Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,161,747 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
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Books and reading
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“I feel that books choose me when they’re ready. I can’t force them into being.”
Erika Sánchez (born 1984) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If people visit books as they do tourist sites, looking for the famous passages they have heard about, looking for the best-seller they were told about, just to be able to say "I was there," then we have missed the whole point of literature.”
Shulamith Hareven (1930–2003) said by 2003 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The more one shares knowledge, the more of it one has, and the more complete it becomes. Moreover, it is the sharing of knowledge that brings about greater knowledge and inspires more and better thought. Knowledge is not subject to purely commercial considerations, just as good books are not subject to the prevalent economy.”
Shulamith Hareven (1930–2003) said by 2003 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Iranianist H. Humbach, too, emphasises the same similarity pointing out the polarisation of relations between the Ahuras and the Daevas in the Gathic Avesta and the reverse polarisation between Devas and Asuras which only begins to occur in the later books of the RV; he concludes: “All this suggests a synchrony between the later Vedic period and Zarathustra’s reform in Iran” (1991:23).”
Helmut Humbach (1921–2017) first seen 2015 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: H. Humbach quoted from Kazanas, N. (2015). Vedic and IndoEuropean studies. Aditya Prakashan. , chapter 4, Vedic and Avestan.
“The vocabulary of the Kaṇva maṇḍala [8] often coincides with that of the Atri maṇḍala [5] when it shows no correspondence with that of other family books. This subject deserves special treatment.”
Edward Washburn Hopkins (1857–1932) said by 1932 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Priya compounds are a formation common in Smṛti [....] Epic [....] In AV, VS, and Brāhmaṇa [....] but known in RV only to books viii, i, ix, x.”
Edward Washburn Hopkins (1857–1932) said by 1932 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“viii joins the later Avesta to post-Rik literature and the other General Books.”
Edward Washburn Hopkins (1857–1932) said by 1932 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“the intermediate character of v, between viii and the other family books.”
Edward Washburn Hopkins (1857–1932) said by 1932 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In the 13th century "Popes Gregory IX and Innocent IV condemned the books of the Talmud as containing every kind of vileness and blasphemy against Christian truth, and ordered them to be burned because they spread many horrible heresies.”
Justinas Pranaitis (1861–1917) said by 1917 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Every society has its own stories – old stories, but very importantly, new stories too, that give identity to the self and explain that particular world. If there are no books which tell us about ourselves, but tell us only about others, that makes you invisible in the world of literature. That is dangerous.”
Patricia Grace (born 1937) first seen 2021 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Grace, From the Centre: A writer's life (2021), extract in "'I never found myself in a book': Patricia Grace on the importance of Māori literature", The Guardian.
“I met Connie Barlow at a lecture... Connie was the author of four books, and two of them had "evolution" in their titles... She, too, was a long-time "epic of evolution" enthusiast. ...[H]er passion for sharing a sacred understanding of cosmic history was no less than mine. Seven months later I asked Connie to marry me.”
Michael Dowd (1958–2023) said by 2023 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[N]o one was talking about the ocean, and when I went looking for popular science books... about , there really is close to nothing. There's lots of things about fish and whales and about pollution. Everything except the water itself, and that seemed to be the most ludicrous omission... I was sure the stories were there, but... to tell the story, to paint a picture of the ocean.”
Helen Czerski (born 1978) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We cannot explore someone else’s identity from within as we do with books and literature… And we cannot do it when you don’t wear someone else’s skin as literary work invites us to do. This empathy that we can taste is so unique to storytelling via the page....I try to encourage myself when it comes to writing prose. Because I do believe in it and love it. This is my home. (2017)”
Dorit Rabinyan (born 1972) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You can feel the extremeness of Israeli society and life in my books without it being explicit. I only look for the individual experienced and give a taste of the complexity of life in Israel. (2014)”
Zeruya Shalev (born 1959) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He and The Citadel eventually kissed and made up and became great friends after a rocky relationship following publication of The Lords of Discipline. The Citadel has promised to stop using his books as kindling to heat the barracks.”
Alex Sanders (politician) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[N]o novels or worldly books come up to the Sermons of McCheyne or the Commentaries of Scott.”
Charles George Gordon (1833–1885) first seen 1854 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Letter to his sister, Augusta (1854), quoted in M. A. Gordon, Letters of General C. G. Gordon to His Sister (1888), p. 2
“I am a huge fan of the International Emmy Awards and the work that they do, so being a juror is sooo [sic] awesome. This one is definitely for the books and a privilege I will never take for granted.”
Thando Thabethe (born 1990) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I’ve never thought of myself as a cultural activist, but thanks! The reason I work in different fields is mainly to make a living – professional authors in the UK now earn an average of around £10,000 a year, it’s usually impossible to live just from writing books.”
Caitlin Davies (born 1964) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Then I met an ICU doctor during a swim at a local reservoir, and she told me the only way she was coping was by listening to audio books, and that made me start writing again.”
Caitlin Davies (born 1964) first seen 2021 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: CAITLIN DAVIES – AUTHOR AND CULTURAL ACTIVIST by Leslie Tate, March 8, 2021, Retrieved 17/11/2023
“I get my inspiration from everywhere, and admittedly mostly from places that aren’t food related. I love going to museums, because art really inspires me. When I look at cookbooks, I tend to like the ones that are super artistic- more art books than cookbooks.”
Kristen Kish (born 1984) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It’s always been my goal and vision to take South African food to the world—what an amazing evening & incredible crowd of people to have in one room, definitely one for the books and a very proud moment!”
Lorna Maseko (born 1983) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Celebrity Chef Lorna Maseko Brings a Taste of South Africa to Hollywood, GOODTHINGSGUY, 29 June 2023 by Ashleigh Fefdt
“I searched for such a long time. At the begin-ning, an image, an ebony-warrior coming fromAzania. Then it was like a three-way mirror re-flecting my past, present and future. I searchedfor you everywhere: in my books, at the cine-ma, within my weaknesses, under the finefolds of my smile”
Véronique Tadjo (born 1955) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A brother asked Abba Serapion: “Tell me a saying.” The elder said: “What can I say to you? That you took the goods of widows and orphans and set them in this embrasure?”—for he saw that it was full of books.”
Serapion of Thmuis (300–370) said by 370 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There is a time for everything, at 22 years old you want the handsome, funny, feisty man; to 25 the one who loves books and talks about politics; to 30 choose the father of your children. At 50 you accept that you are not always the winner, at this age you know your defects and your weaknesses; you accept yourself and you also accept the other: you are a bit of a geisha, a bit of an Amazon.”
Inès de la Fressange (born 1957) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Sometimes its blood and tears; at other times, it falls easy like rain. I have note books, filled with the scraps of words. I try to catch the moments… a flock of birds on the wings of twilight, the moon majestic on a tableau of darkness. I am a scribbler. I go back to weave the various scraps into the cloth that becomes a poem.”
Toyin Adewale-Gabriel (born 1969) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“For me to be a creative writer? That is not my calling. I write only history books because that is my calling.”
Nwando Achebe (born 1970) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Macrobius, Saturnalia, Volume II: Books 3-5, edited and translated by Robert A. Kaster, Loeb Classical Library No. 511, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, C.E.2011. ISBN 978-0-674-99649-6. Online version at Harvard University Press.”
Phidias (500–430 BC) said by 430 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Strabo, Geography, translated by Horace Leonard Jones; Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. (C.E.1924). LacusCurtis, Online version at the Perseus Digital Library, Books 6–14.”
Phidias (500–430 BC) said by 430 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Every day there is that little bit that changes us. People. words. Music. Books. Sentences. A laugh. Afraid of a moment. A dispute. Boredom. Every day there is that little bit that changes us.”
Aminata Touré (born 1962) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“As there were more books coming on the scene, there tended to be less about Black people as magical beings or creatures in fantasy, and I definitely wanted to see more of that”
Natasha Bowen wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Porter, J.R. (C.E.2000). The Illustrated Guide to the Bible. New York: Barnes & Noble Books. pp. 115–16. ISBN 978-0-7607-2278-7.”
Artaxerxes I of Persia (501–424 BC) said by 424 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Winn Leith, Mary Joan (C.E.2001) [C.E.1998]. "Israel among the Nations: The Persian Period". In Michael David Coogan (ed.). The Oxford History of the Biblical World (Google Books). Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. p. 281. ISBN 978-0-19-513937-2. LCCN 98016042. OCLC 44650958. Retrieved 13 December C.E2007.”
Artaxerxes I of Persia (501–424 BC) said by 424 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“James P. Byrd, The challenges of Roger Williams: Religious Liberty, Violent Persecution, and the Bible (Mercer University Press, C.E.2002) (accessed on Google Books on July 20, C.E.2009)”
Artaxerxes I of Persia (501–424 BC) said by 424 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The soul (spirit) finds respite in books.”
Ifeoma Onyefulu (born 1959) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I do sometimes think of my books as food that I am serving to readers. A dish full of flavor with a moody texture and the chance shock of pepper. My characters are flawed rather than “good,” and so different readers respond to them in different ways—sometimes with impatience and sometimes with empathy. Either way I hope that readers feel a mild jolt of consciousness.”
Leila Aboulela (born 1964) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Jhalkaribai! While she remains in oblivion in the pages of History text books, she is revered as one of the bravest daughters of Bharat Mata from the Bahujan community.”
Jhalkaribai (1830–1858) said by 1858 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Rawal M. S. & Rawal Y. S. (2019). Saffron swords. Garuda Prakashan.
“Except few from Assam, not many have heard about Mula Gabharu! She was one of the few warriors who fought bravely in battlefield against Muslim invaders. She killed two Mohammedan Lieutenants in battle until she was treacherously killed by the enemy in the same battlefield. Like many other unsung warriors of India, she finds no place in Indian History text books.”
Mula Gabharu (1486–1532) said by 1532 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“G. De Sanctis, Scritti minori, I, C.E.1966, excerpts, on books.google.it.”
Gaetano De Sanctis (1870–1957) said by 1957 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“G. De Sanctis, Scritti minori, II, C.E.1970, excerpts, on books.google.it.”
Gaetano De Sanctis (1870–1957) said by 1957 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A Few Lines in the Manifest. Albion Books. 14 May 2018.”
Joan Naviyuk Kane (born 1977) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Another Bright Departure. CutBank Books. March 2019. .”
Joan Naviyuk Kane (born 1977) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Every project has something magical and unique about it, and the heart of that is the creators behind the books and the collaborative process that’s the nature of publishing.”
Elizabeth Agyemang (born 1949) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“As a leader, I took my valuable time and reflected on how I could share some messages from what we learn during important meetings that we attend; believe me, there are opportunities that we are given as leaders that allow us to know several information before our fellow Rwandans; it’s our responsibility to share the information with them, be it through books, songs and even poems,”
Francoise Uwumukiza (born 1973) first seen 2020 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: SEVENTEEN SONGS AND COUNTING: LAWMAKER SURPRISES WITH MUSIC TALENT KT Press (November 15, 2020)
“One of the first things that occurs in totalitarian regimes, as we saw with research, such as Hitler and Stalin et al., is the act of abhorring culture, of banning and burning books.”
Margo Glantz (born 1930) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In Khartoum and southern Cameroon and other places there were students in final year who all have to flee, as it was libraries and books have all being burnt.”
Olugbemiro Jegede wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Sikander burnt all books the same wise as fire burns hay. All the scintillating works faced destruction in the same manner that lotus flowers face with the onset of frosty winter.”
Shrivara (active around 1400) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I myself am mixed race — my mother is Korean and my father is an American Jew — so I've always felt other. But I think what's a little bit amazing about books, again, is the way in which they can sort of transcend that to an extent. And I also wanted the world as I see it — and the world as I see it is a world that is increasingly [filled] with people [of] different ethnicities.”
Gabrielle Zevin (born 1977) first seen 2014 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview with NPR (2014)
“Generally, the best art comes from people that are a bit alienated from the system. I think it’s that friction that actually leads to making good books or good games, and not just being like, I’m a company man, or something for that system.”
Gabrielle Zevin (born 1977) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Sometimes books don't find us until the right time.”
Gabrielle Zevin (born 1977) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“My books are a combination of my culture growing up, but also my entering a new culture as an immigrant and having to learn—to re-learn—everything so that I’d actually be able to survive in a new country.”
Yuyi Morales (born 1968) first seen 2015 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview (2015)