If someone asks me to go to speak at, say, Princeton, I might or might not go. But if someone asks me from Norman, Oklahoma, I certainly will go. Simon Schama asknormanoklahoma Change image and share on social
The Bible, for all its riches, is not a document of social history. Simon Schama bibledocumenthistory Change image and share on social
The Jews invented a portable religion in the shape of the Bible, the Torah, and eventually the Talmud, and with other portable forms of writing. So it's now possible to carry the religion, that is embedded in that writing, away from the ruins of political and military power. Simon Schama biblecarryembed share on social
From the very beginning, history wasn't content simply to be nostalgic fairytales; it wanted to make you think. Simon Schama begincontentfairytale Change image and share on social
I do not want to be misunderstood that you need a dose of persecution in order, really, to have a sense of your identity. Otherwise, you know, there would be no American Jews. Even if you're not strictly, fiercely Orthodox, you commit yourselves to a community of memory. Simon Schama americancommitcommunity share on social
Never crowd a pan with too many mushrooms. They give off an enormous amount of moisture. And there's nothing worse than a braised mushroom, other than a lot of braised mushrooms. Simon Schama amountbadlybraise Change image and share on social
I am somebody who has never been able to give up '60s habits. I am the inevitable old codger on the dance floor. Simon Schama 60scodgerdance Change image and share on social
The older I get, the more I want to do. It beats death, decay or golf in unfortunate trousers. Peace and quiet depress me. Simon Schama beatdeathdecay Change image and share on social
At 11, 12, I thought I was clumsy, ugly, a mess, an unappealing person, but I did have the gift of the gab. I had the school record at Haberdashers for consecutive detentions for simply speaking out of turn. Simon Schama clumsyconsecutivedetention share on social
I was conscious of being wordy as a child. I was a terrible talker. I memorised the Latin names of flowers at five; I was shown off as a freak. My father encouraged me to be wordier than I was: he'd been a street orator at the time of Mosley, and his ideal primary concert speech was Henry V's speech before Harfleur. Simon Schama childconcertconscious share on social