Historical Obsession Quotes

High culture is nothing but a child of that European perversion called history, the obsession we have with going forward, with considering the sequence of generations a relay race in which everyone surpasses his predecessor, only to be surpassed by his successor. Without this relay race called history there would be no European art and what characterizes it: a longing for originality, a longing for change. Robespierre, Napoleon, Beethoven, Stalin, Picasso, they're all runners in the relay race, they all belong to the same stadium.

Through searching out origins, one becomes a crab. The historian looks backwards, and finally he also believes backwards.

I am obsessed with the whole Victoriana thing, the whole Jack the Ripper London era, the grayness of it, the haunted feeling of it, all ancient and bloody.

I grew up 60 minutes way from Richmond, in Charlottesville, Virginia and, as a child, I was obsessed with the Civil War. I used to do re-enactments and all that stuff.

I like to think I'm a recovering historian.

The preoccupation of American historical and literary scholars with the New England Puritans must seem to outsiders like an obsession.

History is the most dangerous substance that the chemistry of the intellect has created…. I makes men dream, intoxicates them, breeds false memories in them, aggravates their responses, takes up their ancient grievances, torments them in their sleep, carries them into the delirium of grandeur or else of persecution, and turns nations bitter, intolerable, and vain.

Just like I am obsessed with the history of fashion, I love reading about the history of makeup.

I've been obsessed with Romans since I was a child.

I was nuts for stuff in the Middle Ages when I was just in the third and fourth grades.