"Why do I have to know this?"

It's a question that's often asked when studying history.  Here's a great quote from The Ear, the Eye and the Arm by Nancy Farmer:

Knowledge is a house that must be built from the ground up.  We know how to make the roof. The information is useless if we don't understand the foundations on which it is to be placed.

I've just started reading the book, so I can't tell you much else about it.  If you're interested in reading it, check it out here.

I also highly recommend her award winning novel The House of the Scorpion.  I'm not much of a sci-fi girl, but this is still one of my all-time favorites.