Antony Beevor
Antony Beevor
Antony James Beevor, FRSLis an English military historian. He has published several popular histories on the Second World War and the 20th century in general...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionHistorian
Date of Birth14 December 1946
mother jobs writing
It was only after five years in the army, when I was having to do a very boring job in a very boring place, that I thought: 'Why not try writing a novel?' partly out of youthful arrogance and partly because there had been a long line of writers in my mother's family.
children school disease
When I was a child I had something called Perthes' Disease which meant I was on crutches, so I was bullied at school and all that sort of stuff.
war military thinking
I think one of the great disasters (in military history) is the way that the Second World War has become the defining reference point for every crisis and every conflict.
stupid war d-day
The British bombing of Caen beginning on D-Day in particular was stupid, counter-productive and above all very close to a war crime.
book writing years
It takes me three or four years to research and write each book and the individual stories stay with you for a long time afterwards.
book reading writing
I just write the sort of book that I would enjoy reading myself, a book that is both scholarly and recreates the experience of people at that time.
block cities perfect
If you smash a city when you're trying to capture it, you actually end up providing the perfect terrain for the defenders while blocking the access for your own armoured vehicles.
wine writing past
When I was younger I used to get my best writing done at night, but now it has to be during the day. I usually finish work at half past seven, then go back to the house to open a bottle of wine, have dinner, and then read or watch television.
half dozen archives
I just love the days when you come out of the archives with half a dozen excellent descriptions or poignant accounts of personal experiences.
mean thinking select
I think it's outrageous if a historian has a 'leading thought' because it means they will select their material according to their thesis
book believe luck
I believe passionately in preemptive pessimism, especially before a book comes out. I expect the worst both from reviewers and sales, and then, with any luck, I may be proved wrong.
pile spread
In my library/study/barn, there is a Ping-Pong table on which I can pile working books and spread maps.
checking room trout valley whether
I used to write in a room overlooking the valley from where I could see too much, whether checking the sheep and alpacas or seeing the trout rise on the lake.
perhaps perverse
I'm often reassured in a bizarre - perhaps perverse - way when I find in the archive stuff that contradicts what my assumptions have been. That's interesting and exciting.