#books

None of us can be proof against the influences that proceed from the persons he associates with. Wherefore, in books and men, let us look out for the best society, that which yields a bracing and wholesome influence. We all know the person for whose company we are the better, though the talk is only about fishing or embroidery. ↗

— Charlotte Mason

#friends #men

I have observed that it is no longer possible for one young man to speak unwarily to another not known to him, except in certain sections of the South and West, and certainly not with a book in his hand. ↗

— Walker Percy

#men

To write a book is for all the world like humming a song—be but in tune with yourself, madam, 'tis no matter how high or low you take it. ↗

— Laurence Sterne

#inspiration #writing #inspirational

One may enter the literary parlor via just about any door, be it the prison door, the madhouse door, or the brothel door. There is but one door one may not enter it through, which is the child room door. The critics will never forgive you such. The great Rudyard Kipling is one of a number of people to have suffered from this. I keep wondering to myself what this peculiar contempt towards anything related to childhood is all about. ↗

— Michael Ende

#childhood #children-s #children-s-books #good-sense #literature

People keep asking me, "Where do you get the ideas for your books?" From the worst moments in my life. I call that "literature through disaster." I got the whole Tales from Earth's End Saga that way, as well as Numenon. Don't be afraid of the hard times. ↗

— Sandy Nathan

#inspirational #sandy-nathan #tales-from-earth-s-end #using-hard-timesideas-for-books #where-to-get-inspiration

Any book which inspires us to lead a better life is a good book. ↗

— Fulton J. Sheen

#inspirational

I wrote a book. It sucked. I wrote nine more books. They sucked, too. Meanwhile, I read every single thing I could find on publishing and writing, went to conferences, joined professional organizations, hooked up with fellow writers in critique groups, and didn’t give up. Then I wrote one more book. ↗

— Beth Revis

#debut-author #first-drafts #inspiration #persistence #publishing

You want to give him the book of his own life, the book that will locate him, parent him, arm him for the changes. ↗

— Michael Cunningham

#change

If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be open to all—except the censor. We must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms. Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors. For the Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our liberty. ↗

— John F. Kennedy

#freedom-of-thought #liberty #libraries #freedom

When I was growing up, I always read horror books, while my sister read romance novels. ↗

— Dorothy Allison

#books #growing #growing up #horror #i