History devours, but at times it resurrects. Some lives must wait for history to catch up. David Ebershoff catchdevourhistory Change image and share on social
I always love novels that open up a subject to me - like raising a window to a beautiful, mysterious world outside. David Ebershoff beautifullovemysterious Change image and share on social
In some ways, writing a novel, especially a novel set in the past and about characters who once lived, is about amassing enough details and arranging them properly in order to offer the reader a verisimilitude that satisfies his or her curiosity about the story at hand. David Ebershoff amassarrangecharacter share on social
We struggle throughout our lives to learn to accept the shell that transports us through this world, and many of us take great effort to change it. I believe everyone has at least once looked in the mirror and thought, 'That is not me. I am someone else. The world cannot see me as I really am.' David Ebershoff acceptchangeeffort share on social
Even the most meticulous historians work subjectively. The historian's point of view, his or her selection of subject and sources, the emphasis, the tone - all of these lead to subjective history, inevitably so. I do not say this as a criticism, merely as an observation. David Ebershoff criticismemphasishistorian share on social
I first read 'The Scarlet Letter' when I was fifteen. In it, I found a familiar vision of religious intolerance to the one around me. I grew up in the 1980s, when televangelists, with their fluffed up hair and their tears, self-righteously denounced all kinds of sinners, reserving a special, full-throated enthusiasm for gay people. David Ebershoff 1980sdenounceenthusiasm share on social
Since I was a kid, I feel most confident when I'm reading. David Ebershoff confidentfeelkid Change image and share on social
I usually don't throw around the word 'fabulous,' but how else to describe buildings decorated with mirrored water dragons, serpents tiled in colored glass, and hundreds - no, thousands, no, tens of thousands - of gold-leaf Buddhas? Luang Prabang has more than 47,000 residents, but its Buddha population must be ten times that. David Ebershoff 000buddhabuilding share on social
Who are we? Whom do we want to become? How do we perceive ourselves? How do we want to be perceived? These questions of identity are often at the core of our own internal struggles. Resolve them, and you are closer to being free. David Ebershoff closecorefree share on social