Antony Beevor

I think it's outrageous if a historian has a 'leading thought' because it means they will select their material according to their thesis

At a purely practical level, history is important because it provides the basic skills needed for students to go further in sociology, politics, international relations and economics. History is also an ideal discipline for almost all careers in the law, the civil service and the private sector.

There are one or two very good women military historians who use imagination, great study and research; they can put themselves in the boots of the soldier.

The great help of being in the Army is to understand why are the armies clever in what they describe as emotional intelligence, making soldiers come to terms with the death of comrades by certain rituals.

Teaching the history of the British Empire links in with that of the world: for better and for worse, the Empire made us what we are, forming our national identity. A country that does not understand its own history is unlikely to respect that of others.

To begin impatiently is the worst mistake a writer can make