--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I found a book facing out that I'd always…" description: "\"I found a book facing out that I'd always meant to read: William Shirer's 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.' About a third of the way through, I s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/erik-larson-1710_always_i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-alway_3139060.png" --- # I found a book facing out that I'd always meant to read… ![“I found a book facing out that I'd always meant to read: William Shirer's 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.' About a third of the way through, I suddenly, finally caught up to the fact that Shirer had been there in Berlin, from 1934 on, and was finally kicked out when the U.S. entered the war.” quote by Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/erik-larson-1710_always_i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-alway_3139060.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/erik-larson-1710_always_i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-alway_3139060.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/erik-larson-1710_always_i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-alway_3139060.png) > “I found a book facing out that I'd always meant to read: William Shirer's 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.' About a third of the way through, I suddenly, finally caught up to the fact that Shirer had been there in Berlin, from 1934 on, and was finally kicked out when the U.S. entered the war.” [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realizing a historian's personal presence in events deepens understanding of history's immediacy. **In simple terms:** Seeing history through eyes of those who lived it. Key Takeaway Seek sources with firsthand experience. Themes history personal narrative context Mood reflective inquisitive Type educational analytical When to use this quote - research - teaching - writing - public speaking Key Concepts primary source historical immersion Questions to Reflect On - How does a historian's presence affect their objectivity? - What value does personal experience add to historical analysis? A Different Perspective Firsthand accounts may still carry bias or limited scope. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/berlin/) [Berlin 1934](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/berlin-1934-5585986/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Entered War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entered-war-454107/) [Fall Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-reich-3355978/) [Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rise/) [Rise and fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rise-and-fall/) [Shirer Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shirer-berlin-5585984/) [Shirer Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shirer-rise-5585985/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, by William Shirer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-finkel/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-third-reich-by-william-shirer/) [Michael Finkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-finkel/) > [“The day after the British entered the war Henry James wrote a friend: The plunge of civilization into this abyss of blood and darkness...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-fussell/the-day-after-the-british-entered-the-war-henry-james-wrote-a-friend/) [Paul Fussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-fussell/) > [ Before America entered the war \[WW2\] I knew we could not win it, but after she entered I knew we could not lose ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/before-america-entered-the-war-ww2-i-knew-we-could-not-win-it-but/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I am making this statement as an act of wilful defiance of military authority, because I believe that the War is being deliberately prolonged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegfried-sassoon/i-am-making-this-statement-as-an-act-of-wilful-defiance-of-military/) [Siegfried Sassoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegfried-sassoon/) > [The United States has never entered a serious war, and has never been victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/the-united-states-has-never-entered-a-serious-war-and-has-never-been/) [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) > [After the United States entered the war, I joined the Naval Reserve and spent ninety days in a Columbia University dormitory learning to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-tobin/after-the-united-states-entered-the-war-i-joined-the-naval-reserve/) [James Tobin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-tobin/) > [“Something new had happened. The United States had gone to war, not under enemy attack, nor to protect the lives or property of American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach-2/something-new-had-happened-the-united-states-had-gone-to-war-not/) [T.R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach-2/) > [The Nazis entered this war under the rather childish delusion that they were going to bomb everyone else, and nobody was going to bomb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-arthur-harris-1st-baronet/the-nazis-entered-this-war-under-the-rather-childish-delusion-that/) [Sir Arthur Harris, 1st Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-arthur-harris-1st-baronet/) > [Even if America entered the war, it is improbable that the Allied armies could invade Europe and overwhelm the Axis powers. But one thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/even-if-america-entered-the-war-it-is-improbable-that-the-allied/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [With no notice to the American people...this country entered the war...Stranger than the fact was the passive acceptance of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garet-garrett/with-no-notice-to-the-american-people-this-country-entered-the-war/) [Garet Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garet-garrett/) > [I believe that the purpose for which I and my fellow soldiers entered upon this war should have been so clearly stated as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegfried-sassoon/i-believe-that-the-purpose-for-which-i-and-my-fellow-soldiers-entered/) [Siegfried Sassoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegfried-sassoon/) > [“Trafton, by the way, has taken a lesson from Lewis and written a delightful children’s tale, The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic (see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer-2/trafton-by-the-way-has-taken-a-lesson-from-lewis-and-written-a/) [J.I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer-2/) > [ There's a fantastic, thousand-page book by David Thomson about \[David O. Selznick\]. Again, it's not the best argument or the best advertisement for his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-longworth/there-s-a-fantastic-thousand-page-book-by-david-thomson-about-david-o/) [Karina Longworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-longworth/) > [“With peaks of joy and valleys of heartache, life is a roller coaster ride, the rise and fall of which defines our journey. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-cole/with-peaks-of-joy-and-valleys-of-heartache-life-is-a-roller-coaster/) [Sebastian Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-cole/) > [To hurry through the rise and fall of a fine, full sentence is like defying the role of time in human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/to-hurry-through-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-fine-full-sentence-is-like/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) ## More by Erik Larson > [I've heard from the movie marketplace that James Cameron did such a killer job with 'Titanic' that it's almost impossible to do anything better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-ve-heard-from-the-movie-marketplace-that-james-cameron-did-such-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [As a rule, I am very skeptical of tying books to anniversaries. I don't think readers care. I also feel that it just about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/as-a-rule-i-am-very-skeptical-of-tying-books-to-anniversaries-i-don-t/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“look as if they had been plucked from the Palace of Versailles or a Jacobean mansion—that you were aboard a ship being propelled far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/look-as-if-they-had-been-plucked-from-the-palace-of-versailles-or-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [That's what I love about history - nuance. I don't believe in unalloyed heroes. Everyone's got warts, and everyone's got a surprise side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/that-s-what-i-love-about-history-nuance-i-don-t-believe-in-unalloyed/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“Holmes was charming and gracious, but something about him made Belknap uneasy. He could not have defined it. Indeed, for the next several decades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/holmes-was-charming-and-gracious-but-something-about-him-made-belknap/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [. . . why some men choose to fill their brief allotment of time engaging the impossible, others in the manufacture of sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/why-some-men-choose-to-fill-their-brief-allotment-of-time-engaging/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“At present," he said, "I am responsible for conveying my associates to a place called Chicago. I understand it is somewhere in the hinterland.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/at-present-he-said-i-am-responsible-for-conveying-my-associates-to-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [I knew from an online search that the Wisconsin State Historical Society, on the vast University of Wisconsin campus, held the papers of Sigrid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-knew-from-an-online-search-that-the-wisconsin-state-historical/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [Dodd continued to hope that the murders would so outrage the German public that the regime would fall, but as the days passed he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/dodd-continued-to-hope-that-the-murders-would-so-outrage-the-german/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [I envy other writers who claim to have a backlog of books they'd like to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-envy-other-writers-who-claim-to-have-a-backlog-of-books-they-d-like/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [Trying to find ideas is the hardest part of my job. You'd think it would be the most fun. Just sitting around reading whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/trying-to-find-ideas-is-the-hardest-part-of-my-job-you-d-think-it/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“Her blind endorsement of Hitler’s regime first faded to a kind of sympathetic skepticism, but as summer approached,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/her-blind-endorsement-of-hitler-s-regime-first-faded-to-a-kind-of/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“Perhaps, Herr Ditzen, it is less important where one lives than how one lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/perhaps-herr-ditzen-it-is-less-important-where-one-lives-than-how-one/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [I figured, correctly, that Berlin in February was not a destination coveted by tourists. I found good airfares on Lufthansa, an airline I quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-figured-correctly-that-berlin-in-february-was-not-a-destination/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“It was truly a transitional moment: There he was, at the cusp of the twentieth century, using the telephone to send a telegram.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/it-was-truly-a-transitional-moment-there-he-was-at-the-cusp-of-the/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) [Explore all 214 Erik Larson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I found a book facing out that I'd always meant to read: William Shirer's 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.' About a third of the way through, I suddenly, finally caught up to the fact that Shirer had been there in Berlin, from 1934 on, and was finally kicked out when the U.S. entered the war.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erik Larson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-always-meant-to-read-william/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-always-meant-to-read-william/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/erik-larson-1710_always_i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-alway_3139060.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/erik-larson-1710_always_i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-alway_3139060.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/erik-larson-1710_always_i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-alway_3139060.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I found a book facing out that I'd always meant to read: William Shirer's 'The Rise and Fall of the Third…” — Erik Larson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Erik Larson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I found a book facing out...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-always-meant-to-read-william/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-found-a-book-facing-out-that-i-d-always-meant-to-read-william/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```