David Herbert Donald

“He read less and thought more.”

“Until the Civil War, the United States was a plural noun. It was 'these United States are...' After the Civil War, it became a singular noun: 'The United States is...'”

“He had a genius for growth.”

“A biographer is an artist who is on oath.”

“Lincoln had a strong moral sense, but he was not a moralist.”

“The historian must be a poet in the sense that he is a maker, a creator. He must tell a story.”

“To be a good historian, you must be a good storyteller.”

“The job of the historian is to make the past intelligible.”

“I think it is a historian’s duty to hurt, to shake people up. It’s not to make them feel comfortable.”