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Quote by Peter Ackroyd

“To watch King Lear is to approach the recognition that there is indeed no meaning in life, and that there are limits to human understanding.”

Quote by Peter Ackroyd

Book:Shakespeare: The Biography

Work

Shakespeare: The Biography

This comprehensive biography delves into the personal and professional life of William Shakespeare, offering insights into his work, influences, and the cultural context of his era. more

Author

Peter Ackroyd is a renowned British biographer known for his in-depth research and vivid storytelling. Born on October 5, 1949, he has been writing about historical figures in Britain since the 1970s, including Thomas More, Charles Dickens, and George Orwell. more

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“All cities are impressive in their way, because they represent the aspiration of men to lead a common life; those people who wish to live agreeable lives, and in constant intercourse with one another, will build a city as beautiful as Paris.”

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Book:The Collection

Source: The Collection

“Health, money. That's what people worried about in the 14th century as much as today. I find it so much more interesting than the supposed activities of kings, queens, generals.”

People Today Interesting Century Kings Activity Worried Queens

Author:Peter Ackroyd

“I don't find myself interesting as a person and the details I find boring, quite frankly. You could sum it up in a few words or sentences really: came from nothing. Self-educated. Luck. Energy. Curiosity. Ambition. That's it. Nothing at all can illuminate the work as far as I can tell.”

Persons I Can Self Energy Interesting Ambition Luck Curiosity Details Boring Sentences Educated Few Words

Author:Peter Ackroyd

“I don't know if I have a voice of my own. I don't see me being an important person with something to say. I haven't. I've got nothing to say. My opinion is of no consequence or value.”

Ifs Knows Persons Important Values Voice My Own Opinion Havens Consequence Important Person

Author:Peter Ackroyd

“I enjoyed reading and learning at school, and at university I enjoyed extending my reading and learning. Once I left Cambridge, I went to Yale as a fellow. I spent two years there. After that, George Gale made me literary editor of 'The Spectator.”

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Author:Peter Ackroyd

“I have always believed that the material world is governed by nonmaterial sources, so that in that sense 'English Music' is an exercise in the spiritual as well as the material. I have always been attracted to the Gothic and spiritual imagination, and I've always been interested in visionaries.”

World Wells Spiritual Imagination Materials Source Exercise Music Is Always Believe Gothic Visionaries Material World English Music

Author:Peter Ackroyd

“I wanted to be a poet when I was 20; I had no interest in fiction or biography and precious little interest in history, but those three elements in my life have become the most important.”

Littles Important Wanted Three Interest Fiction Poet Elements Biographies

Author:Peter Ackroyd

“In 'The Plato Papers' I wanted to get another perspective on the present moment by extrapolating into the distant future. So in that sense, there's a definite similarity of purpose between a book set in the future and a book set in the past.”

Book Moments Wanted Past Purpose Perspective Paper Present Moment Definite Plato Papers Similarity

Author:Peter Ackroyd

“In London, I've always lived within 10 miles of where I was born. You see, there is something called a spirit of place, and my place happens to be London, at least once a fortnight.”

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Author:Peter Ackroyd

“In so far as I have any beliefs, I suppose I'm like that old Peggy Lee song, 'Is That All There Is?' I want to believe there's something else going on, but what that something else is I don't pretend to know.”

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Author:Peter Ackroyd