I enjoyed reading and learning at school, and at university I enjoyed extending my reading and learning. Once I left Cambridge, I went to Yale as a fellow. I spent two years there. After that, George Gale made me literary editor of 'The Spectator.' Peter Ackroyd cambridgeeditorenjoy share on social
London has always provided the landscape for my imagination. It becomes a character - a living being - within each of my books. Peter Ackroyd bookcharacterimagination Change image and share on social
I strike up conversations all the time and it is very interesting, finding out about things I know nothing about. Peter Ackroyd conversationfindinterest Change image and share on social
In 'The Plato Papers' I wanted to get another perspective on the present moment by extrapolating into the distant future. So in that sense, there's a definite similarity of purpose between a book set in the future and a book set in the past. Peter Ackroyd bookdefinitedistant share on social
I don't believe necessarily the past is in the past. It's eternal, it's all around us. Peter Ackroyd eternalnecessarilypast Change image and share on social
If I did only one thing at a time I'd think I was wasting my time. If, for example, I only wrote novels I would feel like a charlatan and a fraud. Peter Ackroyd charlatanfeelfraud Change image and share on social
The English have always been greedy for news of times past, with that mixture of fatalism and melancholy which is part of the national character. Peter Ackroyd characterenglishfatalism Change image and share on social
To be a writer was always my greatest aim. I remember writing a play about Guy Fawkes when I was 10. I suppose it's significant, at least to me, that my first work should be about a historical figure. Peter Ackroyd aimfawkesfigure Change image and share on social
My great fear has always been complete and utter failure. Hence, you see, all the dispossessed people in my fiction, and why I try to earn as much money as I can. It's a defense. I don't enjoy it or do anything with it. Peter Ackroyd completedefensedispossess share on social
