I don't pick my presidents because they were great presidents. I'm not much interested in ranking presidents and who is the best and who is the worst. I am much more inclined to be interested in them if they had an interesting life and if they were a complete person - and by that I mean they also had flaws and failings.

I often think of that when I hear people say that they haven't time to read.

I could not do what I do without the kindness, consideration, resourcefulness and work of librarians, particularly in public libraries... What started me writing history happened because of some curiosity that I had about some photographs I'd seen in the Library of Congress.

A nation that forgets its past can function no better than an individual with amnesia.

A leader must look and act the part.

I lament the want of a liberal education. I feel the mist of ignorance to surround me - Nathanael Greene

I just thank my father and mother, my lucky stars, that I had the advantage of an education in the humanities.