made this up because this is dialogue, right?' Anything in my books that is in quotes comes from some kind of living historical document: a letter, a memoir, a court transcript, a newspaper interview. Erik Larson

You People Made Living Interview Books Kind Must Memoir Some Recreate Never Document Because Court Dialogue Been Historical Up Often Anything Quotes Newspaper Asked Letter Right

There is no secret orchard where ideas grow. Oh my, do I wish there were. Erik Larson

Wish Secret No Secret Ideas Were Orchard Oh Where Grow

I thought I'd go to a bookstore and see what moved me. Erik Larson

Me Thought Bookstore See Go Moved

We, of course, have the power of hindsight in our arsenal, but people living in Berlin in that era didn't. What would that have been like as this darkness fell over Germany? Erik Larson

People Darkness Power Living Our Berlin Would Over Like Fell Course Hindsight Era Been Arsenal Germany

I like all kinds of music, though I tend to prefer jazz and classics. Erik Larson

Music Jazz Though Kinds Classics Tend Like Prefer

I don't listen to music when I write, but I do turn on appropriate music when I read portions of my manuscripts back to myself - kind of like adding a soundtrack to help shape mood. Erik Larson

Music Myself Adding Back Appropriate Mood Kind Write Shape Like Read Soundtrack Listen Turn Turn-On Help Manuscripts Portions

I'm very perverse. If someone tells me I have to read a book, I'm instantly disinclined to do so. Erik Larson

Me Book Tells Someone Instantly Read Very Perverse

As a rule, I am very skeptical of tying books to anniversaries. I don't think readers care. I also feel that it just about guarantees that somebody else will be writing a book on the same subject, but being a former journalist, I'm always interested in, like, why write about something today? Why do it now? Erik Larson

Today Book Writing Care Will Somebody Journalist Think Tying Else Books Rule About Something Write Feel Anniversary Like Also Readers Always Am Subject Very Same Just Being Former Interested Skeptical Now Why Guarantees

Captain William Thomas Turner, hero; villain, Schwieger. As I started doing research into him and into the submarine and so forth, I found that I was growing increasingly sympathetic to him. He's a young guy, 30, handsome, well-liked by his crew, humane. Erik Larson

Hero Young Research Humane Crew Increasingly Thomas William Guy He Him Doing His Submarine Handsome Young Guy Forth Turner Captain Villain Growing Found Started Sympathetic

I've been asked a lot lately what message is there in the Lusitania for the modern day. To be honest, not much. Except that maybe hubris and overconfidence are always dangerous things. Erik Larson

Day Dangerous To Be Honest Lately Except Message Always Been Hubris Lot Modern Maybe Modern-Day Asked Much Things Honest

Unalloyed heroes and unalloyed villains make me suspicious. Erik Larson

Me Heroes Make Suspicious Villains

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