Quotes about Literature

An English writer telephoned me from London, asking questions. One was, 'What's your alma mater?' I told him, 'Books.

I want to be like Madame de Stael.

Because it is so scatterbrained and has absolutely no charts and graphs, I'm actually quite surprised the Bible sells.

If books were judged by the bad uses man can put them to, what book has been more misused than the Bible?

Librarians are serious people, seldom given to jocularity. The reason for this, I believe, is because we are overwhelmed by the enormous number of good books waiting to be read, leaving little time for frivolity.

Down Cut Shin Creek: The Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky by Kathi Appelt and Jeanne Cannella Schmitzer.

My chest of books divide amongst my friends--

it struck me what quality went to form a Man of Achievement, especially in Literature, and which Shakespeare possessed so enormously - I mean Negative Capability, that is, when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.

Besides, a long poem is a test of invention, which I take to be the Polar star of Poetry, as Fancy is the sails - and Imagination the rudder.

You should approach Joyce's Ulysses as the illiterate Baptist preacher approaches the Old Testament: with faith.

To write for children at all is an act of faith.

Many a man lives a burden to the Earth, but a good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit, imbalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.