Authority Quote by David Starkey
“We really should stop taking historical novelists seriously as historians. The idea that they have authority is ludicrous. They are very good at imagining character: that's why the novels sell. They have no authority when it comes to the handling of historical sources. Full stop.”
About This Quote
Historical novelists should not be treated as factual historians; they excel at imagination, not source analysis.
In simple terms: Historical novelists are storytellers, not historians.
Key Takeaway
Distinguish fiction from scholarly history.
Themes
history
literature
authority
critical thinking
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
scholarly
informative
When to use this quote
- education
- book clubs
- academic research
- media criticism
- publishing
Key Concepts
historical fiction
source reliability
authorial authority
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify historical accuracy in novels?
- What responsibilities do authors have to truth?
A Different Perspective
Readers may conflate narrative with fact.
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)