Like the philosopher, the author views his task as one of establishing a clear connection between life and history, and of making the past bear fruit for the present and future.

From depicting the past, so goes the suspicion, it is a short step to glorifying the past.

What is a historian, anyway? It is someone who uses facts to record the development of humanity.

Ever since my youth it has disturbed me that of the literary works that survived their own epoch, so many dealt with historical rather than contemporary subjects.

Like the philosopher, the author views his task as one of establishing a clear connection between life and history, and of making the past bear fruit for the present and future.

An action doesn't have to be wrong just because it is not logical. It doesn't have to be right just because it has its logic.

Asking the author of historical novels to teach you about history is like expecting the composer of a melody to provide answers about radio transmission.