Books Quotes

I would define a book as a work of magic whence escape, all kinds of images to trouble the souls and change the hearts of men.

They liked the book the better the more it made them cry.

What can we see or acquire, but what we are? You have observed a skilful man reading Virgil. Well, that author is a thousand books to a thousand persons. Take the book into your two hands, and read your eyes out; you will never find what I find.

Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are books that other folks have lent to me.

Films can do many things that novels can’t do, yes – but novels can still do far more things that film can’t do. Film creates a marvelous simulacrum of realism – but I can’t help feeling that it is finally a cartoon realism compared with that of books. Film is wide, as wide as our […]

Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views, which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have given, forgetful that Cicero, Locke, and Bacon were only young men in libraries, when they wrote these books. Hence, instead of Man Thinking, we have the bookworm. Hence, the book-learned class, who value […]

We live too much in books and not enough in nature, and we are very much like the simpleton of a Pliny the Younger, who went on studying a Greek author while before his eyes Vesuvius was overwhelming five cities beneath the ashes.

I regard this novel as a work without redeeming social value, unless it can be recycled as a cardboard box.

Let books be your dining table, And you shall be full of delights. Let them be your mattress, And you shall sleep restful nights

If I read a book that impresses me, I have to take myself firmly by the hand, before I mix with other people; otherwise they would think my mind rather queer.