In fact, it was the largest expeditionary force of the 18th century. The largest, most powerful force ever set forth from Britain or any nation.

If you get down about the state of American culture, just remember there are still more public libraries in this country than there are McDonalds.

My wife, the star I steer by.

You can't be a full participant in our democracy if you don't know our history.

I think the public library system is one of the most amazing American institutions. Free for everybody. If you ever get the blues about the status of American culture there are still more public libraries than there are McDonald's. During the worst of the Depression not one public library closed their doors.

No harm's done to history by making it something someone would want to read.

We should draw on our story, we should draw on our history. If we don't know who we are, if we don't know how we became what we are, we're going to start suffering from all the obvious detrimental effects of amnesia.