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January 30 - January 31, 2025
Scholars who at bottom do little nowadays but thumb books . . . ultimately lose entirely their capacity to think for themselves. When they don’t thumb, they don’t think.’”
Books have tremendous power. But take care. It’s the book that holds the power, not you.”
“It’s not true that the more you read, the more you see of the world. No matter how much knowledge you cram into your head, unless you think with your own mind, walk with your own feet, the knowledge you acquire will never be anything more than empty and borrowed.”
“Books can’t live your life for you. The reader who forgets to walk on his own two feet is like an old encyclopedia, his head stuffed with out-of-date information. Unless someone else opens it up, it’s nothing but a useless antique.”
“In today’s world, a lot of what should be obvious has been turned upside down. The weak are used as stepping-stones and those in need are taken advantage of.
“Reading isn’t only for pleasure or entertainment. Sometimes you need to examine the same lines deeply, read the same sentences over again. Sometimes you sit there, head in hands, only progressing at a painstakingly slow pace. And the result of all this hard work and careful study is that suddenly you’re there and your field of vision expands. It’s like finding a great view at the end of a long climbing trail.”
“If you’re going to climb, make it a tall mountain. The view will be so much better.”
Unless it is opened, a book possessing great power or an epic story is mere scraps of paper. But a book that has been cherished and loved, filled with human thoughts, has been endowed with a soul.”
“Older books, particularly those that have a long history, have been influenced by the minds and souls of a great many people. Those books become imbued with a tremendous power, whether it be good or evil. And when the soul of such a book becomes distorted . . .”
“Books teach us how to care about others.”
“Books are filled with human thoughts and feelings. People suffering, people who are sad or happy, laughing with joy. By reading their words and their stories, by experiencing them together, we learn about the hearts and minds of other people besides ourselves. Thanks to books, it’s possible to learn not only about the people around us every day, but people living in totally different worlds.”
Empathy—that’s the power of books.”
“Even if you try to destroy a book, it doesn’t disappear that easily. Right now, in places all over the world, people have connections to books.
“Walk with courage the path you have chosen. Don’t be one of those bystanders who complains that nothing ever changes.
“Thoughts alone can’t change the world,” she repeated. “But don’t you think we should give it a try?”
“It’s not a question of logic. It’s about being proud of who we are.”
