#books

Someone has said of books that they are our 'amplest heritages' of thought, and so they are. That doesn't necessarily mean that they must be learned or profound. They are food for the mind and different minds require different foods ; everyone is better for variety. Whatever stimulates the mind feeds it, be it fact, fiction or fable. That is where our responsibility lies ; in knowing what builds good mental blood and brawn, and in dispensing that only. Don't ever let yourself think you haven't time to read. ↗

— Mary Virginia Provines

#knowledge #librarians #library #reading #food

To build up a library is to create a life. It's never just a random collection of books. ↗

— Carlos María Domínguez

#bibliophiila #book-collecting #books #collection #libraries

life was not easy, nor was it happy, but she did not expect life to be easy, and, if it was not happy, that was woman's lot. It was a man's world, and she accepted it as such. The man owned the property, and the woman managed it. The man took credit for the management, and the woman praised his cleverness. The man roared like a bull when a splinter was in his finger, and the woman muffled the moans of childbirth, lest she disturb him. Men were rough of speech and often drunk. Women ignored the lapses of speech and put the drunkards to bed without bitter words. Men were rude and outspoken, women were always kind, gracious and forgiving. ↗

— Margaret Mitchell

#literature #scarlett-o-hara #forgiveness

I must study Politicks and War that my sons may have liberty to study Mathematicks and Philosophy. My sons ought to study Mathematicks and Philosophy, Geography, natural History, Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine. (12 May 1780) ↗

— John Adams

#first-amendment #politics #presidents #scholorship #architecture

Every one of my books is written from the viewpoint of cops, with the exception of my book Killer on the Road, which is written from the viewpoint of a serial killer. ↗

— James Ellroy

#books #cops #every #exception #killer

No man can be called friendless who has God and the companionship of good books. ↗

— Elizabeth Barrett Browning

#companionship #friends #friendship #god #reading

The books are to remind us what asses and fool we are. They're Caeser's praetorian guard, whispering as the parade roars down the avenue, "Remember, Caeser, thou art mortal." Most of us can't rush around, talking to everyone, know all the cities of the world, we haven't time, money or that many friends. The things you're looking for, Montag, are in the world, but the only way the average chap will ever see ninety-nine per cent of them is in a book. Don't ask for guarantees. And don't look to be saved in any one thing, person, machine, or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were headed for shore. ↗

— Ray Bradbury

#art

Hard-covered books break up friendships. You loan a hard covered book to a friend and when he doesn’t return it you get mad at him. It makes you mean and petty. But twenty-five cent books are different. ↗

— John Steinbeck

#friendship

We need books...because we are all, in the private kingdoms of our hearts, desperate for the company of a wise, true friend. ↗

— Steve Almond

#friendship #lonliness #friendship

My books are friends that never fail me." (Letter to his mother, Margaret A. Carlyle; 17 March 1817) ↗

— Thomas Carlyle

#friends #friendship #reliance #trust #friendship