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Quote by Elizabeth Kostova

“I felt sure, glaring at the children as they settled onto the sand with their shovels, that these creatures were never threatened by the grimness of history, either. Then, looking down on their glossy heads, I realized that they were indeed threatened; they were simply unaware of it. We were all vulnerable.”

Book:The Historian

Work

The Historian

In this gripping narrative, the protagonist embarks on a journey that blurs the line between fact and fiction, as they uncover a family secret that spans centuries and is deeply rooted in historical events. more

Author

Elizabeth Kostova

Elizabeth Kostova, born on December 26, 1964, is a renowned author known for her rich imagination and profound literary connotations. Her works have won the hearts of readers worldwide. more

“The thing that haunted me that day, however, as I closed my notebook and put my coat on to go home, was not my ghostly image of Dracula, or the description of impalement, but the fact that these things had- apparently- actually occurred. If I listened too closely, I thought, I would hear the screams of the boys, of the ‘large family’ dying together. For all his attention to my historical education, my father had neglected to tell me this: history’s terrible moments were real. I understand now, decades later, that he could never have told me. Only history itself can convince you of such a truth. And once you’ve seen that truth-really seen it-you can’t look away.”

Truth History Dracula Vlad The Impaler History As A Guide

Book:The Historian

Source: The Historian

“...The strange thing, you know, is that Stalin openly admired Ivan the Terrible. Two leaders who were willing to crush and kill their own people-to do anything necessary- in order to consolidate their power...Can you imagine a world in which Stalin could live for five hundred years...or perhaps forever?”

Political Power Dracula Stalin Vlad The Impaler Ivan The Terrible

Book:The Historian

Source: The Historian

“Autumn comes early to the foot of the Slovenian Alps. Even before September, the abundant harvests are followed by a sudden poignant rain that lasts for days and brings down leaves in the lanes of the village. Now, in my fifties, I find myself wandering that direction every few years, reliving my first glimpse of the Slovenian countryside. This is old country. Every autumn mellows it a little more, in aeternum, each beginning with the same three colors: a green landscape, two or three yellow leaves falling through a gray afternoon. I suppose the Romans - who left their walls here and their gargantuan arenas to the west, on the coast - saw the same autumn and gave the same shiver. When my father's car swung through the gates of the oldest of Julian cities, I hugged myself. For the first time, I had been struck by the excitement of the traveler who looks history in her subtle face.”

Aesthetics Dracula Vlad The Impaler Aesthetic Quotes The Historian Elizabeth Kostova

Book:The Historian

Source: The Historian