"I was a narrative historian, believing more and more as I matured that the first function of the historian was to answer the child's question, "What happened next?"

“Economic Imperialism by A. J. P. Taylor”

“Why should knowledge of where I came from tell me where I am going to?”

“Taylor's Law states: "The Foreign Office knows no secrets.”

“A racing tipster who only reached Hitler's level of accuracy would not do well for his clients.”

“In 1917 European history, in the old sense, came to an end. World history began. It was the year of Lenin and Woodrow Wilson, both of whom repudiated the traditional standards of political behaviour. Both preached Utopia, Heaven on Earth. It was the moment of birth for our contemporary world.”

“In my opinion we learn nothing from history except the infinite variety of men’s behaviour. We study it, as we listen to music or read poetry, for pleasure, not for instruction”