I love VISITING LANDMARK Trust properties, which TEND to be HISTORICAL follies in extraordinary places.

I RESEARCH the ROLE, and if it's a LITERARY character, I read the book, and if it's an historical figure, I research documents and biographies. If it's a fictional character, I WORK off the script.

One of the GREAT things about history is that it sort of isn't a done deal - ever. The HISTORICAL texts and the historical evidence that you use is ALWAYS somehow giving you DIFFERENT answers because you're ASKING it different questions.

As a U.S. History major, there is something very COOL about being in cities, and walking the streets of PHILADELPHIA or Boston or NEW YORK and seeing historical sites.

I'm a HISTORY buff, and right now we're sitting on one of the most dramatic historical SHIFTS that this PLANET has EVER seen and we have a front row seat for it.

As for the historical inspirations I drew on in WRITING The Snow QUEEN, I suppose I would CALL them more cross-cultural inspirations, though they frequently involve past societies as WELL as present day ONES.

The HOLOCAUST is as real a HISTORICAL EVENT as World War II itself and not to be challenged.

I have KNOWN Evo Morales for many years, since the days of the union MOVEMENT. From a HISTORICAL and sociological standpoint, the ELECTION of Evo Morales is extraordinary, with great prospects and potential for the Bolivian PEOPLE.

I LEARNED to paint in a historical METHOD. First through watercolours and then through OIL. Then, when I went to college and to the school of ARCHITECTURE, I took up modern PAINTING.