He would come to feel that history, even more than memory, distorts the present of the past by focusing on big events and making one forget that most people living in the present are otherwise preoccupied, that for them omens often don't exist.

Tracy Kidder
About This Quote

The writer is talking about how history can give a person a false sense of importance and importance in events they do not influence. He makes a good point, but people may forget the importance of the normal people. People may not notice something until it is too late.

Source: Strength In What Remains: A Journey Of Remembrance And Forgiveness

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  1. He would come to feel that history, even more than memory, distorts the present of the past by focusing on big events and making one forget that most people living in the present are otherwise preoccupied, that for them omens often don't exist.
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