8 Quotes & Sayings By Pierre Berton

Pierre Maurice Berton (born March 26, 1931) is a Canadian writer, historian and journalist. He was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Berton has written over 400 books, including biographies of Pierre Trudeau, John Diefenbaker, Alexander Graham Bell and Miles MacDonell. He frequently lectures at universities throughout North America and Europe on topics ranging from the city of Montreal to Canadian history to the history of journalism.

1
I was hated, you know. I made no secret of the fact that I was an atheist. People told me there are no atheists in fox holes. That's nonsense. [interview promoting Marching as to War (2002)] Pierre Berton
2
Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and deserves to be met head-on and stamped out. Pierre Berton
3
The more I see of the country, the less I feel I know about it. There is a saying that after five years in the north every man is an expert; after ten years, a novice. Pierre Berton
4
I am an atheist, a rationalist and a humanist. Pierre Berton
5
My TV show enraged people. I had prostitutes on, and I treated them like real people.. I was fired from Maclean's after I wrote a piece called 'Let's Stop Hoaxing The Kids About Sex'. Now I'm the 'beloved author, ' the 'beloved historian of Canada, ' an icon. I get standing ovations.. I never set out to be a patriot or a popular historian. I just liked storytelling. [interview promoting Marching as to War (2002)] . Pierre Berton
6
My best advice to writers is get yourself born in an interesting place. Pierre Berton
7
According to accepted newspaper clichés, we all go down fighting. The other day I even read that an 18-month-old baby had died after a long battle with cancer. That has become the mandatory phrase for all who expire, disease-ridden. They battled valiantly; they lost. When I finally depart I hope somebody will write, instead, that I died after a long battle with life. Pierre Berton