Old historians never lie, they merely footnote away: Amid even more accusations he may have a pattern of pushing the envelop on borrowing from previously published work, Stephen Ambrose admits in today’s New York Times
that he power-lifts material from other authors (free registration required). He says he maybe borrowed a wee-too-much in
Wild Blue, but promises to do better next time. In his teaching days, would he have been so charitable with students?
Quote:
Mr. Ambrose said he and his son were hard at work on his next book. This time, “I am sure going to put quotes around anything that comes out of a secondary work, always,” he said.
Before it becomes a controversy, I’d like to admit that everything I have ever written I borrowed from someone else.