--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I get slightly obsessive about working in…" description: "\"I get slightly obsessive about working in archives because you don't know what you're going to find. In fact, you don't know what you're looking for un..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d9/antony-beevor-10101_about_i-get-slightly-obsessive-about-working-i_1593024.jpg" --- # I get slightly obsessive about working in archives because… ![“I get slightly obsessive about working in archives because you don't know what you're going to find. In fact, you don't know what you're looking for until you find it.” quote by Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d9/antony-beevor-10101_about_i-get-slightly-obsessive-about-working-i_1593024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d9/antony-beevor-10101_about_i-get-slightly-obsessive-about-working-i_1593024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d9/antony-beevor-10101_about_i-get-slightly-obsessive-about-working-i_1593024.jpg) > “I get slightly obsessive about working in archives because you don't know what you're going to find. In fact, you don't know what you're looking for until you find it.” [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Research often reveals unexpected discoveries, and the purpose of inquiry becomes clear only after the find. **In simple terms:** You discover what you need while searching. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity and keep exploring. Themes research discovery curiosity Mood intrigued thoughtful Type reflective analytical When to use this quote - historical research - genealogy - museum curation - academic projects Key Concepts archival studies serendipity exploratory research Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide what to archive? - What strategies help anticipate useful discoveries? A Different Perspective Finding relevance after the fact can be inefficient without clear goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Archives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archives/) ## Related quotes > [I read round the subject, I make a skeleton outline, and then I start work in the relevant archives. During the marshaling of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/i-read-round-the-subject-i-make-a-skeleton-outline-and-then-i-start/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [I just love the days when you come out of the archives with half a dozen excellent descriptions or poignant accounts of personal experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/i-just-love-the-days-when-you-come-out-of-the-archives-with-half-a/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [Sometimes when we try to get outside of ourselves, to be like someone else, you miss out on so many beautiful things that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salma-hayek/sometimes-when-we-try-to-get-outside-of-ourselves-to-be-like-someone/) [Salma Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salma-hayek/) > [If you don't know what it is you're looking for you're NEVER going to find it. You have to be clear on what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/if-you-don-t-know-what-it-is-you-re-looking-for-you-re-never-going-to/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [How would you know how it is on the top if you were never on the bottom looking up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trilla/how-would-you-know-how-it-is-on-the-top-if-you-were-never-on-the/) [Trilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trilla/) > [The universe is not harmonious: you know that by looking outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/the-universe-is-not-harmonious-you-know-that-by-looking-outside/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [“When something looks enough like something else that people watching don't know what it is they're looking at.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-something-looks-enough-like-something-else-that-people-watching/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Most people can't see what's in front of them if they don't know what they're looking for. But once you know what you're looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-chan/most-people-can-t-see-what-s-in-front-of-them-if-they-don-t-know-what/) [Crystal Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-chan/) > [“But the truly brilliant geocachers?" "Yeah?" he says. "What about us?" "They know it by its real name. Terra Firma." "Terra Firma," he repeats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/but-the-truly-brilliant-geocachers-yeah-he-says-what-about-us-they/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [I don't know if I'm looking at you or you're looking at me..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janethnipay/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-looking-at-you-or-you-re-looking-at-me/) Janethnipay > [It's hard to find what you don't know you're looking for. - Modish Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/modish-proverb/it-s-hard-to-find-what-you-don-t-know-you-re-looking-for-modish/) Modish Proverb > [Love was like that, like a dream you didn't quite understand, one in which you didn't necessarily know what you were looking at until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn-t-quite-understand-one-in/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I didn't know I was looking for love until I found you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-didn-t-know-i-was-looking-for-love-until-i-found-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“❝ IF I WAS THE SAME PERSON WHEN OTHERS WEREN’T LOOKING AS I WAS WHEN THEY WERE. I DIDN’T KNOW WHO I WAS WHEN…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shey-stahl/if-i-was-the-same-person-when-others-weren-t-looking-as-i-was-when/) [Shey Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shey-stahl/) > [Ain't even gotta open your eyes, know what your looking at and I ain't even have to open my eyes when I was cooking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/ain-t-even-gotta-open-your-eyes-know-what-your-looking-at-and-i-ain-t/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) ## More by Antony Beevor > [The memory of the Second World War hangs over Europe, an inescapable and irresistible point of reference. Historical parallels are usually misleading and dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/the-memory-of-the-second-world-war-hangs-over-europe-an-inescapable/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [I believe passionately in preemptive pessimism, especially before a book comes out. I expect the worst both from reviewers and sales, and then, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/i-believe-passionately-in-preemptive-pessimism-especially-before-a/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [It is important to understand the continuing, confused fascination with the Second World War. For most of us, the great unspoken question is how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/it-is-important-to-understand-the-continuing-confused-fascination/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [I was in Estonia when a professor asked me if I was aware that making any criticism of the Red Army during the war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/i-was-in-estonia-when-a-professor-asked-me-if-i-was-aware-that-making/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [“Hitler had learned nothing and had forgotten nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/hitler-had-learned-nothing-and-had-forgotten-nothing/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [The blurring of fact and fiction has great commercial potential, which is bound to be corrupting in historical terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/the-blurring-of-fact-and-fiction-has-great-commercial-potential-which/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [A blend of fact and fiction has been used in various forms since the dawn of creative writing, starting with sagas and epic poems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/a-blend-of-fact-and-fiction-has-been-used-in-various-forms-since-the/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [When my first novel was published, I went in great excitement round bookshops in central London to see if they had stocked it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/when-my-first-novel-was-published-i-went-in-great-excitement-round/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [I feel slightly uneasy at the way historians are consulted as if history is going to repeat itself. It never does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/i-feel-slightly-uneasy-at-the-way-historians-are-consulted-as-if/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [I'm often reassured in a bizarre - perhaps perverse - way when I find in the archive stuff that contradicts what my assumptions have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/i-m-often-reassured-in-a-bizarre-perhaps-perverse-way-when-i-find-in/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [The duty of a historian is simply to understand and then convey that understanding, no more than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/the-duty-of-a-historian-is-simply-to-understand-and-then-convey-that/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [I love 'Blackadder,' but history it certainly ain't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/i-love-blackadder-but-history-it-certainly-ain-t/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [Every country has its own perspective on the Second World War. This is not surprising when experiences and memories are so different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/every-country-has-its-own-perspective-on-the-second-world-war-this-is/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [There are one or two very good women military historians who use imagination, great study and research; they can put themselves in the boots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/there-are-one-or-two-very-good-women-military-historians-who-use/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [I think one of the great disasters (in military history) is the way that the Second World War has become the defining reference point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/i-think-one-of-the-great-disasters-in-military-history-is-the-way/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) [Explore all 68 Antony Beevor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I get slightly obsessive about working in archives because you don't know what you're going to find. 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