“...the sources of all history, whether written or oral, whether painted on pottery or etched onto a map, tell us something both about how great events happen and how those who lived through them dealt with their consequences. When we encounter the precious relics of our deep past we sense that we are entering a quiet room and that we can hear in the voices of writers, artists, potters, and everyday people, just a bit of the truth and a bit of the poetry that makes up all human experience."