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I study history in order to give an interpretation.

History is what we bring to it, not just the events themselves, but how we interpret those events.

History is the interpretation of the significance that the past has for us.

What we normally define as history doesn't interest me. It's a constraint.

Ultimately, a real understanding of history means that we face nothing new under the sun.

We not only interpret the character of events... we may also interpret our interpretations.

We look to the history of the time of framing and to the intervening history of interpretation. But the ultimate question must be, what do the words of the text mean in our time.

I've always been intrigued by the way history works, the way we decide what is mentioned.

There's no relationship to the narrative anymore. People want their own interpretation of history. We're compartmentalizing, forgetting what came directly before, like it's not a big deal. That, to me, is a crime.