8f. de opkomst van politiek-maatschappelijke stromingen

4b. de opkomst van stedelijke burgerij en de toenemende zelfstandigheid van steden

4c. het begin van staatsvorming en centralisatie

5b. het burgerlijk bestuur en de stedelijke cultuur in Nederland

5c. de Opstand en het ontstaan van een onafhankelijke Nederlandse staat

6a. het streven van vorsten naar absolute macht

6b. de bijzondere plaats en de bloed van de Nederlandse Republiek

7a. rationeel optimisme en toepassing van verlicht denken

7a. het streven naar grondrechten en naar politieke invloed van de burgerij in de Franse en Bataafse revolutie

7b. ancien regime en verlicht absolutisme

7d. de democratische revoluties

8a. de industriële revolutie

8b. discussies over de sociale kwestie

8d. de opkomst van emancipatiebewegingen

8e. voortschrijdende democratisering

9b. de totalitaire ideologieën communisme, fascisme en nationaalsocialisme

9c. de crisis van het wereldkapitalisme

9d. het voeren van 2 wereldoorlogen

9f. de Duitse bezetting van Nederland

9g. verwoestingen door massavernietigingswapens en de betrokkenheid van burgers in de oorlog

10a. de verdeling van de wereld in twee ideologische blokken en de wapenwedloop

The problem isn't that people don't understand how good things are. It's that they know, from personal experience, that things really aren't that good.

I've had my heart broken, and it's not fun. But I'd rather have my heart broken than break someone else's heart.

I was bullied in elementary to middle school. It messed with my self esteem.

It takes a while to get a movie together, and they don't start talking books until the movie is close to being finished.

For some actors, their star shines brightly and fizzles out. My star doesn't shine that brightly, but it buzzes along. Hopefully, that means it will last longer.

Music is one of those things that is constantly going in my head all the time. It's sort of like the evolution and creation of doing food, or my philosophy about wine. It's always beating in my head, so it keeps the spirit moving.

Nobody should teach anywhere for 25 years, but I did.

A good nationalism has to depend on a principle of the common people, on myths of a struggling commonality.

Nature is indifferent to the survival of the human species, including Americans.

With two books a year, I don't have time for writer's block.

In this life, you should read everything you can read. Taste everything you can taste. Meet everyone you can meet. Travel everywhere you can travel. Learn everything you can learn. Experience everything you can experience.

It's nice to see a friendly face or have someone know your name.

Not a living thing was to be seen and the cottages that sat huddled close to the ground remained fast shut; the smoke from the chimneys alone still gave a sign of life.

All right, then, I'll go to hell.

The college stations have a big voice, and I would like to become more involved with them. I would like to have symposiums with the members of various college radio stations.

We all lived in the same house, or most of us did. And as far as I can make out we were confined to the property, because at twenty-four hours' notice we'd have to do a gig somewhere. So you couldn't leave the building for more than twelve hours in case a gig came through.

On one of the most personal matters of our lives, our health care, President Obama would turn decision making over to government bureaucrats. He forced through Obama-care and I will repeal it.

Reality is a crutch for people who can't handle drugs.

My agent asked if I fancied Robin Hood and I thought: 'Yeah, why not?' I hadn't watched it, to be honest, but I'd seen bits and knew it was really popular Saturday family viewing with heaps of action. I thought it would be great fun. I was up for a good old play-fighting and the scripts were terrifically exciting.

The individual who says it is not possible, should move out of the way of those doing it.

It feels wonderful to get praise from other authors who I admire, but with each new book, my confidence is always the thing I struggle with the most until I start getting positive feedback from readers.

There was one theory put forth by a journalist recently. I have a lot of friends that have died prematurely and a lot of friends that have died of natural causes. I've lost a lot of people over the years. This journalist basically recommended to me that God keeps me around because I amuse him.

If I lose show business - I'll really be an orphan!

I hate guns, I think they're the worst thing ever invented.