If the attitude of the teacher toward the material is positive, enthusiastic, committed and excited, the students get that. If the teacher is bored, students get that and they get bored, quickly, instinctively.

I'm very aware how many distractions the reader has in life today, how many good reasons there are to put the book down.

Read somewhat in the English poets every day. You will find them elegant, entertaining and constructive companions through your whole life.

There are people who are trying to write history for the general reader who can be quite tedious. That said, I do feel in my heart of hearts that if history isn't well written, it isn't going to be read, and if it isn't read it's going to die.

Spotting talent is one of the essential elements of great leadership.

A leader must look and act the part.

Each generation, we peel back biases that have blinded those before us. The more we know about the past enables us to ask richer and more provocative questions about who we are today.