Quotes by Historians

Russia is so feudal in its system of patronage and reward that it is virtually impossible for a leader to hand over power without controlling his successor or at least receiving an exemption from prosecution - something Mr. Putin granted his predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, in 1999. Simon Sebag Montefiore
Impossible Reward Power Leader Controlling Virtually System Russia Something Putin Prosecution Over Exemption Without Least His Hand Feudal Predecessor Patronage Successor Granted Receiving
Stalin had 15 scenic seaside villas, some of them czarist palaces, on the Black Sea coast of Abkhazia. In 2002, I visited and photographed these extraordinarily well-preserved Stalinist time capsules. Simon Sebag Montefiore
Time Black Extraordinarily Visited Photographed Some Scenic Had Them Stalin Sea Coast Palaces
Unlike monarchs, who pass power to their heirs at the moment of death to ensure the survival of the regime, tyrants must simply survive as long as possible. Simon Sebag Montefiore
Death Survival Long Power Unlike Tyrants Ensure Possible Must Simply Pass Survive Regime Heirs Moment Who Monarchs
The Russian Revolution mobilized a popular passion across the world based on Marxism-Leninism, fueled by messianic zeal. It was, perhaps, after the three Abrahamic religions, the greatest millenarian rapture of human history. Simon Sebag Montefiore
History World Passion Three Revolution Religions Rapture Russian Perhaps Greatest Human After Fueled Human History Across Popular Zeal Based
Bolshevism was a mind-set, an idiosyncratic culture with an intolerant paranoid wordview obsessed with abstruse Marxist ideology. Simon Sebag Montefiore
Culture Ideology Mind-Set Intolerant Paranoid Marxist Obsessed Bolshevism
Mr. Putin presents himself as a czar - and like any czar, he fears revolution above all else. Simon Sebag Montefiore
Fears Revolution Else Above He Putin Like Himself Any Czar Presents
In 1942, the Germans were running out of fuel. They were advancing so fast across the grasslands, the hot grasslands of south Russia, and the Russians were running out of tanks. And so both of them turned to cavalry, and there were great cavalry battles on the grasslands. Simon Sebag Montefiore
Great Battles Out Running Russia Russians Both Hot Advancing Tanks Were Cavalry South Germans Them Fuel Turned Across Fast
Writing fiction is very different to writing non-fiction. I love writing novels, but on history books, like my biographies of Stalin or Catherine the Great or Jerusalem, I spend endless hours doing vast amounts of research. But it ends up being based on the same principle as all writing about people: and that is curiosity! Simon Sebag Montefiore
Love Great History People Writing Research Spend Books About Vast Like Hours Catherine Principle Non-Fiction Doing Up Very History Books Curiosity Same Endless Being Ends Different Fiction Stalin Novels Based Jerusalem Amount Biographies
I don't think Jerusalem should be controlled 100% by religious people of any denomination, sect, or religion - even my own. Simon Sebag Montefiore
Religion People Own Think Religious Religious People My Own Denomination Any Controlled Should Even Jerusalem
It's the mix of the trivial and the great events that make up history. It's the low things about high people that make it fascinating, and that's why it would be a shame to exclude the trivial things. That mixing up is not just at the heart of history. It's at the heart of how to live a great life. Simon Sebag Montefiore
Life Great History Heart People Events Live High Would Would-Be Great Life About Trivial Shame Exclude Make Make Up How Mix Mixing Up Just Low Fascinating Why Things
The past is a source of knowledge, and the future is a source of hope. Love of the past implies faith in the future. Stephen Ambrose
Love Hope Future Faith Knowledge Past Implies Source
Dams have harmed our wildlife and made rivers less useful for recreation. Stephen Ambrose
Made Dams Our Wildlife Recreation Rivers Useful Less Harmed
My first book was the book that changed my life. Stephen Ambrose
Life Book My Life First Changed
It does you no good to see the number two or number three man in the corporation-you have to get through to number one. Stephen Ambrose
Good You Man Three See Through Does Get Number Two Number Three
In America, Jefferson noted with approval, women knew their place. Stephen Ambrose
Women Approval Knew America Place Noted Jefferson
Writing is not the easiest way to make a living. Your work long hours, usually all by yourself. It is not a way to make money. Stephen Ambrose
Work Yourself Writing Money Long Living Way Easiest Easiest Way Long Hours Hours Make Your
Winning the Revolutionary War, or the Civil War, or World War II were the turning points in our history, the sine qua non of our forward progress. Stephen Ambrose
War History World Progress Our Civil Civil War Winning Points Sine Were Revolutionary Revolutionary War Turning Turning Points Forward World War World War II
Who today is willing to say that Texas and California and the remainder of the Southwest would be better off if they were governed by Mexico? Stephen Ambrose
Today Better Say Willing Would Would-Be Better Off California Governed Were Off Texas Mexico Southwest Who
We are part of a country that outshines those that have gone before us and most of those in existence today. Stephen Ambrose
Today Country Before Gone Those Part Most Existence Us
Washington, not Jefferson, freed his slaves upon his death. Stephen Ambrose
Death Freed His Jefferson Washington Slaves
Washington's character was rock solid. He came to stand for the new nation and its republican virtues, which was why he became our first President by unanimous choice. Stephen Ambrose
Character First Nation President Our Virtues Solid Unanimous He New Became Rock Came Which Republican Choice Stand Washington Why
Washington and Jefferson were both rich Virginia planters, but they were never friends. Stephen Ambrose
Rich Virginia Both Never Were Friends Jefferson Washington
The war in Vietnam I thought a dreadful mistake. Stephen Ambrose
War Mistake Thought Dreadful Vietnam
The American Constitution is the greatest governing document, and at some 7,000 words, just about the shortest. Stephen Ambrose
Constitution Words Some About Document Greatest Governing American Just Shortest
Nixon regarded himself as having been cheated by life. He never got my vote. Stephen Ambrose
Life Vote Nixon Having Never He Cheated Himself Got Been Regarded
Neither Johnson nor his party nor the government as a whole were willing to raise, train, equip, and then send Vietnam sufficient manpower to do the job. Stephen Ambrose
Government Job Party Willing Neither Johnson Equip Were His Nor Train Send Then Vietnam Manpower Whole Sufficient Raise
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